Novocherkassk Cathedral is the third largest. Ascension Cathedral in the city of Novocherkassk. Works performed by NPP "Photogrammetry"

Cathedral Church of the Don Army

May 18 (30), 1805 the celebration of the consecration of the place and laying the foundation of the city of Novocherkassk, as well as a temporary wooden cathedral church in honor of the Ascension of the Lord, took place. Fate decreed that the construction of the stone cathedral church began only in October 1811. And before that, large earthworks were carried out in the new city to level the main avenue (later it will be called Platovsky). From the future square, where the cathedral church was laid, to the future street. Moskovskaya avenue was leveled. "In fact, a channel was dug across the width of the roadway from the sidewalk on one side to the sidewalk on the other side," wrote architect K. Kulikov. ("The Banner of the Commune", No. 174 of September 10, 1988). If you look closely, even now you can see high sidewalk slopes at the Museum of the History of the Don Cossacks, at the Military Institute of Communications, next to the Tanais cinema, etc.

The first version of the cathedral (1811-1846)

On October 1, 1811, the solemn laying of the stone Military Cathedral took place, but not in honor of the Ascension of the Lord, as it was founded and consecrated at the laying of Novocherkassk on May 18 (30), 1805, but in the name of St. Blessed Alexander Nevsky. In this historical incident, the mistake that was made in St. Petersburg, when the construction of the Alexander Church, and not the cathedral, was put in the first place. And on the other hand, the mercy and generosity of Emperor Alexander I to the Don Cossacks obliged the Cossacks to build a worthy stone temple in honor of Alexander. Be that as it may, the rite of laying the Alexander Cathedral Church was performed. ("Don Church antiquity", part 1, p. 81, Novocherkassk, 1906). Then history will put everything in its place and the cathedral will regain the name of the Ascension Cathedral. At the request of the famous Don Ataman M.I. Platov, the first project of the stone Ascension Cathedral was made by the court architect from St. Petersburg Aloysius (Luigi) Ivanovich Russko (Ruska). He headed the work on the construction of the cathedral until his dismissal in 1818, the brother of the famous architect Ieronim Ivanovich Russko (Ruska). Real work on the construction of the cathedral was carried out mainly in 1816 and 1817, since at other times the Cossacks gave all their forces (the total militia on the Don) and funds to the fight against Napoleon in the Patriotic War of 1812, including in foreign campaigns of 1813 -1814. The cathedral temple under construction is based on a cube with sides of 34x34 m. The main dome was framed by four small domes. The main entrances are decorated with six-column porticos with pediments. In general, this version of the cathedral in many ways resembled the architectural motif of the world's largest cathedral of St. Peter in Rome. In 1818 and 1819 The cathedral was not built due to a lack of building materials.

In 1820, work on the creation of the cathedral resumed. With the departure of I.I. The Russian building of the cathedral was examined by a commission consisting of: assessor of the military office Zolotarev, Colonel Miller, engineer-lieutenant colonel Peiker, retired architect Beltrami and architect of the city of Taganrog Mollo. The construction of the cathedral was recognized as solid and forecasts were made that with the replacement of soft seaside stone with hard "Grushevsky" (which was supplied under the contract by the merchant Fomin since 1815), the "cathedral's fortress" would increase even more. The military architect K.S. Russian. At his suggestion, in 1820 the foreman contractor Sheikin, the contractor, replaced simple wooden frames in the windows and doors of the cathedral with iron bars. But this did not save the cathedral from destruction in the future. In 1822, work stopped again, but now for 22 years, i.e. until 1844. By this time, the cathedral building had been erected to a height of 7 sazhens (about 15 m). According to the project, the cathedral was supposed to have a height of 26 sazhens, i.e. over 50 meters. In 1828, a crack was noticed in the temple under the window. The duty Ataman D.E. Kuteinikov instructed the military architect Fomin to investigate the causes that led to the crack. Fomin gave a conclusion that the crack is not dangerous and the construction can be continued. Not satisfied with the answer, Ataman instructed the military office to give their opinion about the crack. But the office was slow to respond. Then D.E. Kuteinikov invited Kolodin, an architect from Simferopol, through the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In 1830, Kolodin reported that in order to continue the construction of the cathedral, it was necessary to dismantle the four pillars under the dome and the walls that had already been built up to the burial foundation. Otherwise, the building is in 'greatest danger'. The Construction Committee, established under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, agreed with the opinion of the architect Kolodin and invited him to draw up an estimate for the demolition of the walls. But the military office regretted the 900 thousand rubles already invested in the construction of the cathedral, and requested a re-examination of the cathedral.

In 1832 the cathedral was again examined by the architects Fomin and Kolodin with members of the military office, as well as with "outsiders who know architecture": Kurnakov, Tatsyn, Sebryakov, Louisov, Mashlykin, Zheltonozhkin and others. Opinions were divided. Moreover, members of the military office Kirsanov and Konkov raised the issue of ... transferring Novocherkassk to a more convenient place. But since this was within the competence of only Emperor Nicholas I, the decision on the issue was postponed. Several attempts to resolve the issue of transferring the capital to another place were finally thwarted by Nicholas I in 1837, during his visit to Novocherkassk. But he ordered the construction of the cathedral to be continued no later than next year. But the Highest command was never fulfilled either in 1838 or in the next 5 years for a number of reasons (various checks, drawing up new estimates, etc.). Only in the autumn of 1843, when the Monarch's reminder followed and the command to hurry with the completion of the construction of the Novocherkassk Cathedral, did the work continue. A special commission of seven members was created, chaired by the chief of staff, Lieutenant General M.G. Khomutov. The commission began its activities on April 27, 1844. The architect of the cathedral was now I.O. Valpred. The commission initially began to remove the time-damaged upper parts of the masonry, and then continued construction. More than 1,000 workers took part in these works, under the supervision of the architect Radomsky, not counting the Cossack workers' regiment, which prepared the stone and transported it to the construction site of the cathedral. For two years of work, the building of the cathedral was erected 52 arshins from the surface of the earth. Only two arshins remained to be completed, i.e. to complete the arches of the domes of the cathedral, when suddenly at 9 pm on August 29, 1846, the cathedral building collapsed. The next day, on the table of the Nakazny Ataman, the troops of the Don M.G. Vlasov put the "Report" of the commission, approved by the Highest for the completion of the construction of the cathedral, signed: Lieutenant General Khomutov, military engineer Efimov, architect Radomsky, cathedral archpriest Savelyev and attorney of the Chairman of the Commercial Court Kovalev. The "Report" reported on the fact of the collapse of the cathedral. The commission consoled Ataman only with the fact that none of the workers building the cathedral were injured during the collapse, since all of them, after finishing work, ate in neighboring barracks. Two Cossacks Mikhail Chernomorov and Kazma Kuznetsov, who guarded the construction site of the cathedral that day, were not injured (they managed to run away). A special police investigation and questioning of the workers showed that "the workers do not suspect anyone of malicious intent." Soon M. G. Vlasov was allowed "to use the working people charged for the construction of the temple in Novocherkassk to clear and sort the material."

On August 31, Nakaznoy Ataman, cavalry general M.G. Vlasov reported to Emperor Nicholas I: “The large cathedral church under construction in Novocherkassk, the construction of which the Don army expected with such impatience and so soon hoped to bring prayers to the Almighty in it, on the 29th of this month, at 9 o’clock in the evening, suddenly collapsed; surrounded by my compatriots with most worthy and inconsolable employee of my lieutenant general Khomutov, I indulge in deep sorrow, seeing our hopes and many years of work and costs for the inscrutable fate of the Almighty, together with this building, in one minute cast into dust. ("Don Diocesan Vedomosti", No. 15 of May 21, 1905, pp. 332-333). Approximately the same was reported to the Minister of War with a simultaneous request to quickly send to the Don the head of the V District of Engineers of Military Settlements, Colonel Rerberg, with an architect "to inspect the collapsed temple, so that after it it would be possible to start cleaning the fallen forest and stones, and before the arrival of the commission, open the way to the building itself, in which the causes of destruction should be investigated, without which the commission would have to wait a long time in inactivity for the completion of these very significant works ... "(Military History Museum, f.1., op.1, d.162227, l .6., copy from the archive of VK Kuindzhi). On the same day, a notice of the collapse of the Novocherkassk Cathedral was sent to the Holy Synod, signed by the secretary of the Don Spiritual Consistory, Platon Dubrovny. Having received a report about the collapse of the stone cathedral under construction, the Sovereign Emperor ordered the appointment of a commission to study the causes of the collapse and allowed to create a new project for the cathedral. The commission included Academician of Architecture I.O.Valpred, Major Generals Lavrov and Orlov-Denisov. For the final decision on the spot, it was decided to send Vice-Director of the Engineering Department, Adjutant General Feldman, to Novocherkassk. The reasons for the collapse of the cathedral were recognized: the possible settlement of the foundation and the weight of the cathedral that was not calculated to the end, which violated the northern retaining arches. Used to reduce the cost of construction, porous local limestone ("Grushevsky"), under strong pressure from the total mass of the erected cathedral, collapsed, shrunk and gave rise to the collapse of the dome. About 50% of the foundation, when checked, also turned out to be made of "Grushevsky stone". Nicholas I, having become acquainted with the results of the investigations of the commission, imposed a resolution: “Break in the winter, if possible; having disassembled the material from the collapse, decomposed into good and bad, and now draw up a new project in the Byzantine style, entrusting the architect Ton. "(" Don Diocesan Vedomosti ", No. 15 of May 21, 1905, pp. 333-334). So sadly ended the history of the 35-year-old construction of the first version of the Military Cathedral in Novocherkassk. The inhabitants of the city turned out to be extremely upset by this fact, because for In the first version of the cathedral, designed by the architect L.I. Russko in the style of the best Roman architectural tradition, it was planned not only to consecrate the battle banners of the Donets and their deeds pleasing to God, the Tsar and the Fatherland , but also to place: military regalia to remind descendants of the glorious deeds of their ancestors.Around the Military Cathedral, instead of a fence, it was planned to put 10 cannons recaptured by the Don Cossacks from the French in the Patriotic War of 1812 and granted to the Don army. the ashes of the founder of Novocherkassk and the cathedral, the Army Ataman, count and cavalier M.I. Platov.

The second version of the cathedral. (1850-1863)

The new plan of the cathedral, drawn up by the famous architect K.A. Ton, was approved by the Highest on January 4, 1847. The walls of the new cathedral were supposed to be built of well-burnt and processed bricks. According to Ton's plan, military architect I.O. Valpred made an estimate for the construction of the cathedral. The costs of creating a military temple turned out to be so significant (more than 1 million rubles) that the Sovereign did not approve of the presented estimate and demanded that a temple be designed smaller in size and cost, which would be “within the means” of the Don Army. Following these requirements, military architect I.O. Valpred designed the cathedral with five aisles, 38.5 sazhens long (more than 82 m) and 33 sazhens high. (more than 70 m). According to the project, the bell tower was to reach 84 m (39.33 sazhens). The cost of the new version of the cathedral was estimated at 640 thousand rubles, which was slightly more than half of the cost proposed by the project of K.A. Ton. According to the new project, a three-part construction was supposed, the main components of which were to be a church, a narthex and a bell tower. The main dome was supposed to have, as in the first version, an onion shape, and the bell tower was designed as a tent. Project I.O. Valpreda was approved by the Highest on April 16, 1850. The project of K.A. The tone was used in the construction of a large temple in Rostov-on-Don - the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. In 1850, construction began on a new version of the Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk. The heir Tsesarevich, the August Ataman of all Cossack troops, Alexander Nikolaevich, who arrived early in the morning on October 31, 1850, took part in the laying of the 2nd version of the cathedral. On November 1, the future Emperor Alexander II (since 1855) took part in the traditional Military Circle. On the Circle, surrounded by banners and battle regalia with a golden feather in his hand (a symbol of Ataman power), with a huge gathering of Cossack troops and residents of the Don, the young heir thanked the Dontsov for their faithful service. In the evening, the August Ataman took part in a ball arranged in the newly built building of the Nobility Assembly (corner of Platovsky Prospekt and Cathedral Square). The next day, i.e. On November 2, 1850, the Tsesarevich took part in the celebrations on the occasion of the laying of a new stone Military Ascension Cathedral. The rite of consecration of the construction site of the cathedral was performed by the Archbishop of the Don and Novocherkassk John. His Highness deigned to personally lay a memorial plaque in a special case at the foundation of the cathedral with the words: "In the summer of the Nativity of Christ on November 1850, 2 days and in the twenty-fifth year of the prosperous reign of the Great Sovereign Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich, Autocrat of All Russia, and His wife Empress Alexandra Feodorovna , during the succession to the throne of the Sovereign Tsesarevich Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich and His Spouse Tsesarevna Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, in command of the Don Army Ataman Lieutenant-General Mikhail Grigorievich Khomutov and in the management of the Don Diocese of the Archbishop of Don and Novocherkassk John, His Imperial Highness Sovereign Heir Tsir all the Cossack troops, having honored the city of Novocherkassk with a visit to Him, deigned to lay this cathedral in the name of the Ascension of the Lord according to the project of the builder of the ongo, Academician Valpred, during the stay of the Nakaznago Ataman, members of all government places and Christ-loving Don Warriors and Nobility. "(" Don Church Antiquities ", part 3, part 1., p. 72).

In 1851 the estimate for the construction of the 2nd version of the cathedral is approved, but work began only in 1852. The brick was supplied under the contract by Lieutenant Colonel Nikolai Rubashkin, and the work, according to the contract, was carried out by retired lieutenant Sadomtsev. Due to the fact that the brick supplied by N. Rubashkin turned out to be of low quality, later a contract for the supply of brick and stone was given to the same Sadomtsev. He brought stone from Belaya Kalitva and from the shores of the Sea of ​​Azov, where it was mined "using the methods of a workers' regiment." The contract for the supply of lime prepared from stone on the Kundryuchya River was given to the Cossack Dmitry Epifanov. In 1853 doubts arose about the strength of the cathedral under construction due to the insufficient quality of the bricks already supplied by N. Rubashkin and laid in the foundation and walls of the cathedral. By the Highest order, the constructed part of the cathedral was examined by a commission headed by engineer Lieutenant-General Yarmerstedt. The commission found no cause for concern and the work continued. But the problem of brick quality remained. In the autumn of 1853, another commission, consisting of Major General de Witte and Lieutenant Colonel Sedov, examined the cathedral. In 1854, at the direction of Ataman M.G. Khomutov, the commission under construction again examined the commission, now consisting of architects lieutenant colonels Sedov and Voloshinov, as well as engineer-caesaul Rodionov. The Commission acknowledged the quality of the work performed. But the military foreman Zheltonozhkin, on his own initiative, made a special statement that the foundation of the cathedral was not strong and could not withstand the load of the entire mass of the cathedral. In view of this, work was suspended for 2 years. Engineer Major General Rerberg, sent by the Department of Military Settlements to Novocherkassk, concluded that the work on the construction of the foundation was done correctly and with high quality. Therefore, in 1857, work on the construction of the cathedral was continued by the same Sadomtsev under the supervision of the architect OI Valpred. According to the contract with the contractor Sadomtsev, they wanted to complete the creation of the cathedral by October 1, 1861, i.e. to the day of the 50th anniversary of the laying of the stone church. The work progressed slowly and Sadomtsev insisted on a new deadline for completion of work - July 1, 1863.

The work was almost completed, when, according to the memorandum of the cathedral construction commission, submitted to the Military Order Ataman M.G. into the interior of the cathedral and dragged along another part of one of the small domes and 5 side vaults. At the same time, the commission noted that there were no obvious preliminary violations and damage. So sadly ended another attempt to build, now the second version of the Military Cathedral in Novocherkassk. Novocherkassk residents and many residents of the Don were shocked. The cathedral, founded with the participation of the current Emperor of Russia Alexander II, collapsed. Naturally, all the rules of decency demanded a worthy way out of this piquant situation. Therefore, many attempts were made to complete the 2nd version of the cathedral, especially since there was the highest permission for this. Many years of attempts to complete the construction of the cathedral did not lead to anything good. It is interesting to note the fact that in August 1863 she arrived in Novocherkassk, i.e. immediately after the collapse, a commission consisting of Major General Gotman - 2nd, military engineer-colonel Witkovsky and the adjutant wing of Colonel Count Keller admitted, after examining the cathedral building in September, that "the work was done carefully, skillfully and prudently." The commission found the only reason for the collapse in the hasty arrangement of the drum of the main dome of the cathedral. The conclusion of the commission - the cathedral can be completed. The military authorities were in a difficult position. The Cathedral was founded in due time by the Heir, i.e. the current Emperor, and it is a matter of honor for the Don people to complete the cathedral he laid down. The Gottman commission came to the same opinion, but for technical reasons. Moreover, the Military Council decided "not to blame the builder for the cause of the collapse of the dome and leave this matter without further prosecution." Architect O.I. Valpred was instructed to complete the construction of the cathedral with a new dome in two years. Perhaps such a soft decision of the Military Council was facilitated by persistent rumors that the architect I.O. was not to blame for the collapse of the dome of the cathedral. Valpreda, and the Military Ataman M.G. Khomutov, who insisted that the builder of the cathedral finish it by the summer of 1862 (and in August 1862 Ataman turned 50). Valpred admitted that he did not show the necessary courage in curbing the Ataman's claims to hasty construction.
During these two years, scaffolding was restored in the cathedral, which was swept away by the collapsed dome and a temporary wooden roof was installed. They removed the garbage and the work ... stopped. They began to develop a new estimate for completion. On January 15, 1866, tenders were announced for the completion of the cathedral building. But no one showed up for the auction. The second auction, scheduled for May 16, was not announced. Only in 1868, under the Military Ataman A.L. Potapov, the situation changed somewhat, and an estimate was worked out that suited the Emperor. He signed it on August 1, 1868. According to the new estimate, sluggish work on the completion of the cathedral began in 1869 under the new Military Ataman M.I. Chertkov. The chieftain reported to the Military Council that some work was being done only on the bell tower (since there were no funds). He also proposed to abolish the commission for the completion of the cathedral, which was established back in 1844. The members of the commission, despite the fact that for many years after the collapse of the first and second cathedral, construction work was not carried out, nevertheless, they received an annual remuneration in the amount of 6723 rubles. Ataman proposed to transfer the functions of the abolished commission to the newly established Committee for the organization of the city. He also proposed to dismiss the architect Valpred and give another architect the opportunity to complete the construction of the cathedral. The Military Council accepted these proposals of Ataman.

In the spring of 1872, M.I. Chertkov appointed a commission to inspect the cathedral. The commission as a whole recognized the state of the cathedral as good and considered it possible to resume its completion. But the members of the commission Gavronsky, major generals Ulyanov and Bokov, did not agree with the conclusion of the commission and expressed a dissenting opinion, which stated that the quality of the materials used in the construction of the cathedral was low, which means that this could lead to a new misfortune. The conclusions of the commission and dissenting opinion were sent to the Military Council in 1873, which only two years later (in 1875) decided to send a special commission from the engineering department and one architect to the Don, which became A.A. Yashchenko. The composition of the commission that arrived in Novocherkassk included: professor of architecture Bernhardt, his student at the Gau Academy of Arts and engineer-captain Limantov. The commission examined the building of the cathedral, and the architect A.A. Yashchenko developed his own project for the completion of the second version of the cathedral. On April 20, 1877, this project was sent for approval to the administration of irregular troops. But the engineering committee, after listening to the arguments of Bernhardt and the professor of the Nikolaev Engineering Academy, Lieutenant-General Pauker about the plan for the completion of the cathedral, drawn up by the architect A.A. a cathedral according to a different project in a newly chosen place, and adapt the unfinished building for any needs of the city or the Don army "(" Don Church Antiquity, Part 111, Part 1, 1911, p. 89). Despite this decision, another attempt was made to complete the second version of the cathedral. It was undertaken by the Honorary Citizen of Novocherkassk, merchant Cossack (miner) Semyon Nikolaevich Koshkin. On January 4, 1879, he submitted a memorandum to the Military Ataman N.A. Krasnokutsky with a proposal to complete the construction of the cathedral at his own expense. But the architect A.A. Yashchenko criticized his proposal to arrange a light wooden dome over the cathedral, since it is inexpedient and sinful to erect a temporary dome over the building, which has already spent about 3.5 million rubles. In order not to take responsibility for the unpopular decision, Ataman sent the Minister of War as a note to S.N. Koshkin, and the objection of A.A. Yashchenko. On February 14, 1880, a request came to Ataman about how much money was needed to complete the construction of the cathedral, how much it would cost to demolish the same cathedral, and what was the possible cost of a new version of the cathedral. ON THE. Krasnokutsky answered questions and sent the minister a new draft by A. A. Yashchenko, which was estimated at 624 thousand rubles, and the dismantling of the former cathedral - at 100 thousand rubles. In this regard, the Military Council decided: "1) to dismantle the stone cathedral that collapsed in Novocherkassk in 1863; 2) to assign 106 thousand rubles from the military capital of the Donskoy army for dismantling this amount, dividing this amount into two years, into 1880 and 1881. "("Don Church antiquity", 1911, part 111, section 1, p. 92). Emperor Alexander II approved this decision on May 17, 1880. August 27, 1880 in Novocherkassk, an open auction was held for the right to dismantle the former version of the cathedral. The competition was won by the trading Cossack Nikolai Ivanovich Limarev, who undertook to dismantle the cathedral for 70 thousand rubles under a contract. for two years. By October 1882, the second version of the building of the stone Military Ascension Cathedral was dismantled.

The third version of the cathedral (1893-1904)

The project of the third version of the cathedral was entrusted to the regional architect, academician of architecture A.A. Yashchenko. March 24, 1891 the project was approved by the highest. At the same time, they established and approved the Cathedral Construction Commission, which on May 22 "opened its activities." The Military Council decided: "1) The construction of the cathedral should be carried out within ten years and the costs of this construction should now be allocated from the total military capital overestimated loans: a) 156,620 rubles for the construction of the cathedral, and b) for the maintenance of the Cathedral Construction Commission, on account of the annual amount , 13.000 rub." By this decision, it was allowed to allocate 169,620 rubles annually for the construction of the cathedral, which consisted of 156,620 rubles. + 13.000 rubles ("Collection of government orders on the Cossack troops", volume XXX, for 1894, St. Petersburg, 1895, p. 491). The same decree approved the salaries of the architect - the builder of the cathedral at 6,000 rubles. and his assistant - 2,000 rubles. In August 1891, under the supervision of the first builder of the cathedral, architect A.A. Yashchenko began work on the foundation. To do this, first dismantled the old foundation and deepened the foundation pit under the new foundation. Hundreds of cubic meters of excavated earth were taken out to fill in numerous ravines that cross the streets of Novocherkassk in many places. At the same time, the necessary auxiliary buildings were erected nearby on the cathedral square. "May 27 of this year (1892) on the site of the military cathedral under construction in Novocherkassk, an old crypt was discovered and in it a coffin upholstered in silk, with an image of a cross and Adam's head on the lid, made of silver galloon." As established, the coffin belonged to the "outstanding clergyman" Archpriest Alexei Oridovsky. It was he who stood at the origins of the consecration of the site for New Cherkassk, which was laid in 1805, and the military Ascension Cathedral. Archpriest A. Oridovsky looked after the construction of the first wooden chapel in the still planned Novocherkassk, in which the consecration of the site for the cathedral and the city of Novocherkassk itself was performed. Archpriest A. Oridovsky died in 1812, according to his contemporaries Pyotr Chebotarev and Archpriest Vasily Rubashkin. According to the written testimony of the latter, Archpriest A. Oridovsky "was buried on the 13th (March 1812) in Novocherkassk, behind the cathedral altar of the stone church." . It is this burial, committed during the construction of the first version of the stone Ascension Cathedral, which has been under construction since 1811. designed by Russko and was opened by the builders of the third version of the cathedral in 1892. Archpriest A. Oridovsky, the first and most active clergyman of Novocherkassk, was reburied with honors at the city cemetery on May 30, 1892. In 1892, a foundation pit was prepared. For his device, 4.665 cubic meters were taken out. soot, i.e. about 10 thousand cubic meters m. of soil. In the same year, they decided to build a water pipeline specifically for the construction of the cathedral, stretching up to 2 versts from the Aksay River with a rise of up to 20 thousand buckets of water per day and costing up to 16 thousand rubles. Immediately on the site near the cathedral under construction, a mechanical laboratory was created to test the supplied bricks. The decision on its creation was taken by the cathedral construction commission on August 24, 1891. Having the bitter experience of the collapse of two versions of the cathedral, she was rightly afraid to start building the third version of the cathedral. Therefore, a mechanical laboratory was created to test building materials and ensure their strength.

The first tests in the mechanical laboratory were carried out on August 22, 1892. In particular, the quality of cement produced by the Chernomorsky plant was assessed. Since there was not enough equipment for a complete analysis, some of the materials were sent for research to a mechanical workshop in St. Petersburg. Experience has shown that a press is needed for effective research. Therefore, the cathedral construction commission asked Professor Nikolai Appolonovich Belelyubsky (son of the famous designer and builder of the Novocherkassk water pipeline A.V. Belelyubsky), to select and recommend the necessary press for testing the strength of locally made bricks. N.A. Belelyubsky offered to purchase an Amsler press in Switzerland (pressure up to 33 tons) and Kleb's cement pile driver. Initially, these machines were tested in a mechanical workshop in St. Petersburg, and then transported and installed in Novocherkassk. Their purchase and delivery cost the Don army 20 thousand rubles. The mechanical laboratory worked most intensively in 1897, which was the peak of construction work. The results of physical and mechanical tests of materials are placed in the "Laboratory Book of the Cathedral Construction Commission" and in annual reports on the progress of the construction of the cathedral. (Meliorator, No. 9 of November 5, 1994).

In the next 1893. the architect A.A. Yashchenko died suddenly and his place as the builder of the Ascension Cathedral was taken by military architect Ilya Petrovich Zlobin. Under him, work continued in the pit, a machine building was built to supply water from a cistern to the construction of the cathedral. In the same year, bricks, cement and other building materials were harvested. On October 17, 1893, on the day of the traditional military holiday, "with a large gathering of people", bell chimes and cannon fire, a solemn laying of a new version of the cathedral took place. "By the day of laying on the foundation of the altar wall, a stone was built in with a recess carved on it in the form of a cross; another stone was placed near it, which was intended for covering the first stone. There were holes in both corners for fastening them with thick iron rods. The rods are made in such a way that when driven in, their ends bifurcate by themselves, and then it is completely impossible to raise the upper stone.In addition to these stones, the cathedral construction commission made bricks of gray stone with inscriptions of persons who were supposed to lay them in the foundation of the cathedral, a silver tablet with a detailed inscription on it of the time of laying the temple and coins minted in 1893. There are seven bricks: for the Military Ataman V.D., chief of the military headquarters, assistant to the Military Ataman for the civilian part, Archbishop Macarius of the Don, Bishop John of Aksay, regional marshal of the nobility and architect I. Zlobin, who is now in charge of the construction Cathedral" ("Don Diocesan Vedomosti", No. 21 dated November 1 rya 1893, neophyte sep., pp. 990-991).

The following inscription was inscribed on the foundation board, immured in a special stone case in the foundation: "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. This Cathedral Church was founded in honor and memory of the Ascension of the Lord, under the power of the Most Pious Autocratic, Great Sovereign of our Emperor Alexander Alexandrovich, wife His Sovereign Empress Maria Feodorovna and His Heir Sovereign Tsesarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich; in command of the Don Army Ataman General-Adjutant, General of the Cavalry, Prince Nikolai Ivanovich Svyatopolk-Mirsky, under the presidency of His Eminence Macarius, Archbishop of Don and Novocherkassk, according to the project of the Academy, according to the project of the Academy Architects Yashchenko, in the presence of the Military Ataman of the Don Army, the Archbishop of the Don, members of the Cathedral Construction Commission, members of all government places of the Don Host Region, the Nobility and the Christ-loving Don Warriors in the summer from the creation of the world 7401, from the Nativity of Christ in the flesh of God Slo va 1893 October 17th day."("Military Cathedral Church in the mountains. Novocherkassk", K. Limarenko, publishing house of the Cathedral-Building Commission, Kiev, 1904, pp. 10-11). The Military Circle was held on the square near the cathedral under construction. , where the participants of the Circle were presented with "military bread and salt". A telegram was sent to Emperor Alexander III about the laying of the military cathedral. On the same day, a telegram arrived in Novocherkassk: "Adjutant General Prince Svyatopolk-Mirsky. We sincerely thank the Don army; I am glad that, finally, the laying of the military temple, which Novocherkassk lacks so much, has finally taken place. Alexander. October 17, 1893 Gatchino". ("Don Diocesan Vedomosti", No. 21 of November 1, 1893, unofficial department, p. 993).

In 1894-1895. the laying of the foundation and the two lower cellars of the cathedral was carried out. It should be noted here that the underground part of the cathedral was designed according to the principle of a "floating foundation", when the weight of the cathedral building was planned to be equal to the weight of the soil taken out of the foundation pit. Those. the weight of the cathedral had to balance the weight of the chosen soil. These conditions required the laying of a foundation slab at a depth of 13.4 to 15 m. For the manufacture of bricks for the construction of the cathedral, by the decision of the Military Council of April 28, 1894, it was determined to build a special brick factory by bidding (i.e. contract) or in an economic way , for which 36.198 rubles were allocated. from the funds allocated for the construction of the cathedral. The annual operating costs for the plant were determined at 1,500 rubles. The leadership of the military brick factory built an additional water supply system and built 10 sheds for drying raw materials. The brick, according to the requirements of the mechanical commission, had to have a resistance of at least 40 pounds per 1 sq. inch, which corresponds to the modern brick brand M-125. And sandstone - 160 pounds per 1 square. inch. The best cement was brought from a number of cities in Russia (Odessa, Novorossiysk, Moscow, Kerch, etc.), as well as from England. The same mechanical commission examined building materials during the construction of the buildings of the Novocherkassk Cossack (junker) school on Platovsky Prospekt (now the art school building), the Novocherkassk real school (now school No. 1), the Cossack barracks in the city, etc. But in 1896. The commission discovered 600,000 bricks on the cathedral square, which, according to the project, should have already been laid in the foundation. The previous experience of the collapse of two versions of the cathedral suggested that it was necessary to conduct a detailed examination of this fact and find the reason why more than half a million bricks were unused. A preliminary inspection showed that the rubble and brickwork of the foundation were made in sizes smaller than those envisaged by Yashchenko's project. The architect Zlobin was forced to give written explanations to the Main Engineering Directorate under the Minister of War, under whose supervision the Military Cathedral in Novocherkassk was being built. The department sent its representative engineer-colonel K.Kh. to Novocherkassk. Limarenko, who had just completed the construction of the cathedral in the Kovno fortress.

Professor, doctor of technical sciences from NSTU Yu. Murzenko, who put a lot of effort and time into studying the documentation and the state of the Ascension Cathedral today, wrote: “K.Kh. Limarenko scrupulously examined the erected part and the ground base. , in the depth of foundations and all this - not in the margin of safety!At the suggestion of K.Kh.Limarenko, then adjustments were made to the project.The laying of foundations, walls and supports was subject to reconstruction, the above-ground part was lightened by about 1/10 of its weight. "(" Novocherkassk Voznesensky "," Banner of the Commune "1992, December). K.Kh. Limarenko, having punched pits at different points of the foundation, found that the difference in the plane of the foundation from east to west reaches almost 1 meter. And this means that if a cathedral weighing 8.5 million pounds (ie 156.8 thousand tons) is placed on such a multi-planar foundation, then it will break the foundation and a new collapse of the cathedral will occur. According to the report of engineer-colonel K.Kh. Limarenko, the Minister of War decided to entrust him with the revision of the project and lead the construction of the cathedral in Novocherkassk. In connection with this order, K.Kh. Limarenko redesigned the cathedral (without violating the external appearance proposed by the architect A.A. Yashchenko), and also reduced its weight by 1 million. 300 thousand pounds, i.e. by 20.8 thousand tons. Thus, the Ascension Cathedral under construction according to the project of K.Kh. Limarenko began to weigh 136 (not 156.8) thousand tons. To reduce the load, the architect-builder proposed to replace the brick vaults with reinforced concrete ones according to the Monier system (first used on the Don). The assistants to the builder of the cathedral K.Kh. Limarenko was appointed civil engineer-architect S.I. Boldyrev, and later civil engineer G.M. Salnikov.

In 1897 work on the construction of the cathedral continued. In 1898-1899. brick walls were laid. In 1900, the masonry of the main dome was carried out. During its construction, continuous work was carried out for 36 hours, not allowing a single minute of downtime, so that the main domed vault with a diameter of more than 18 m would not collapse. . Cement for their bond was prepared by the French-Russian Soyuz plant, located not far from Rostov-on-Don. The own weight of the concrete vault, created according to the "Monnier" system (without the weight of the main cross), amounted to more than 182 tons. The main dome and five others were covered with sheet copper in checkered order, and the remaining half-domes were covered with iron. Subsequently, when finishing the interior paintings of the cathedral with gold leaf, the main dome and 5 domes around it will be covered with the same gold. On July 23, 1900, 9 bells were raised to the cathedral under construction. The old bells were removed from the bell tower of the temporary wooden Ascension Cathedral and placed at the entrance to the new church. Soon they began to be lifted through a specially left hole made in the vault. In addition to the four old bells, five new ones, made at the Finlyandsky factory, were raised. After a prayer service performed by Bishop John and the city clergy, as well as the sprinkling of the bells by the priest Titus Klimentov with holy water, they began to climb onto the roof of the cathedral. The largest and most melodic was an old bell weighing 700 pounds (according to other sources - 750 pounds, i.e. 11.2 tons - 12 tons), cast on October 20, 1744 for the Resurrection Cathedral in Cherkassk by master Mikhail Shatorin, and "by diligence (i.e. concerns) of the military ataman Daniil Efremov. Another bell weighed 300 pounds (i.e. 4.8 tons) and was cast in 1864 under the Order of Ataman P.Kh. Grabbe by the Moscow master M.A. Olkhovsky at the Kharkov plant N.T. Ryzhova. It was this bell that was raised first. The third bell weighed 154 pounds 5 pounds (i.e. about 1.5 tons). It was made during the time of the Military Ataman N.V. Krasnokutsky (1874-1881) "from the zeal of the family of the merchant Danil Kharlamov and other benefactors ...". The fourth bell without an inscription poured out in Stavropol-Kavkazsky. The fifth bell weighing 26 pounds 28 pounds (i.e. 420 kg) was accidentally broken and therefore was not raised to the bell tower of the new cathedral, although it was cast in Kazan back in 1810 "under the military ataman, Lieutenant General Matvey Ivanovich Platov. .." In the celebration of raising the bells, along with the townspeople, the secondary Cossacks of the villages took part: Starocherkasskaya, Grushevskaya and Krivyanskaya ("Don Diocesan Gazette", 1900, No. , unofficial separate page 726).

Firm of Semen Abrosimov from St. Petersburg for 44.324 rubles. performed work on gilding 6 domes of the cathedral being built, and in Bohemia (Czechoslovakia) they made the largest cross on the main dome, weighing 80 pounds, i.e. 1.280 kg and 16 feet high, i.e. 4.9 m. 80 monoliths of rock crystal were inserted into its crosshair, cut to look like a diamond facet and each set in a silver-plated copper frame. This gave a huge light effect when the rays of the sun hit the golden cross with the common crystal inserted. The brilliance of the natural sun was reflected in artificial gilding and a multifaceted crystal monolith. In addition, the effect was given by five gilded domes framing the main dome. The play of sunlight in gold and crystal created, as it were, a luminous ball, the illusion of a second sun. Therefore, since the time (September 3, 1900) of the solemn installation of gilded iron eight-pointed crosses on 5 domes and the altar half-dome, as well as the cross on the main dome of the cathedral, the Military Temple has been called the "second sun of the Don". And since the cathedral (74.7 m high) stands on an elevated place in Novocherkassk and is visible in clear weather up to 30 versts, one can imagine what a spectacle it was like in sunny weather as a whole to the city and the Military Cathedral, for example, from the loan or the village of Krivyanskaya . A cathedral with a sparkling cross from afar could have seemed like the famous "Monomakh's hat". In the same year, the bells were raised to the bell tower and all windows were glazed, incl. in 16 windows they inserted colored cathedral glass with ornaments and in 7 windows - on biblical motifs. The work was carried out by the Northern Glass Society.

In 1901, plastering and sculpting work was completed, and iron bindings were installed in all 136 windows of the cathedral. The Rostov company "Siegel" and its representative office in Novocherkassk performed all the work on heating and ventilation. In the same year, three granite porches were built only on the western side (in order to exclude drafts). 16 granite steps were arranged at the main entrance. The foundation for the main granite porch was made back in 1899 and a temporary load weighing 20 thousand pounds (i.e. 320 thousand kg) was placed on it in order to check the possible draft of the main steps of the cathedral within two years. In the basement of the cathedral, 5 special doors were arranged (to the altar, to the mallow, to the household part, etc.). In 1902 produced marble slabs for floors and internal steps, as well as marble for the iconostasis. White marble from Italy for the floors and the iconostasis was supplied by the Rostov firm of the Italian Sylvester Tonitto, and pink (for the columns) was brought from France. Marble workshops built on the cathedral square produced slabs for flooring. A total of 5600 pieces of marble slabs were laid in four colors: gray, white, pink and green. The frieze was made of white marble. The floors in the choir stalls were built from metlakh tiles from the Kharkiv Bergenheim factory. All concrete work was carried out by the Novocherkassk firm of Torletsky. In the same year, the Novocherkassk firm "Fertig and Bogatyrev" installed electric lighting in the cathedral (at first, temporary for performing artworks, and then permanent, for lighting the cathedral). Around the cathedral, a pavement of their metlakh colored tiles was built on a concrete base, about 3 meters wide and about 300 meters long (not preserved).

In 1902, the Altschwager company installed on the facade of the cathedral a clock with a diameter of about 2 meters with a clockwork inside the cathedral. per annum. Two images of the work of the Novocherkassk artist Yelisey Grigorievich Cherepakhin "The Mother of God of the Don" and "Blessing Christ" were exhibited nearby. They are made on gilded copper under glass with a size of more than 2 square meters each. Under his leadership, all church furniture and many wooden works were made in the cathedral. In 1902, when the cathedral was built in rough form, a commission arrived from St. Petersburg under the chairmanship of Professor of the Engineering Academy, Lieutenant-General Vedenyapin. The commission recognized the work performed as correct and signed an act of acceptance of the cathedral building. In the same year, an all-Russian competition was announced for the best pictorial design of the Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk. Of the several projects proposed to the Holy Synod, project No. 2 with the motto "Circle", made by artists Staborovsky and Gruzhevsky from the Society of Russian Artists, won. The commission at the Holy Synod considered this project and approved it on May 27, 1902 with minor changes. The Military Council, in a magazine dated June 6 of the same year, allowed a contract to be concluded with the Society of Russian Artists for the performance of artistic and design work in the Novocherkassk Cathedral. In 1903, they began to mount the marble iconostasis, which is distinguished by its magnificent lace pattern. Work on its arrangement and painting was given by competition to Professor A.V. Pryakhov.

The immediate sketch-project for the design of the cathedral was made by the artist Gryaznov. In St. Petersburg, a group of the Society of Russian Artists was contracted, incl. from Moscow and sent to Novocherkassk. In a large group of painters, one can single out: Ivan Fedorovich Popov, Vladimir Mikhailovich Lopatin, Nikolai Georgievich Maslennikov, Apollo Vasilyevich Troitsky, Vladimir Alexandrovich Poyarkov, Dmitry Nikolayevich Kardovsky, Ivan Fedorovich Porfirov, Veniamin Nikolayevich Popov, Alexander Mikhailovich Grushin, and also G.V. Belashchenko , A.V.Troitsky, A.P.Khotulev, G.Myasoedov, V.A.Ivashchenko, A.S.Petukhov, V.A.Plotnikov, T.K.Petrusevich, T.P.Shinkarenko, M.E .Vatutin, F.S. Kazachinsky, S.E. Devyatkin. The artists completed all the paintings for 100 thousand rubles, not counting the cost of used gold leaf for 17 thousand rubles. There are up to 200 works of art in the cathedral (including icons in iconostases). The largest painting in the Novocherkassk Cathedral is The Last Judgment. It occupies an area of ​​more than 35 square sazhens, i.e. about 75 sq. m. Naturally, in the cathedral there are paintings that reflect the essence of all 12 major Orthodox holidays. On the central dome we see a huge bust of Christ the Savior (characteristic for the design of early Russian churches), Pantocrator, the Almighty, the King of Kings, made by the artist I.F. Porfirov. From the floor to the dome, with a diameter of more than 18 m, on which Jesus Christ is depicted, more than 50 m. The fact that there is exactly one meter between the eyes of the image of Jesus Christ convinces that this is quite high. Above the altar, on a golden-colored hemisphere, the artist M.E. Vatutin, based on a sketch by I.F. Popov, painted the "Holy Trinity". Below it, in the altar part, through the open royal doors, you can see a huge 13-meter painting by the artist Veniamin Popov "The Last Supper", made according to the sketch of the artist I.F. Popov. Ivan Fedorovich Popov himself, who remained after painting the cathedral to live in Novocherkassk, painted four paintings in the porch of the cathedral: "Healing of the daughter of the Canaanite", "The Parable of the Prodigal Son", "Young Jesus in the Temple" and "Blessing the Children". On the choir stalls, located on the second floor of the bell tower, there are paintings of historical painting, which reflected the main milestones in the formation and development of the Don Cossacks. Here are the paintings: "Yermak's preparations for a campaign in Siberia" in 1580. artist F.S.Kazachinsky, "Award of the Tsar's Banner under Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich in 1614" by artist D.N.Kardovsky, "Azov Seat in 1641" by artist Petrusevich, "Peter the Great Gathering under Azov in 1696 "by the artist Maksimov based on a sketch by D.N. Kardovsky, "The laying of the cathedral and the city of Novocherkassk by ataman Platov in 1805" by the artist I.F. Popov, "The meeting of Ataman Platov in 1814 near Novocherkassk" by the artist Petukhov, "Presenting the perch on May 6, 1887 "To the heir to the Throne Tsesarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich, artist D.N. Kardovsky.

In 1904 carpentry work was carried out by the Novocherkassk firm of Zheltikov and partly by the firm of the artist E.G. Cherepakhin. In the same year, the paving of the area around the cathedral and the arrangement of squares were carried out. In the spring of 1904, all decoration and marble work was completed. Church utensils were made by the Moscow workshop of A.M. Postnikov, in particular, the cathedral shroud worth 5 thousand rubles. The same company made "three royal doors" and 6 side doors for the iconostasis. Gates and doors are made of cast chased bronze. All front parts are gilded, and the back parts are silver plated. The Cathedral Construction Commission paid great attention to the planning and decoration of Cathedral Square. Paved completely with stone, it had three squares with paths, electric lighting on poles. A notable detail of the square was a cast-iron, carved fountain, which covered the former water tank, built together with the cathedral water supply to provide water for the construction. The fountain was used not only as a decoration of the Cathedral Square, but also for the consecration of water and watering small squares arranged at the corners of the Cathedral Square. Built by the spring of 1904, the Military Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk, accommodating up to 5,000 people for one service, was one of the most majestic church buildings in Russia, second in size only to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow (10 thousand people) and St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg (7 thousand people). Its technical characteristics were: total height inside the temple - 51.2 m, total height outside with a cross - 74.7 m, inside length - 72.5 m, outside length - 76.8 m, inside width - 57.6 m, the width outside is 62 m, the diameter of the dome inside is 18 m, and outside - 21.5 m. The cathedral has two basements - lower and upper with a total depth of about 15 m. the upper one was adapted for a fireproof military archive in the northern wing, and in the center - under the tomb of the great people of the Don, consisting of 24 marble sarcophagi. A one-altar Church of the Intercession was built nearby, which symbolized the first wooden churches on the Don. Two cast-iron staircases lead to the premises of the lower basement: one is a spiral staircase with 70 steps and 3 landings, the other with a 51st step and 5 marches. A cast-iron staircase leads to the choir, having 9 flights of 62 steps and 9 platforms. And to the bell tower - a staircase of 4 marches with 48 steps and 5 platforms, and then a spiral staircase with 56 steps. In total, up to 200 steps lead to the bell tower.

For heating and forced ventilation of the cathedral, a “steam building” was built nearby on the cathedral square, connected to the cathedral by a special tunnel about 30 m long. temperature 11 degrees average annual temperature. It was this figure that provided the necessary microclimate inside the cathedral, both for holding services that could accommodate several thousand people, and the right temperature for the preservation of church and historical painting. As early as the beginning of 1903, the Cathedral Construction Commission determined the staff of employees in the cathedral: 1 caretaker (720 rubles per year), 1 machinist (540 rubles), 1 fireman (140 rubles for 7 winter months), 9 watchmen for 180 rubles each. and 1 watchman at the placement of the boilers (192 rubles). In total, the amount of 3.212 rubles was approved for the maintenance of employees at the cathedral. in year. The Military Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk was built in the New Byzantine style. Its external sculptural decoration based on the sketches of the artist Gryaznov was made by the sculptor Voznitsky. The cathedral is decorated with many sacred inscriptions, which indicates its closeness to the ancient architectural church art, dating back to the period of the first Christian churches arranged in the catacombs. The Novocherkassk Ascension Cathedral is decorated with the following inscriptions, which once shone with gold in the sun: “My house, there is a house of prayer”, “I will enter Your house, I will bow to Your holy temple”, “The Lord is in His holy courtyard”, “I will give the prayers of May to the Lord before by all His people." The connection with the early Christian catacomb church is also symbolized by sarcophagi in the tomb of the upper basement of the cathedral. The Ascension Cathedral is not only an Orthodox church, but also a temple-monument of glorious deeds and the best representatives of the Don Cossacks. At different times, people heard various legends about the many secret underground passages from the cathedral: in the hut. Small Mishkin, to the building of the Regional Board, to the railway station, to the river. Tuzlov, etc. But in reality there is only one passage from the southern part of the altar of the temple to the former building of the Bishop's House (now the House of Officers), so that the Don Archpastors can, if necessary (with a large crowd of people on the cathedral square, as well as troops) freely go directly to the altar part temple, as well as a tunnel to the boiler room.

On May 9, 1904, on the day coinciding with the feast of St. Nicholas, the consecration of the lower church in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in the new, not yet opened stone Ascension Cathedral took place in Novocherkassk. On May 8, an all-night vigil was served in the new church and the necessary preparations were made for the consecration of the church. At 9 o'clock in the morning, His Eminence Athanasius, Archbishop of Donskoy and Novocherkassk, and His Grace John, Bishop of Aksai, arrived. The consecration of the lower Intercession Church began. Two choirs sang: bishops' and military. Present were the Military Command Ataman, Lieutenant General K.K. Maksimovich, Chief of the Military Staff, Lieutenant General P.A. Abbess Innokenty, abbess of the Starocherkassky Ephraim Convent. The magnificent wall painting under good electric lighting amazed with its originality (partially preserved). The general appearance returned everyone present to the times of early Christianity, to the catacomb temples. The new temple, according to contemporaries, "will serve as a historical monument of the Don army in the coming times" ("Don Diocesan Vedomosti", 1904, No. 15, unofficial department, p. 460). On June 25, 1904, an ordinary everyday, working day turned out to be solemn and churchly joyful for the residents of Novocherkassk. On this day at 1 pm in the Ascension Cathedral, a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord God was performed on the occasion of the complete completion of the construction and decoration of the new cathedral. Representatives of local authorities and institutions headed by the Military Ataman, Lieutenant General K.K. Maksimovich, arrived at the prayer service. A prayer service was performed by His Eminence Athanasius, concelebrated by His Grace John, Rector of the Don Theological Seminary, Archpriest M. Simashkevich, and clergymen of city churches. Before the start of the prayer service, Archbishop Athanasius of the Don and Novocherkassk emphasized the idea that in the temple of God, as in a granary, "the seed of the word of God, the grace of God, is sown, preserved and returned, hurrying to the Lord, in the souls of those who pray" ("Don Diocesan Gazette", 1904. , No. 20, unofficial department, p. 597). At the end of the thanksgiving service, a hymn interspersed with the singing of the choirs of the bishops and the army, the protodeacon proclaimed many years to the Sovereign Emperor and the entire Royal House, the Holy Synod, the Archpastor, the Military Ataman, the builders of the cathedral and all the inhabitants of Novocherkassk and the "Don country".

May 6, 1905, i.e. almost a hundred years after its laying on May 18, 1805, the stone Military Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk was solemnly consecrated and opened. The consecration was awaited by the arrival of Emperor Nicholas II, who in August 1904, when seeing off the 4th Cossack division from the assembly point in the camps of Persianovka, promised to come to the celebrations for the opening of the Military Cathedral. In particular, he was expected at the beginning of 1905. There are documents about this. On February 4, 1905, the teachers' council of the Novocherkassk Men's Gymnasium "with the greatest regret listened to the message of the Military Headquarters of the Don Cossacks dated January 24 of this year that the arrival of the Sovereign Emperor to the Don was canceled until May 1905." But the tsar did not arrive in May either, despite the fact that the new day of consecration of the cathedral was timed to coincide with his birthday (May 6). This explains why the newly built temple was not consecrated for so long). On May 7, in response to a telegram from Novocherkassk with congratulations on his birthday and a message about the celebrations on the occasion of the consecration of the newly built Ascension Cathedral, the Emperor sent his telegram: “I heartily thank the glorious Don army for the congratulations. I am glad to know that today the consecration of the new military cathedral, Nicholas, Tsarskoye Selo, May 7, 1905." ("Donskaya church antiquity", part 1, 1906, p. 116).

The construction of the third version of the Military Ascension Cathedral, which at the consecration was called the "monument of religious zeal" of the Don, cost the Cossacks 2 million rubles, which turned out to be twice as expensive as the construction of the famous Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev. The celebrations began on May 5 in the evening in the cathedral filled with prayers in the presence of the Military Ataman, members of the Cathedral Construction Commission, generals, etc. The all-night vigil was started by the Rector of the Theological Seminary Archimandrite Mitrofan (future Archbishop of Donskoy and Novocherkassk) with His Eminence Athanasius, Archbishop of Donskoy and Novocherkassk, entering the Litiya. His Grace John, Bishop of Aksai, also took part in the celebration of the temple feast, the Ascension of the Lord. Two of the best choruses of singers in Novocherkassk sang during the divine service - the hierarchal and the military. Solemn Annunciation at 8 o'clock. 30 minutes. On the morning of May 6, 1905, he informed the inhabitants of Novocherkassk and representatives of all the Cossack villages of the Don who had gathered for the celebration about the beginning of the long-awaited consecration of the cathedral. At 9 o'clock in the morning, Archbishop Athanasius arrived and met the Military Circle in front of the temple. When the participants of the Circle took their places on the cathedral square, the consecration of the throne began. Then the clergy carried him to the altar of the cathedral. The walls of the newly built cathedral were sprinkled by St. water Archimandrite Mitrofan. During the censing of the temple by Archbishop Athanasius, the dean of the cathedral anointed St. peace all four walls of the temple. Bishop John brought the holy relics from the Cross Church, located in the House of the Archbishop (now the House of Officers), with the participation of the entire city clergy in the procession. Near the curtain, they were met in concelebration by 12 clergymen, Archbishop Athanasius. Archpastor. He read prayers and overshadowed those praying on the 4 sides of St. cross, and Bishop John sprinkled them with St. water. During the communion verse, one of the most respected priests in the city, Tikhon Donetsk, uttered a word befitting this celebration ("Don Church Antiquity", part 1, 1906, pp. 120-127). After the Divine Liturgy, the Archpastors, concelebrated by 30 priests, performed a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord God with the pronunciation of many years, during which military regalia were sprinkled with holy water. Before the prayer service, they read the "Highest Letter" granted to the Don Army on May 6, 1887, during the stay in Novocherkassk of Emperor Alexander III and his Heir Nicholas Alexandrovich, the current Emperor Nicholas II. The consecration of the chapel in the name of the Resurrection of Christ was performed by Archbishop Athanasius in concelebration with the cathedral brethren on May 22, 1905. The consecration of the chapel in the name of the icon of the Mother of God, called Hodegetria, was performed on June 12, 1905.

In memory of the consecration and opening of the Novocherkassk Military Cathedral, on October 24, 1903, the work of manufacturing the corresponding medals began. On February 19, 1904, the Commission for the construction of the cathedral church sent a request to the head of the Mint in St. Petersburg to make medals in memory of the consecration of the Novocherkassk Ascension Cathedral with a diameter of 1.75 inches, i.e. about 8 cm. Medals ordered: 2 pcs. gold, 100 pcs. silver, 500 pcs. bronze, and to them 102 cases and 500 boxes. A sketch of the medals was attached to a petition signed by the chairman of the cathedral construction commission, Lieutenant-General Grekov, the builder of the cathedral, engineer-colonel Limarenko, and an indispensable member of the military foreman Dyubin (GARO, F.354, op.1, d.782, p.15). There are genuine medals in some family archives of Novocherkassk residents. So, the silver medal is in the home archive of L.S. Larina (great-granddaughter of Archpriest Tit Klimentov, the dean of the Ascension Cathedral), and the bronze medal is in the family of K.K. Kulikov (son of the famous architect K.I. Kulikov). In memory of this, the former Cathedral Construction Commission, in accordance with the decision of the Military Council of October 3, 1904, ordered 500 copies of an illustrated description of the Novocherkassk Cathedral, prepared in the form of a report on the construction of the temple by engineer-colonel K.Kh. Limarenko. Of this number, 2 copies were prepared for the royal family, 28 copies "gold-edged in leather bindings", 70 copies on thick paper in red embossed bindings and 400 copies on plain paper, also in embossed, but blue bindings. 10 copies were sent to the Censorship Committee, 2 copies - to the royal family, etc. The main part of the books was kept in the Donskoy Museum. There were proposals to send one copy (130 pieces) to all the villages of the Donskoy Host Region, in particular, to libraries at schools and colleges. 100 copies were sent for free sale at 7 rubles. for the book (GARO, F.354, op.1, file 782, p. 63). As a result of the work, 12 artists and one decorator were awarded the highest orders: V.M. Lopatin, the architect-artist - the Order of St. Anna 3rd degree, and artists: N.G. Maslennikov, A.V. Troitsky, V.A. Poyarkov, D.M. Kardovsky, I.F. Porfirov, E.I. Gruzhevsky, I.F. Popov , V.N. Popov, A.M. Grushin, V.A. Plotnikov and M.E. Vatutin - orders of St. Stanislav 3rd degree. Decorator Eliseev was awarded a silver breast medal (GARO, F. 354, op. 1, d. 779, p. 13). The builder of the cathedral, the real author of its project, along with the architect A.A. Yashchenko, engineer-colonel K. H. Limarenko received the next rank of major general and settled in Novocherkassk. Recently appointed to the Don cathedra, Archbishop of Don and Novocherkassk Vladimir, when examining the Ascension Cathedral, noted the presence in it of such shrines and antiquities as: the icon of the Assumption of the Mother of God with holy relics, taught to the Don Army by Metropolitan Platon of Kiev, the former Archbishop of Don and Novocherkassk (1867-1877). ), a gospel from the time of Peter the Great, weighing more than a pood, a silver dish presented by the Don nobility to the first Don Archpastor, His Eminence Athanasius in 1843, crosses, gospels and vessels donated to the Ascension Cathedral at various times by the Army Atamans Platov, Ilovaisky, Vlasov, and others pious parishioners.

Almost a century-old construction of the stone Military Ascension Cathedral would have become impossible if the temporary (for 99 years -!) wooden Military Ascension Cathedral had not been working next to it all these years, day after day.

Preparing to adequately meet the approaching 100th anniversary of the "overcoming of Napoleon", i.e. victory over the French in the Patriotic War of 1812, a special commission was created on the Don under the chairmanship of Lieutenant General A.A. Smagin. This commission recommended that part of the events be held in connection with the anniversary, and, in particular, such as: "1) arrange a house in Novocherkassk for 25 disabled people of the Don Army (lower ranks). 2) Place the names of the holders of the Order on marble slabs in the Novocherkassk Cathedral St. George, awarded for distinction in the battles of 1812-1814 and the names of the generals and officers who fell in these battles ... 5) Rename some streets of the city of Novocherkassk, naming them by the names of the most distinguished generals "(" Don Church Antiquity ", issue 1V, 1915, section 11, p. 108). In particular, the former Troitsky Prospekt was renamed Baklanovsky in 1909. It was also proposed to build a monument in honor of the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812, but "we have neither the money nor the desire to collect this money" (ibid., p. 111). The first point was fulfilled and at the corner of the current Troitskaya and B. Khmelnitsky streets they built a "Invalid House" with columns, which now belongs to NSTU, on the facade of which the numbers "1812" and "1912" are still visible.

The memory of the heroes of the Don began to excite not only the minds of the public, but also the military authorities. In particular, on June 23, 1909, the Military Ataman, Baron von F.F. the ashes of the heroes of the Don army? The problem arose due to the fact that the Archbishop of Donskoy and Novocherkassk Vladimir refused the first attempt of the Military Government (in the spring of 1907) to make a decision to place the ashes of the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, General Efremov, in this tomb. The objection was motivated by the fact that during the construction of 24 marble sarcophagi under the Ascension Cathedral in the lower basement, it was planned to bury in them not the past heroes of the Don, but the current and future ones. The diocesan authorities especially emphasized that if you allow the ashes of the hero of the Patriotic War of 1812, Lieutenant General Efremov, as a hero of past years, to be reburied in the tomb of the cathedral from the farm of Staro-Baklanovsky of the Baklanovsky village, then there are many such heroes on the Don and the tomb will quickly fill up, and then there will be nowhere to bury the heroes of the present, and even more so of the future.

Correspondence on this issue gradually migrated from the Ministry of War to the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod, and then to the Holy Synod itself. At the beginning, they supported the decision of the Don Archpastor to prohibit the burial in the Novocherkassk Cathedral of General Efremov, as a hero of past years. But gradually the military government increased its perseverance and offered to bury in the tomb of the cathedral, along with the ashes of General Efremov, the remains of the hero of the Caucasian wars, General Baklanov, taking into account the 100th anniversary of his birth in 1809. But the Archbishop of the Don and Novocherkassk Vladimir, and with him The Holy Synod responded to this proposal with a refusal. Nevertheless, in 1910, the Army Ataman, Baron von Taube, again appealed to the Ministry of War, and through the appropriate channels to the Holy Synod, with a request to resolve the issue of burial in the tomb of the cathedral of now three heroes: General Efremov, General Baklanov and General Orlov- Denisov (also a hero of the Patriotic War of 1812). And, finally, they received permission: “The Holy Synod, for its part, does not encounter obstacles to permission to transfer the ashes of the heroes of the Don Army to the tomb at the Novocherkassk Cathedral: Lieutenant General Efremov, Adjutant General Count Orlov-Denisov and Lieutenant General Baklanov. .." (Determination of the Holy Synod No. 6340 of August 14-24, 1910). Thus, by the end of 1910, permission to reburial the ashes of these heroes of the Don in the tomb of the cathedral was received. But the reader may have already noticed that this list does not yet include the most famous hero of the Don - the Army Ataman M.I. Platov. It really is. Strange as it may seem to us to celebrate this today, but the issue of reburial of the heroes of the Don was decided precisely in such a temporal and historical sequence, as we have stated, and on the other hand, there really was no M.I. Platov in the list of heroes. Only on February 17, 1911, the Marshal of the Nobility of the Donskoy Army A.P.Leonov addressed the Holy Synod with a proposal "to transport the remains of the Military Ataman of the Donskoy Count Platov's army to the tomb of the Novocherkassk Cathedral." This proposal was formulated by Colonel Kakurin at the Extraordinary Regional Army of the Don Noble Assembly on January 30, 1911. The Holy Synod, by its decision No. allowed the reburial in the tomb of the Novocherkassk Cathedral of the ashes of M. I. Platova. Finally, all obstacles were overcome in order to rebury the ashes of the heroes of the Don in the tomb of the military Ascension Cathedral.

On October 4, 1911, as part of the ongoing preparations for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812 and the participation of the Don Cossacks in it, a solemn reburial of the remains of 4 heroes of the Don took place in the tomb of the Ascension Cathedral: the Army Ataman, a cavalry general, a cavalier of domestic and foreign orders, count, founder of the city of Novocherkassk M.I. Platov, adjutant general V.V. Orlova-Denisova, Lieutenant General I.E. Efremov and Lieutenant-General Ya.P. Baklanov, as well as the ashes of Archbishop of the Don and Novocherkassk John, especially beloved by the townspeople. The next day, a monument to the hero of the Caucasian wars, General Ya.P. Baklanov, was opened from the south side of the cathedral with a huge gathering of people. The composition of the monuments to the three heroes of the Don, who stood on three sides of the military Ascension Cathedral: Yermak, Platov and Baklanov, was completed (For more details on the solemn reburial ceremony, see P.Kh. Popov "Heroes of the Don", Novocherkassk, 1911).

Unfortunately, due to financial difficulties, and then the outbreak of the 1st World War, another event that they wanted to coincide with the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812 was not implemented. In the Military Ascension Cathedral, marble plates with the names of holders of the Order of St. George, as well as Cossack generals and officers who fell in the Patriotic War of 1812. In the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, this problem was partially solved earlier by writing on the walls the names of some heroes - Cossacks from the Don. But in the capital of the Don Cossacks, it was not possible to bring it to life ("Don Regional Gazette", No. 15, 1914). The decision taken in 1915 to perpetuate the memory of the cavalry general A.V. was not implemented either. Samsonov, the former Military Ataman (1907-1909), who committed suicide after an unsuccessful military operation (by the way, not through his fault, but through the fault of Generals Ya.G. Zhilinsky and P.K. Rennenkampf) on the German front in 1914 year. After the Highest permitted collection of donations among the Don Cossack regiments, it was supposed to place in the tomb of the Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk next to the remains of the heroes of the Don - Platov, Orlov-Denisov, Efremov, Baklanov, the image of Ataman and the ashes of military general A.V. Samsonov. But this decision was never implemented in practice for reasons unknown to us.

On December 5, 1914, the next major event related to the cathedral took place. Emperor Nicholas II arrived in Novocherkassk. In the city, he visited several infirmaries and hospitals, where he awarded soldiers wounded at the front and, with a large gathering of people on the cathedral square, visited the Military Church. All the "city clergy" headed by the Archbishop of Donskoy and Novocherkassk Athanasius met the Monarch, who drove up to the porch in a car. Here is how Emperor Nicholas II briefly described his visit to the capital of the Don in his diaries: “I arrived in Novocherkassk at 10 o’clock. Directly to the new huge cathedral and then to the ataman’s house, where there was a guard of the local team and the last graduation of ensigns from the school. I visited two infirmaries and had breakfast on the train. I also visited hospitals and then attended an officer meeting for a cup of tea. I saw wounded Don officers. I was in the cadet corps, institute and shelter. At 7 o’clock I left Novocherkassk "(" Novocherkassk and Platovskaya gymnasium in memoirs and documents " , issue 3, M., 1997, p. 61).

The 1st World War, which began on July 20, 1914, raised the Don Cossacks to defend the Fatherland from the Austro-Germans. Services were often held in the cathedral with requests to God to grant victory to Russian weapons and health to the soldiers of Russia. From here, from the cathedral square, many Cossack units went to the front after the prayer service. The bodies of many Cossacks who gave their lives for Russia were also returned to the cathedral here. Here, over their ashes, the last words were spoken, from here they were sent in coffins to the city cemeteries ("old" in the city and "new" on Khutunk). Gradually, the World War for Russia, and then for Germany, turned into a revolution and a civil war. Don began to split into whites and reds, into those who continued to go to meet God in the cathedral and those who began to bypass him. It was in the Military Cathedral that the first elected Ataman Aleksey Maksimovich Kaledin received a blessing for his work for the benefit of the Don Cossacks in the summer of 1917, and it was he who buried himself in the cathedral after his fatal shot on January 29, 1918, which ended his earthly life. Following him, the second elected Ataman Alexei Mikhailovich Nazarov received a blessing in the cathedral, who was destined to be shot in a few weeks by the Red Guards who occupied Novocherkassk. According to the memoirs of the Baltic sailor Mikhail Pantyukhov: "On one of the five gilded domes (the cathedral) there is either a hole or a patch. It was in 1918 that a sailor's train was made from a six-inch" (Pantyukhov Mikhail "Red Line", 1973, p. 208 ). Shortly after the capture of the city, the Red Guards appeared in the cathedral demanding to show the bell tower, on which, according to their information, the Cossacks allegedly hid a machine gun. Not finding a machine gun, the Red Guards "in hats, with guns overweight ... entered the temple, entered the altar, with bayonets tore off the vestments from the thrones of the main and in the first aisle, lifted and damaged the marble plaque of the main throne: "they were looking for Cossacks ..." ( Donskoy Krai", No. 18 dated May 11 (24), 1918).

In the summer of 1918, a review of the combat units of the young Don Army, formed by Ataman Krasnov to fight the Bolsheviks, takes place on the square near the Ascension Cathedral. Here, on September 16, 1918, after a prayer service in the Donskoy Cathedral, Ataman P.N. Krasnov will take an oath of allegiance to the service of the Great Don Army. In the cathedral at the beginning of February 1919, prayers of thanksgiving were also said in honor of the new Don Ataman A.P. Bogaevsky. In February-March and April 1919, many famous people of the Don and Novocherkassk, who died of cholera, were buried in the cathedral. More than once the prayers of the cathedral clergy were lifted up for the granting of the victory of the Don army over the Red Army advancing on Novocherkassk. In the early days of 1920, units of the Red Army began to approach Novocherkassk. On January 3-4, the Cadet Corps of the Don Emperor Alexander III, the Mariinsky Institute for Noble Maidens, and others began to be evacuated from the city. on foot they set out from the city, guarding a huge convoy with documents and money. January 7, 1920, i.e. On Christmas Day, Novocherkassk is abandoned by the Cossack units of the Don Army. The city, like the Military Cathedral, entered a new, previously unknown stage of Soviet development, an atheistic stage, atheistic in essence.

In the first years of Soviet power, outwardly everything remained the same. The cathedral worked, the cathedral clergy, together with the Archbishop of the Don and Novocherkassk Mitrofan, served services, and the faithful visited the temple. But the situation around the cathedral has changed significantly. The new city authorities declared the cathedral an instrument of hostile White Cossack propaganda, the focus of "priestly obscurantism," a ballast on the path of socialist construction. Everyone who visited the cathedral fell under the suspicion and ideological assessment of the "church henchman". So, in the newspaper "Krasny Don" a "revealing" article entitled "The Mysterious Archimandrite" was published, in which the activities of Archimandrite Boris (Rukin) - a friend of the Archbishop of the Don and Novocherkassk Mitrofan - were described from the negative side. The new authorities disregarded only the elderly townspeople, to whom it is useless to talk about the prospects of a godless future. The number of visitors to the cathedral began to fall sharply, and problems with its maintenance began to increase sharply. A big blow for the cathedral was the theft of icons, church utensils and jewelry in the amount of more than 2 million rubles from the temple. The thieves, of course, were not found. And the cathedral could not find funds to compensate for the damage. The financial situation of the cathedral deteriorated sharply. Soon an order appeared in the Cherkassy district that all the clergy who remained after the civil war should be registered. The authorities took control not only of the clergy, but also of the clergy. Most of them, especially those who spoke at least in some form condemning the new government in its attitude to religion and the church, were arrested and kept in the basements of the District and city Cheka on Aleksandrovskaya Street. (now the old educational building of the technical school of the food industry). A large group of Novocherkassk clergy, including the former cathedral archpriest Zakharia Lobov, were sent to Solovki, where many of them ended their earthly life.

With the growth of anti-religious and atheistic propaganda, the creation of a branch of the Union of Atheists in the city, the cathedral is becoming more and more a kind of "thorn in the eye." And when the processes of collecting non-ferrous and precious metals for the needs of the collectivization and industrialization of the country began, a note appeared in the local newspaper stating that "The roof of the former city cathedral is being removed to use copper and other non-ferrous metals, the new roof will be made of iron" ( "The Banner of the Commune", No. 72 of May 22, 1934). The note is written vaguely, since the domes were not copper, but gilded copper, and the iron crosses were also gilded, and the famous crystal from Bohemia was in the central cross. Naturally, gold leaf (12-15 microns thick), which has lain on the roof of the Ascension Cathedral since 1905. to 1934 already lost its quality and required replacement. But, nevertheless, sheets of gilded copper were removed, and instead: iron sheets were not installed for various reasons for several years. The cathedral was closed. For a long time it was exposed to natural elements - it was flooded with rain, covered with snow, burned by the scorching sun, etc. In addition, the basements of the cathedral were also used. They began to store first kerosene, and then grain for the malt (brewery) factory. In the same infamous 1930s, another event took place, characteristic of a time of political violence and lawlessness. Iulian Mitrofanovich Simashkevich, Bishop of Novocherkassk, son of the last Archbishop of Donskoy and Novocherkassk Mitrofan (Simashkevich), was arrested, convicted and shot by the security forces.

In the first days of the occupation of Novocherkassk by the Nazi invaders in the summer of 1942, at the request of the city Cossacks, the Ascension Cathedral was opened for worship. Along with the townspeople, people in Cossack uniforms reappeared in it. These were the Cossacks who recognized the power of the occupying troops, those who joined the Cossack detachments of Colonel S.V. With the expulsion of the Nazis and the departure of the pro-German Cossacks under the leadership of Ataman S.V. Pavlov, the cathedral in Novocherkassk continued to function. In the post-war years, the Ascension Cathedral lived a double life. In the cellars grain was stored, then sugar, then flour, then other products and materials, and upstairs church services were going on, gathering different numbers of believers and non-believers in different years and on different holidays. In 1950, the fountain on Cathedral Square was dismantled, in which water was blessed. In the 50s, with great difficulty, it was possible to carry out picturesque restoration work with the help of Leningrad artists. For lack of sufficient funds, bronze paint was laid down in place of the former decorating gold leaf. In the 60s, the threat of closing the cathedral again loomed due to the intensification of anti-religious propaganda and the demands for building an atheistic and communist society already in the early 80s. How could one enter into communism, declared by N.S. Khrushchev, with working churches and, in particular, a functioning cathedral? But life took its toll. Each such ideological company came and soon left. The cathedral survived. He continued to act, despite neither external reasons nor internal strife. In the 70s and 80s, among the clergy of the cathedral, various complaints arose more than once about the wrong actions of individual priests, deacons, and elders of the cathedral. And the last one has changed a lot. The city authorities, where these complaints fell, tried to consider them, but in most cases they were dismissed, considering them an internal affair of the cathedral community, hoping that the more contention, the closer to the closure of the cathedral.

In the late 70s, steps were taken towards the external restoration of the cathedral. But the funds were clearly not enough and it was possible to plaster and paint with orange-yellowish paint only the "front" part of the western facade. The work was carried out by "shabays", and not by restoration workshops, which required large funds for their high-quality work, i.e. "masters" who turned up from the street. "Shabai" took less than the restorers, but they did much worse than them. Attempts to at least partially restore the crumbling internal painting, in particular, in the choir stalls, also gave sad results. Funds left, and the painting continued to crumble. There were a lot of problems with water, which constantly flooded the southern part of the basement of the cathedral and the underground passage to the former Bishop's House (now the House of Officers). Many attempts to pump it out did not give serious results, and according to reputable scientists, it is better not to touch the existing water balance, and not to pump out the water, since in its absence, the destructive processes in the lower part of the cathedral can become irreversible and fatal. The appearance of underground water in the southern part of the basement of the cathedral was caused by the fact that during the Soviet era the drainage system was violated (voluntarily or involuntarily), diverting underground water from the cathedral towards the railway station along the former Kreshchensky (now Red) descent. That is why in the 1970s and 1980s, Novocherkassk residents were often surprised that the asphalt on Krasny Descent "floated" down to the station, that deep collapses and gullies often appeared on the descent. Once the underground drainage system is broken, then the underground water has nowhere to go and it breaks through a possible channel for itself, including under the asphalt, which, without the multi-layer "cushion" laid down by the technology, rises with water and "floats" with the flow, in this case down to the iron road. In the early 90s, a group of scientists led by Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences Yu. Murzenko, as part of the Prospector cooperative, conducted a comprehensive survey of the condition of the Ascension Cathedral, on the basis of which a scientific and technical passport of the building was created. It reflects the results of research and recommendations on how to monitor his future situation. Studies have shown that today the cathedral stands on a "clay quicksand", dehydration of which can lead to subsidence of the foundation and disruption of the overall stable position of the cathedral.

Since the autumn of 1990, little by little they began to repair and restore the lower basement of the cathedral (chief restorer N.D. Burdina), where the tomb of the great people of the Don is located. When inspecting the floors with crumbling concrete over 24 sarcophagi, it was decided to check the rumors that had been circulating for many years that these burials were discovered and desecrated in the first years of Soviet power. On March 1, 1992, a commission formed at the direction of the Don Ataman S.A. Meshcheryakov from representatives of the Cossacks, after the commission of lithium, uncovered ancient burials. Open sarcophagi presented a terrible sight. There were skulls, bones, construction debris, fragments of the iconostasis, etc. The Cossacks decided to put the Don shrines in order and solemnly rebury the remains of the famous people of the Don. On May 15, 1993, the solemn reburial ceremony of the remains of the great people of the Don took place in the Ascension Cathedral: Generals Platov, Orlov-Denisov, Efremov and Baklanov, as well as the Archbishop of the Don and Novocherkassk John in the tomb of the cathedral. And the next day, May 16, the clergy of the cathedral participated in the opening ceremony of the monument to the founder of the city, the Military Ataman, holder of many orders, Count Matvey Ivanovich Platov, recreated and installed on the same pedestal. With the process of the revival of the Cossacks, which began on the Don in 1989, the Ascension Cathedral participated in various military ceremonies more than once, but so far it has not become a real military temple, and not through the fault of the clergy, but due to the fact that not all Cossacks yet they do not find it possible or necessary to visit the cathedral not only on weekdays, but on holidays and solemn days. The rector of the Ascension Cathedral, Archpriest Alexander, rightly complained more than once that some chieftains and Cossacks do not visit their own Military Cathedral Church.

In the mid-80s, when relations with the church somewhat thawed as a result of "perestroika", the question of a possible covering of the domes and crosses of the Ascension Cathedral with gold leaf began to be discussed. In this regard, serious steps have been taken to update the coverage. Scientists have calculated (V.P. Kotilevsky) that it will take 15 kg to cover only the domes of the Ascension Cathedral with gold leaf, incl. 5.2kg for the main dome, 4.6kg for two medium domes and 5.2kg for 4 small domes. For gilding and "highlighting" crosses, 0.5 kg is needed. gold leaf and 0.3 kg. crystal. But the cathedral did not have such funds, and is not yet expected. Therefore, so far it has only been possible to gild, and even then not all the external crosses. External internal restoration of the cathedral building, gilding of its domes and crosses are waiting in the wings. At the end of August 1996, a commission of the Ministry of Culture of Russia worked in Novocherkassk, which established that about 80 billion rubles were required to carry out priority measures to strengthen the Ascension Cathedral, which was beginning to tilt from the south side (already by 9 cm), and for a complete volume of restoration work, incl. paintings and gilding - about 500 billion rubles. But so far no one has allocated such money, and therefore the cathedral lives in hopes for better times and that the Foundation for the Revival of the Ascension Cathedral will provide practical assistance.

All possible assistance to the Ascension Cathedral at the end of 1991 was provided by the city library. A.S. Pushkin. She donated 1,539 books and 801 copies of magazines of religious content, as well as shelves, showcases, tables and chairs, to organize the cathedral library. The new library was assisted by personnel. Almost 195 years have passed since the founding of the military Ascension Cathedral, for which he absorbed the abyss of human destinies, joys and anxieties of the inhabitants and guests of Novocherkassk, the often tragic, but generally glorious history of the Don region. By the decree of the mayor of Novocherkassk N.I. Prisyazhnyuk No. 166 of February 4, 1997 "On registration of ownership of real estate for the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Rostov-on-Don diocese of the Moscow Patriarchate" the building of the Holy Ascension Cathedral on the square. Ermak was assigned to his arrival.

Based on the materials of the Novocherkassk historian and local historian E.I. Kirsanov. http://www.novocherkassk.ru

Four-altar cathedral: The main altar in honor of the Ascension of the Lord, consecrated by the hierarchal rank in 1942. Aisles: the right one in honor of the Hodegetria icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, consecrated by the hierarchical rank in 1948, the left one in the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov, consecrated in 1948 by the hierarchical rank. Crypt temple-tomb in the name of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. The throne is not consecrated.

The cathedral is visible for many kilometers around, including from the Aksai and Tuzlov rivers, washing the hill on which Novocherkassk stands. The height of its bell tower reaches 74.7 m, and in terms of the height of the dome, it ranks seventh in Russia. The cross, which crowns the main dome, is inlaid with 80 diamond-cut rock crystal monoliths. Being refracted on them, the light shines so brightly that the cathedral was called “the second sun of the Don”. The interior of the temple is striking in its splendor. The floors and iconostasis are finished with French and Italian marble, the walls are painted with frescoes, and the choir stalls are decorated with picturesque canvases that tell the story of the local Cossacks. Here are their stories: “Yermak’s Gatherings for a Campaign in Siberia”, “Award of the Tsar’s Banner under Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich in 1614”, “Azov Sitting in 1641”, “Peter the Great’s Gatherings near Azov in 1696”, “Laying of the Cathedral and the City Novocherkassk by Ataman Platov in 1805”, “Meeting of Ataman Platov in 1814 near Novocherkassk”, “Presenting the First Head on May 6, 1887 to the Heir to the Throne Tsesarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich”.

In the lower church-tomb, consecrated in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, sarcophagi made of French and Italian marble are installed. Here lie the remains of the founder of the capital of the Don Cossacks "Vikhor-Ataman" Matvey Ivanovich Platov (Count and General of the Cavalry), the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812, Generals Vasily Vasilyevich Orlov-Denisov, Ivan Efremovych Efremov and Pyotr Yakovlevich Baklanov, as well as the ashes of Archbishop John of the Don and Novocherkassk (Dobrozrakov). Here - as a symbol of the eternal meeting of man with God - there is a spacious baptismal. From the basement, 15 m deep, an underground passage leads to the House of Officers (the former Bishop's House).

The cathedral did not immediately become a majestic monument of history and architecture. It was founded and consecrated on the feast of the Ascension of Christ back in 1805, when the city was founded. First, a wooden church was built. The erection of the stone cathedral Temple of the Don Army in 1811 was carried out according to the project of the Italian architect Aloysius (Luigi) Rusca, who at that time was building many buildings in St. Petersburg. He started work at the request of Matvey Platov. The construction work was first supervised by the brother of the architect. Then, after the war with Napoleon, the work of the Ruska brothers was continued by the provincial architect Amvrosimov, military architects Iosif Valpreda and Fomin. And finally, the architect from Simferopol Kolodin, invited by the ataman Kuteynikov through the Ministry of the Interior to investigate a crack that formed under one of the temple windows in 1828. However, the military office seemed unbearable amount indicated by Kolodin for the demolition of the walls, because by that time 900,000 rubles had already been spent on the construction of the cathedral. All left as is. Therefore, it is not surprising that twice (in 1846 and 1863) when the main dome of the temple was brought down, the main part of the building collapsed. Moreover, the construction plan, drawn up in 1847 by the architect Konstantin Andreevich Ton (the author of the project for the Cathedral of Christ the Savior), also collapsed. And only in 1900 the cathedral was built, however, so far only “roughly” - according to the project of the architect Yashchenko, finalized in 1891, approved by the highest in 1893. In the summer of 1904, the wooden and artistic work was completed, and a marble iconostasis was installed. But due to the fact that Nicholas II did not come to the consecration of the cathedral, only the Church of the Intercession was opened. For services, the Holy Ascension Military Cathedral was opened only on May 6, 1905. And, as it turned out, not for long.

Temple in the post-revolutionary period

Soon the time of unrest and revolution came, and the temple was closed. In the dashing 1930s, gilded copper sheets were removed from the domes, turning the cathedral into a storehouse for fuels and lubricants. During the German occupation (in August 1942) the temple was opened for worship. And after the end of World War II, grain, flour, beer malt, sugar and other food were stored in the spacious basement of the temple. But services were occasionally held in the upper church.

The year 1953 was the year of salvation for the gradually collapsing building of the Holy Ascension Cathedral. After the death of Stalin, the temple came to the attention of historians. Repair work, both internal and facade, began here. In 1974, the building was awarded the title of an architectural monument of local importance, and in 1995 - federal. Large-scale restoration has been ongoing since 2001 to this day.

But one way or another, almost a century later, the cathedral is reopened for worship, services and visits. Everyone can come here, feel the beauty and scale of this unique temple, whose fate was as difficult as the fate of our country at the turn of the era.

In 2005, the city of Novocherkassk celebrated a double anniversary - two hundred years since the founding of the city and the laying of the main temple of the Cossacks here. The Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk was restored especially for this date. The appearance was restored in accordance with the drawings and drawings of the beginning of the 20th century. The military Ascension Cathedral is considered in Russia to be the third in scale after Moscow's Christ the Savior and St. Isaac's in St. Petersburg.

Ascension Cathedral (Novocherkassk)

The temple is visible from afar, it is well visible from the Tuzlov and Aksai rivers, which wash the hill where Novocherkassk is located. The bell tower rises up to 74.7 meters. The height of the dome is in Russia in seventh place. The cross on the main dome is inlaid with rock crystal and cut with diamonds. The light, refracted in diamond facets, shines like the sun, reflected in golden domes.

The Ascension Cathedral of Novocherkassk is famous for its interior decoration. The iconostasis and floors are finished with marble specially ordered from France and Italy. The variety of frescoes is striking. The depicted faces of the saints, illuminated by candles, look from the walls and columns. The choir stalls are decorated with paintings depicting the most significant events in the history of the Don Cossacks.

Temple-tomb

At the beginning of the last century, the Ascension Cathedral of Novocherkassk had a unique heating and ventilation system, in those years it was a huge breakthrough in the technical sense. Bold engineering developments made it possible to create a comfortable atmosphere inside the cathedral, to ensure the complete preservation of paintings, frescoes, and the iconostasis. Today, unfortunately, this system has been lost.

The lower part of the temple is a tomb, consecrated in honor of the Intercession of the Virgin. Here are the sarcophagi made of Italian and French marble. The remains of generals - heroes of the war of 1812 are buried in them: Efremov, Orlov-Denisov, Baklanov; the founder of the Don capital Platov, Archbishop John Dobrozrakov.

There is also a baptismal here. The depth of the basement is 15 m, an underground passage from it leads to the House of Officers.

History. First temple

The city was founded in 1805, at the same time the Ascension Cathedral of Novocherkassk was founded. For some now unknown reasons, construction began only in 1811. The work was supervised by the author of the project himself - a staunch adherent of classicism - the Italian architect Aloysius Ruska. The architect left Russia in 1818, the work had not yet been completed, and our master Amvrosimov continued the work. Unfortunately, the construction did not end well.

In 1846, when work was underway on the construction of the dome, a large part of the facade collapsed. A magnificent building in an instant became a pile of ruins. There was no one inside the building at that time, it was just a holiday, so there were no casualties. At the same time, this was reported to the king. A commission was sent to the site, which revealed gross errors in the architectural design, as well as during construction. They caused the collapse of the building. In addition, the building materials used were of very poor quality. Forty years of hard work went to waste.

Second try

After some time, work on the construction of the temple resumed. The construction was entrusted to an experienced architect Valprede. The project was drawn up anew, it was accepted according to the most stringent technical criteria. But evil fate was inexorable this time. At the same stage of work in 1863, a collapse occurred in exactly the same way as 17 years ago. What's this? An omen or the will of God? Remains a mystery. The next commission established the reason for excessive haste during construction. However, the architect himself was not blamed for this, because he repeatedly notified the government in writing about the haste in work, which would affect quality. He was simply forced to obey the orders of local authorities and atamans of the Cossacks.

Start of construction

But how can the Cossacks live without a temple of God? Before the decision to build the temple was made, there were heated debates - to restore the destroyed building or to dismantle it completely and start new construction? They decided to completely clear the place, it was done in 1882. In 1891, the Cossacks decided to build a new Ascension Military Cathedral (Novocherkassk).

The project was approved by Emperor Alexander II. The author of the third project of the Ascension Church was the Don architect of the Cossack army Yashchenko. Shortly before that, he was awarded the title of academician. Unfortunately, he was not destined to see his offspring. In 1893 he died. Work at that time was at the stage of foundation construction.

The new temple was built under special supervision. Past sad experience taught me a lot. The new leader Zlobin, when laying out in the basement, discovered serious violations. The construction was again suspended, thorough checks were carried out, and work was supervised by higher authorities. No irresponsibility in construction was allowed.

Application of engineering technologies. Temple consecration

Engineer Colonel Limarenko was called to help in the construction, who just at that time had completed the construction of the cathedral in the Kovno fortress. He reconnoitered the basements, pointed out errors in the construction and was appointed construction manager. Here he first proposed the use of concrete and reinforced concrete structures. And this is not the only innovation that was used when the Ascension Cathedral was being built; The city of Novocherkassk had its own brick factory, which produced 2 million bricks a year. A water pipe was built, through which water was supplied to the construction site from the river. They also built their own power plant. It also built its own laboratory, where building materials were tested for quality. At the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, the construction of the temple was approached with all seriousness, which was reinforced by the innovations of technological progress.

In 1901, stucco and plaster work was completed. The Siegel firm supplied the temple with a heating and ventilation system. So, after only ten years, a 75-meter religious building ascended from the basement, which could accommodate 5,000 worshipers. Construction costs then amounted to 2 million rubles. Nine bells were lifted with ropes by hand. Anyone from Novocherkassk could participate in this event.

In May 1905, a hundred years after the laying of the first temple, the consecration of the Novocherkassk Cathedral took place. Cossacks gathered from all the villages for such a grand event. All their lives they remembered and told their descendants about the beautiful temple, the name of which was given the “Second Sun of the Don”.

Years of atheism

During the years of atheistic madness under Soviet rule, the Ascension Military Cathedral in Novocherkassk did not pass by the troubles. In the 1930s, the church was closed, services stopped, and copper sheets and crosses were removed from the domes. In the most beautiful temple in Russia, the Soviets set up a warehouse of combustible materials. In 1942, the temple was opened for services when the city was under occupation.

After the Second World War, food was stored in the cellars of the cathedral: flour, grain, sugar, beer malt. In the upper church, however, services were sometimes held on major church holidays. The saving year for the Ascension Church in Novocherkassk was 1953. After the death of Joseph Stalin, the collapsing building, which has historical and architectural value, came to the attention of scientists. Assessing the significance of the object, the authorities gave the go-ahead to carry out internal and facade repairs. In 1974, the temple became an architectural monument, first of local significance, and in 1995 - of federal significance.

Holy Ascension Cathedral, Novocherkassk: revival

The situation changed during perestroika times and the associated democratic reforms. Believers throughout the country regained the temples and monasteries lost during the period of theomachism. Thousands of temple structures became the property of the Church and found a new life. The Novocherkassk authorities allocated funds for restoration work, which involved many specialists. In 2005, the city celebrated its anniversary, and by this date the original appearance of the temple was restored.

"Second Sun of the Don"

Like the sun, the Holy Ascension Cathedral of Novocherkassk shone again in 2010-2011. The domes were then covered with gold sheets, the cross was treated with rock crystal stones. In the spring of 2014, by the Decree of Patriarch Kirill, the Church of the Ascension received the status of the Patriarchal Ascension Military All-Cossack Cathedral. Now this temple has become the second Patriarchal Cathedral in Russia. The first is the Assumption Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin.

Everyone who visits the temple in the evening cannot take their eyes off the majestic beauty of the temple, which is enhanced by the illumination. An original modern lighting system projects biblical scenes onto the white walls of the building. General illumination gives the temple a more solemn and majestic appearance. Internal restoration work continues, the temple will soon acquire its true original appearance.

Shrines of the temple

The Ascension Church is famous not only for its architectural perfection and the richness of the interior painting. The history of Novocherkassk is connected with the Don Cossacks, the city has always remained a true believer and keeps the glory of miraculous icons, the relics of saints. The metric books of the Ascension Cathedral in Novocherkassk can reveal many secrets about the past generation.

Everyone who finds himself in the temple can bow to the prayerful images, which became famous for the phenomena of miracles. Such shrines include the icons of the Virgin: "Aksai", "Don", "Search for the Lost", "Life-Giving Spring".

In the Church of the Ascension there is a tomb where the ashes of St. John Dobrozrakov rest. Believers throughout the country are aware of the power of prayer that is offered in these holy places.

The schedule of services in the Ascension Church does not differ from many Russian churches. But the spirituality, the solemnity that hovers here under the vaults, puts the cathedral in one of the first places in Russia. It belongs to him by right, and everyone who has been here will confirm this.

The history of the Don Cossacks, who passed a difficult and dramatic path, was embodied in a majestic monument, which is the Novocherkassk Ascension Cathedral. It is rightfully considered one of the masterpieces of Russian temple architecture. Everything in it is unusual - both the history of its creation, and even the size by which it is second only to the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior and St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

The temple is the same age as the city

The date of foundation of Novocherkassk is 1805. At the same time, the laying of the future cathedral took place, which was to become the pride of all the Cossacks. However, as often happens in Russia, the matter dragged on, and work began only after six years, in 1811. The author of the project was a talented Italian architect Aloysius Rusk, a staunch supporter of the classical style in architecture. But it so happened that, having become a victim of bureaucratic intrigues, he was forced to leave Russia, and our compatriot P.N. took his place. Amvrosimov.

Collapse of an almost finished building

The construction had been going on for thirty-five years and was nearing completion when the unexpected happened - when the dome was brought down, a significant part of the facade collapsed. By a lucky chance, there were no victims, since a misfortune happened on a day off, and there were no workers inside the temple, but the result of the accident was terrible - the almost finished Novocherkassk Cathedral turned into ruins.

A message was urgently sent to Petersburg about what had happened, and Nicholas I, who reigned at that time, sent a commission to Novocherkassk to identify those responsible for the incident.

Arriving at the site, the statesmen discovered the grossest violations committed during the construction work, as well as engineering errors in the project itself. A special place in their report was occupied by the unacceptably low quality of building materials. Apparently, there was a theft of funds released from the treasury, but the case was hushed up, and work was suspended for some time.

Another failure

When the Ascension Cathedral was being built in Novocherkassk, it seemed as if some kind of evil fate was preventing the success of the undertaking. The fact is that when, after several years after the accident, construction was resumed and in 1863 it was already approaching its final phase, the story of seventeen years ago was repeated with amazing accuracy. Everything was going well, but at the moment when they began to bring the dome down, a deep crack suddenly appeared on the facade, and it collapsed. Again, as before, the building, close to completion, turned into a pile of construction debris.

Again a dispatch flew to the capital, and the investigation began again. The commission, which arrived from St. Petersburg, saw the main cause of the collapse as technological violations, which were the result of unacceptable haste during the work.

This time the construction was led by the architect I.O. Valprede is an experienced specialist and a very prudent person. He was not blamed for what had happened, since he submitted to the commission copies of reports in which he repeatedly pointed out to the city authorities and Cossack chieftains the danger of an unreasonably fast pace of work.

Start of new construction

But the city of Novocherkassk could not live without the temple of God, and it is not for nothing that the Cossacks are known as stubborn people. The failures that pursued the construction of the cathedral did not diminish their determination to bring the matter to the end, and in 1889 the project of a new - third in a row - temple was approved in the capital. Its author was the Don military architect A.A. Yashchenko. Shortly before that, he became an academician, and this work was his debut in a new rank. However, even here it was not without the intervention of evil fate. When they started laying the foundation, the Don architect died suddenly, and the Novocherkassk Cathedral continued to be built without him.

The same fate played a cruel joke on the next work manager - A.P. Zlobin. He, like his predecessors, had to give evidence to the commission of inquiry. All the same violations of technological standards and suspiciously low quality of materials were found. This time only a miracle saved the builders from another collapse. Under the fear of eternal torment in the future life and the criminal court in this high city authorities took measures, and the matter finally entered the right track.

The end of the building epic

But everything comes to an end sooner or later. All long-term ordeals associated with the construction of the temple have also ended. The completion of work and the consecration of the Novocherkassk Cathedral took place at the very beginning of the new 20th century - in 1901. The size of this third largest cathedral in Russia is admirable. Its dome rose to a height of seventy-five meters, and the area was almost four and a half thousand square meters.

To build a building of this size, it was necessary to build a brick factory, a power plant and a water line for its needs. In order to avoid the risk of a new collapse, a special laboratory was created in which all building material was tested for strength. The amount spent on the work was also a record, it amounted to two million rubles.

The former splendor of the temple

Everyone who had a chance to see the Novocherkassk Cathedral, noted the extraordinary beauty of its domes, covered with. The impression was complemented by the main cross, the decoration of which was a crystal inlay made by Bohemian masters.

Many memories of witnesses of its former splendor have been preserved. They paint a picture of how, on sunny days, the bright radiance of the main cross, visible for many kilometers, served as a living beacon on the path to God.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Novocherkassk was equipped with a unique ventilation and heating system, which at that time was a real breakthrough in technical thought. Thanks to bold engineering developments, not only a comfortable atmosphere was created inside the temple, but also, which is very important, the iconostasis painting and wall frescoes were preserved. Unfortunately, it is now lost.

In addition, the Novocherkassk Cathedral was famous for its interior decoration. Its floor was covered with specially made in France and Italy. An original addition to the construction of the building was an underground passage connecting the temple with the bishop's house located nearby. Today, the House of Officers is located within its walls.

Years of total atheism

The Novocherkassk Cathedral, whose history is inextricably linked with all Russian events of the 20th century, fully shared the fate of most churches in our country. In the thirties, the godless authorities closed it and put an end to the services held in it.

Crosses were removed from such once magnificent domes and gilded copper sheets were barbarously torn off. The building itself - an architectural monument and a work of art - was used as a fuel and lubricants warehouse.

During the Great Patriotic War, the city of Novocherkassk was in the zone of temporary occupation. The Germans opened the temple, and divine services resumed in it. The inhabitants of the city in those years prayed for the granting of victory over the enemy and asked for God's blessing and intercession. When the Nazis were expelled, the Soviet authorities did not close the temple and did not interfere with the conduct of services, however, all the basement of the cathedral was still used as a warehouse.

Return to spiritual roots

When the time came for democratic changes in the country, and the people woke up from an atheistic delusion, many cathedrals and monasteries were returned to the church. It was a joyful, but very difficult period. Most of the temple buildings, after decades of their barbaric devastation, required restoration, or at least serious restoration. Among them was the Novocherkassk Cathedral. Patriarch of All Russia Alexy II blessed the work, and many leading restorers were invited to the funds allocated by the city authorities.

Resurrected Cathedral

In 2005, the inhabitants of Novocherkassk celebrated a double anniversary - the bicentennial of the city and the laying of a temple in it. The completion of works on the restoration of the cathedral facade was timed to coincide with these celebrations. Its appearance was restored in accordance with the drawings and drawings of the beginning of the last century. Next in line is the gilding of the domes and the installation of crystal inlay, which was so famous in previous years.

Service in the Novocherkassk Cathedral today is carried out with the same piety and observance of church canons as in the entire Orthodox world. The Annunciation of his bells again spreads far across the region and calls to prayer all whose hearts are open to God. In conclusion, information for those who would like to visit the Novocherkassk Cathedral. Address: Rostov region, Novocherkassk, pl. Ermaka, d. 2.

In 2005, the inhabitants of Novocherkassk celebrated a double anniversary - the bicentennial of the city and the laying of a temple in it. The completion of works on the restoration of the cathedral facade was timed to coincide with these celebrations. Its appearance was restored in accordance with the drawings and drawings of the beginning of the last century. The next step is the installation of crystal inlay, so famous in previous years.

“The Second Sun of the Don”, the Holy Ascension Military Cathedral in Novocherkassk on Ermak Square is the main temple of the Don Cossacks. It is rightfully considered one of the most majestic and beautiful cathedrals in Russia and the third largest after the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow and St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

The cathedral is visible for many kilometers around, including from the Aksai and Tuzlov rivers, washing the hill on which Novocherkassk stands. The height of its bell tower reaches 74.7 m, and in terms of the height of the dome, it ranks seventh in Russia. The cross, which crowns the main dome, is inlaid with 80 diamond-cut rock crystal monoliths. Refracted on them, the light shines so brightly that the cathedral was called "the second sun of the Don." The interior of the temple is striking in its splendor. The floors and iconostasis are finished with French and Italian marble, the walls are painted with frescoes, and the choir stalls are decorated with picturesque canvases that tell the story of the local Cossacks. Here are their stories: “Yermak’s Gatherings for a Campaign in Siberia”, “Award of the Tsar’s Banner under Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich in 1614”, “Azov Sitting in 1641”, “Peter the Great’s Gatherings near Azov in 1696”, “Laying of the Cathedral and the City Novocherkassk by Ataman Platov in 1805”, “Meeting of Ataman Platov in 1814 near Novocherkassk”, “Presenting the First Head on May 6, 1887 to the Heir to the Throne Tsesarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich”.

To build a building of this size, it was necessary to build a brick factory, a power plant and a water line for its needs. In order to avoid the risk of collapse, a special laboratory was created in which all building material was tested for strength.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Novocherkassk Cathedral was equipped with a unique ventilation and heating system, which at that time was a real breakthrough in technical thought. Thanks to bold engineering developments, not only a comfortable atmosphere was created inside the temple, but also, which is very important, the iconostasis painting and wall frescoes were preserved. Unfortunately, it is now lost.

In addition, the Novocherkassk Cathedral was famous for its interior decoration. Its floor was covered with marble slabs specially made in France and Italy.

In the lower church-tomb, consecrated in honor of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, sarcophagi made of French and Italian marble are installed. Here lie the remains of the founder of the capital of the Don Cossacks "Vikhor-Ataman" Matvey Ivanovich Platov (Count and General of the Cavalry), the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812, Generals Vasily Vasilyevich Orlov-Denisov, Ivan Efremovych Efremov and Pyotr Yakovlevich Baklanov, as well as the ashes of Archbishop John of the Don and Novocherkassk (Dobrozrakov). Here - as a symbol of the eternal meeting of man with God - there is a spacious baptismal. From the basement, 15 m deep, an underground passage leads to the House of Officers (the former Bishop's House).

The cathedral did not immediately become a majestic monument of history and architecture. It was founded and consecrated on the feast of the Ascension of Christ back in 1805, when the city was founded. First, a wooden church was built. The erection of the stone cathedral Temple of the Don Army in 1811 was carried out according to the project of the Italian architect Aloysius (Luigi) Rusca, who at that time was building many buildings in St. Petersburg. He started work at the request of Matvey Platov. The construction work was first supervised by the brother of the architect. Then, after the war with Napoleon, the work of the Ruska brothers was continued by the provincial architect Amvrosimov, military architects Iosif Valpreda and Fomin. And finally, the architect from Simferopol Kolodin, invited by the ataman Kuteynikov through the Ministry of the Interior to investigate a crack that formed under one of the temple windows in 1828.

However, the military office seemed unbearable amount indicated by Kolodin for the demolition of the walls, because by that time 900,000 rubles had already been spent on the construction of the cathedral. All left as is. Therefore, it is not surprising that twice (in 1846 and 1863) when the main dome of the temple was brought down, the main part of the building collapsed. Moreover, the construction plan, drawn up in 1847 by the architect Konstantin Andreevich Ton (the author of the project for the Cathedral of Christ the Savior), also collapsed. And only in 1900 the cathedral was built, however, so far only “roughly” - according to the project of the architect Yashchenko, finalized in 1891, approved by the highest in 1893. In the summer of 1904, the wooden and artistic work was completed, and a marble iconostasis was installed. But due to the fact that Nicholas II did not come to the consecration of the cathedral, only the Church of the Intercession was opened. For services, the Holy Ascension Military Cathedral was opened only on May 6, 1905. And, as it turned out, not for long

.

Soon the time of unrest and revolution came, and the temple was closed. In the dashing 1930s, gilded copper sheets were removed from the domes, turning the cathedral into a storehouse for fuels and lubricants. During the German occupation (in August 1942) the temple was opened for worship. And after the end of World War II, grain, flour, beer malt, sugar and other food were stored in the spacious basement of the temple. But services were occasionally held in the upper church. The year 1953 became a saving grace for the gradually collapsing building of the Holy Ascension Cathedral. After the death of Stalin, the temple came to the attention of historians. Repair work, both internal and facade, began here. In 1974, the building was awarded the title of an architectural monument of local importance, and in 1995 - federal. Large-scale restoration has been ongoing since 2001 to this day. But one way or another, after almost a century, the cathedral is reopened for worship, services and visits. Everyone can come here, feel the beauty and scale of this unique temple, whose fate was as difficult as the fate of our country at the turn of the era.