Z aštitnik Moskve, Hram Sve- tog Vasilija Blaženog, i uži- vo izgleda kao nešto što bi- ste želeli da pojedete! Prelepi čuvar Crvenog trga svedok je istorij- skih zbivanja, političkih prevrata, bur- nih ruskih sudbina već više od 450 godina. Najslikaniji kulturno-istorijski spo- menik Moskve građen je od 1555. do 1561. godine po naredbi cara Ivana Groznog u slavu pobede nad Kazan- skim kanatom koja je izvojevana na dan kada se slavi Pokrov Presve- te Bogorodice, pa otuda i ime. Drugi naziv, Katedrala Va-
Tekst / Words: Jelena Pantović Fotografije / Photography: Mitar Mitrović
silija Blaženog, pojavio se zahvaljujući Svetom Vasi- liju, moskovskom juro- divom, koji je bio vido-
ČUVAR RUSKIH TAJNI
vit pa predvideo da će Moskva 1547. godine velikim delom izgo- reti u požaru, što se i dogodilo. Katedrala na-
vodno simbolizu- je nebeski Jeru- salim, kraljevstvo božje, čiji su zido- vi ukrašeni dragim kamenjem, a po dru- goj su verziji, graditelji su pokušali da naprave katedralu identičnu cari- gradskoj crkvi Vlaherni. Na- kon požara 1595. godine, crkva je ukrašena specifičnim kupola- ma, koje su prvobitno bile bele, da bi predivne boje dobile tek u 18. veku. Postoji nekoliko verzija o tome ko bi mogao biti autor ovog arhitekton- skog ansambla. Najpoznatija je da su katedralu projektovali majstori Barma i Postnik, koje je Ivan Grozni navodno oslepeo da nikada više ne naprave ni- šta tako lepo. Postoji i verzija po kojoj je katedralu projektovao italijanski maj- stor angažovan u Kremlju. Ovaj divni hram stoji od 16. veka, ali mu je sud- bina dva puta bila zapečaćena. Ipak, Francuzi, koji su hteli sa spale katedra- lu 1812. napuštajući Moskvu, srećom nisu uspeli u tom naumu. A drugi put je svetinju spasao arhitekta Petar Bara- novski, koji je poslao telegram Staljinu i rekao da bi radije umro nego uništio hram. Sveti Vasilije je spasen, ali je ar- hitekta bačen u zatvor na pet godina. Zvonik hrama je još u funkciji, ali su sovjeti pretopili najveći broj zvo- na. Neki čudom ostalo je netaknuto jedno, koje i danas donosi zvuke da- lekog 16. veka i burne ruske istorije.
T he guardian of Mos- cow, Saint Basil’s Ca- thedral even looks like something you might
like to eat when seen in person! This beautiful protector of Red Square has witnessed historical events, political up- heavals and Russia’s turbulent fate for more than 450 years. Moscow’s most picturesque cultural and his- torical monument was built between 1555 and 1561, at the behest of Emperor Ivan the Terrible, in honour of his ar- my’s victory over the Tatar khanate of Kazan, which took place on the day when the Feast of the Intercession is celebrated, hence the official name of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat. The second name, the Cathedral of Basil the Blessed, appeared thanks to St. Basil, a Muscovite yurodivy (fool-for-Christ) who was psychic and who successfully prophesied that a large part of Moscow would burn to the ground in 1547. The cathedral allegedly represents an earthly symbol of the Heavenly City, the Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God, the walls of which are decorated with precious stones, while according to a second version the builders tried to create a cathedral that was an identical replica of the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae in Constantinople. Following the fire of 1595, the church was decorated with specific domes that were initially white, only to gain their current beautiful colours in the 18 th century. There are several versions sug- gesting who could have designed this architectural ensemble. The most widely accepted theory is that the cathedral was designed by architects Barma and Postnik, whom Ivan the Terrible alleged- ly had blinded after the work was completed, to ensure they would never replicate or surpass their achievement. There is also a version suggesting that this cathedral was designed by an Italian archi- tect who was working on the Kremlin. This beautiful temple dates back to the 16 th century, though it has twice found itself facing an uncertain future. However, the French troops who wanted to blow the cathedral up as they were retreating from Moscow in 1812 failed to get the job down, while on a second occasion the cathedral was saved by architect Pyotr Baranovsky, who sent a telegram to Stalin stating that he would rather die than destroy the temple. Saint Basil’s was spared, but the ar- chitect was thrown into prison for five years. The cathedral’s belfry is still operational, though the So- viets melted down the majority of bells. By some miracle, one has remained untouched and today preserves the sound of the distant 16 th century and Russia’s tumultuous history.
GUARDIAN OF RUSSIAN SECRETS
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