For more than two centuries, the entrance to the city from the side of Rostov the Great has been decorated with an old church. This beautiful architectural monument is associated with the death of the last heir to the Rurik dynasty, which occurred at the beginning of the 17th century. Although the Uglich temple is away from the main attractions, it is popular with tourists.
Temple history
The construction of the temple, which has survived to this day, was preceded by a long and difficult history. After the death of the youngest son of John IV the Terrible, it was decided to transport the boy's body to Moscow and bury in Archangel Cathedral Moscow Kremlin.
View of the Church of Tsarevich Dimitri "on the field" from Lunacharsky Street
At first, the procession headed along the Moscow road, but unexpectedly for everyone, the carts stopped. Then they turned to the Rostov road and drove to the outskirts of Uglich. At the exit from the city, the coffin with the boy's body was stopped again so that the residents could say goodbye to the young Dimitri.
During the service, a miracle happened - a thin trickle of blood suddenly poured out of the tomb of the prince. The townspeople carefully collected the earth, where the blood dripped, and placed it in a silver shrine.
View of the Church of Tsarevich Dimitri "on the field" from Rostovskaya street
In 1606, a small wooden chapel was erected on the site of the farewell of the Uglich people with Dimitri, which stood here until 1693. Then the old warm church, which worked at Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral... The "Kremlin" temple has served for over 40 years. In 1729, on the memorial outskirts of Uglich, a stone church was built in honor of Tsarevich Dimitri and Saints Kirik and Julita.
After 50 years, another stone temple appeared here. Unlike the famous churches "on the Blood", which stood on the banks of the Volga in the Kremlin, the new temple received the prefix “on the field”.
View of the bell tower of the Church of Tsarevich Dimitri "on the field"
During the years of Soviet power, this church remained the only working church, so many icons and relics from the destroyed churches of Uglich got into it. In 1989, the city museum gave the parish a silver shrine with the relics of Prince Roman Uchlichsky, who ruled the city in the 13th century.
Architectural features and interiors
The picturesque one-story building with five chapters, a refectory and a bell tower was erected in 1798-1814 in a traditional manner that gravitates towards the classical style. The old church cannot be called an architectural masterpiece, but it is distinguished by harmonious proportions and graceful lines. Thin drums and a narrow, heavenly bell tower make the building almost weightless.
The small temple fits perfectly into the surrounding buildings and has the status of a historical and cultural monument. The high two-story quadrangle with peach walls is decorated with four white Tuscan columns, strict cornices and pilasters, and the green roof on the church and bell tower is decorated with round holes - lucarnes. The neat domes have a blue coating for a ploughshare and gilded crosses.
Inside, there are paintings of 1836, which in many respects repeat the frescoes of one of the most beautiful cathedrals and temples in Uglich - the Transfiguration Cathedral. Historians believe that both churches were painted by the same artel of painters. Unfortunately, history has not preserved the names of talented iconographers. The colorful paintings on the walls were restored in 1986 under the direction of E.M. Maslova.
The interiors of the provincial temple are rather modest. Inside you can see columns and a large carved iconostasis, which is shaped like a triumphal arch.
Helpful information
The old temple is loved by pilgrims and tourists who travel along the routes of the "Golden Ring" of Russia. The church is active, its doors are open to visitors any day from morning to evening. Inside there is a special atmosphere and it is easy to feel the spirit of history.
The shrines of the temple include a shrine with the relics of Prince Roman of Uglich and icons of the early 19th century, which depict Tsarevich Dimitri and the martyr John the Warrior.
Cancer with the relics of Prince Roman of Uglich
How to get there
The temple stands in the southeastern part of the city, on Rostovskaya street, 60. Tourists who get to Uglich by private car drive up to the church along Rostovskaya street. If you come by intercity bus, walk from the Uglich bus station along Oktyabrsky and Rostovskaya streets. Walking distance to the temple is 20-30 minutes. The distance from the railway station is about the same. You need to go along the Vokzalnaya and Rostovskaya streets.
Information sources
- Tourist Information Center "Uglich", Church of Tsarevich Dimitri "on the field"
- Sobors.ru, Uglich. Church of Demetrius Tsarevich "on the field"
- Encyclopedia "Tree", Church of Tsarevich Dimitri "on the field"
- Goldentown.ru, Uglich, Church of Tsarevich Dimitri "on the field"
- Church of Tsarevich Demetrius "on the field"
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