The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-01-31
The New Cathedral at Moscow.


The Cathedral of st. Saviour at Moscow,
Russia, built to commemorate the defeat
of the French under Napoleon in 1872, and
recently eonsecrated, is one of the most
noble specimens of church architecture in
the world. Its erection was decreed by
Alexander l. a few months after the re-
treat which terminated SO disastrously to
Napoleon's army. A site was selected on
the Sparrow Hills, an eminence on the
southern side of the town, and the founda-
tions of the edifce were laid in 1917 But
this building was abandoned ten years later,
after 100000 rubles had been expended
upon it, and another site was selected by
Emperor Nicholas and new plans adopted
on the most magnificent scale. The foun-
dation of the present edifce was laid with
great pomp in 1888, in the presence of the
Emperor Nicholas, his son Alexander H.,
and many other notabilities By 1858 the
building had progressed far enough to per-
NIT the removal of the scaffolding. In
1881 it was declared finished and has since
been waiting formal conservation. Its to-
tai cost is estimated at 81 ,250, 900, and it
is said to be capable of seating 10000
worshippers.
The style of architecture is Greco- By
zantine, the most striking feature of which
is the five copper cupolas, for the gliding
of which were required 900 pounds of
gold, their total cost being upward of $780,
600. The domes are surmounted by cross
es, the centre one, nearly 30 feet high,
standing $40 feet from the ground. The
building covers an area of $4,000 square
feet. The bells are of ponderous weight.
The largest, or "holyday" bell, weighs 26
tons, or half as much again as "Great
Paul at London. The cost of the peal
was upward of $65, 1000.
The foundations of the church are of
Finnish granite, and the whole edifce is
faced with marble, the doors being of bronze
ornamented with Biblical subjects and lined
with oak. The principal entrance measures
80 feet high by Is feet broad, and the two
doors weigh 13 tons, the total cost of all
the doors being $4,000.
The building is erected in the form of a
Greek cross, three Of the broad ends of
which form corridors, lower and ur per, sur
rounding three sides of, and open to, the
central square or temple proper, while the
fourth end is occupied by the altar and its
appurtenances. The walls are adorned with
frescoes illustrating the principal events in
the history of the Russian church.
The floor is of marble, and the walls are
lined with exquisite varieties of the same
material 1t was intended at first to use
only Russian marble, but some amount of
Italian was subsequently found to be in
dispensable. The total cost of all the marble
in the building exceeded 81 10000 The
galleries contain 3G windows and the cupola
16, all of which are double, with frames of
bronze. Round the cupola is one row of
$40 candelabra, placed there at a cost of
S35 5000, with a second row of 900 costing
an additional 100000. There are four
Iustres weighing four tons each, and the
total number of candles to be lighted
throughout the building is upward of 1900.
At the top of the cupola is a painting by
Prof. Markoff, representing in colossal pro-
portions the first person of the blessed
Trinity as an old man with the infant Jesus.
The height of the figure is 40 feet, the
length of the face Z feet, and the height of
the infant 21 feet. Also below the cupola
are number of figures of Apostles and
Fathers, each 21 feet high. Great ex-
pense has been lavished on the eastern end
of the church. The cost of material and
workmanship for the altar space, apart
from the moons or sacred pictures, amount
edto s18O,OOO. In this part of the church
are some of its most remarkable paintings,
most, if not all, by Russian artists.
The effect of the whole is strikingly
grand and beautiful, and is not surpassed
in this respect by any edifce on the face of
the earth.
The meaning we attach to our words de-
-, i, -, o,,r foa1in0c