Church of Resurrection of Christ in Kadashev (Moscow) | Baroque (architecture), interesting place, Russian Orthodox Church, 17th century construction, object of cultural heritage of federal importance (Russia), Orthodox church

 Baroque (architecture), interesting place, Russian Orthodox Church, 17th century construction, object of cultural heritage of federal importance (Russia), Orthodox church

The Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Kadashev is one of the best examples of early Moscow Baroque architecture. The will of Ivan Yurevich Patrikeev (1419-1499), written in 1493, mentioned the "Revival temple on the dirt" church at this location. The first stone church appeared in 1657 and within thirty years the inhabitants of the Kadashev sloboda had built a new two-story church with five domes.

The ensemble has three parts, the two-level cubic church, whose lower level was the winter church, set between the main altar with its tri-part apse and the refectory. Four smaller domes with a larger, higher central dome are visible from most points in the neighborhood. All five sit atop slender, drums with windows that are surrounded by rows of lacy carved white limestone, open scroll pediments, scallops and other ornamental designs.

The tops of the main building's four sides are unusual. Instead of the traditional kokoshniki earlier periods, the structure has a three-level crown of white stone crests with volutes, spiral scroll-like ornaments that are usually found on Ionic columns and shell shapes. Similar stonework decorates each level of the bell tower and the parapet crowning the refectory. The windows of the upper church have columns of twisted grapevine on the sides and decorative pediments along the tops. The corners of the cube have pilasters. A decorative white stone cornice completes the roofline of the refectory and apse.

The six-level bell tower dates to 1695 and has similar decorations but the structure is brick. The slender, octagonal, tapering bell tower is nicknamed "the candle." Traditional Russian motifs decorate the two porches leading to the building under the bell tower. The church was looted in 1812, an ancient 17th century painting was damaged and the French stabled their horses in the winter church. Supposedly when departing, they set fire to the main building and it spread to the belfry. Multiple renovations and restorations took place during the 18th and 19th centuries changing the appearance and the decorative features.

The church was closed in 1934, several icons were moved to the Tretyakov Gallery and the iconostasis was lost. An art restoration workshop for wooden religious artifacts such as iconostases and sculptures was located here in Soviet times until the building had badly deteriorated in the 1960s. Restoration began very slowly in 1970 while various groups occupied the building and archeological research occurred. By 1990 the interlopers were removed when the church was returned to the Moscow Patriarchy and by 1996 services began after the sanctuary was consecrated.

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