Church of the Deposition of the Virgin's Robe (Moscow)

 interesting place, Russian Orthodox Church, 15th century construction, object of cultural heritage of federal importance (Russia)

Church of the Deposition of the Virgin's Robe. From 1484-1485 craftsmen from Pskov built this small, elegant, white church crowned with a single, gilded, helmet-shaped dome. It was intended as the domestic church for Metropolitan Gerontii.

Mongol raiders had advanced on the city in 1451. Internal strife beset the invaders who suddenly turned and departed, leaving behind their loot. This happened on the church holy day of the Deposition of the Holy Robe of the Virgin. A Byzantine feast day, it celebrates the arrival in the fifth century to Constantinople from Palestine of a robe supposedly belonging to Mary. After Nikon had the Church of the Twelve Apostles built for the Patriarchs use, this became a court chapel. Used by the Romanov family, particularly the women, it served as a route to the Cathedral of the Assumption.

The exterior of the church has distinctive ogee (ogival) arches with attached columns and a decorative terracotta frieze under the roofline of the apses. Similar columns appear under the zakomari and another decorative frieze divides the first and second level. This architectural feature was common to many Russian churches built during this period and was particularly popular with the Pskov school of architecture. Other evidence of the Pskov tradition is the ornamental brickwork on the drum, just below the helmet dome. Inside the small chapel is an impressive iconostasis that was built in 1627 by Nazari Istomin. The walls are covered in frescoes painted in 1644 and restored in the 1950s. Ancient wooden sculpture from the Kremlin's collection is on display in the north gallery.