The ancient church occupies a special place among the cathedrals and temples of Uglich. It stands on the territory of the Kremlin and has the status of the cathedral of the local diocese. Tourists come to the Transfiguration Cathedral to admire the beautiful architecture and see the picturesque frescoes that were executed by local artists in the style of Italian Renaissance and Baroque painters.
Temple history
The first church on the banks of the Volga was built in the second half of the 15th century simultaneously with the prince's palace. This happened when the Uglich lands were ruled by the appanage prince Andrei Vasilyevich Bolshoi, nicknamed Goryay. Although the temple was made of wood, it stood for over 220 years.
View of the Transfiguration Cathedral from the opposite side of the Volga
In the 1710s, the serfs of Prince Golitsyn, under the leadership of the architect Grigory Fedorov, erected a new stone cathedral. Nothing is known about the first paintings, but information has been preserved that in 1813 the walls of the temple were painted again by a team of craftsmen under the leadership of the serf iconographer Timofei Medvedev.
In the 19th century, the building was overhauled. The south portico, porch and Pokhvalsky side-chapel were decorated in a classical style.
View of the Transfiguration Cathedral from the observation deck at the Volzhskaya Riviera hotel
In 1929, the old church was closed and transferred to the Uglich Museum. Since the 1990s, divine services have been held here. Now church services in the cathedral are held regularly - on Sundays and holidays.
Architectural features
View of the Transfiguration Cathedral from the Volzhskaya Riviera Hotel
A small five-domed temple is a real find of local craftsmen and a noticeable decoration of the "Golden Ring" of Russia. The ancient cathedral is made in the best traditions of the Yaroslavl architecture of the 17th century and the "Naryshkin" baroque; it is distinguished by its monumentality and simple forms. The laconic cubic volume is completed by a decorative five-dome. The facades are decorated with a lush white-stone portal, thin semi-columns, balusters and trims with figured sandrikas.
The central dome has no supporting columns, so the interior of the cathedral is unusual. The spacious hall measures 14 by 14 m and has a height of 17 m. It seems that a light overlap without intermediate supports is floating in the air.
View of the Transfiguration Cathedral from the Church of Tsarevich Dimitri on Blood
A portico is brought out to the southern facade, attached with an exit to the city and decorated in the style of classicism. From the south of the cathedral there is a 37 m high bell tower, built in 1730. The first movement was installed on it in the 19th century, and in the 1980s it was replaced with a new one. A steep staircase leads to the bell tower, and a wonderful view of the city opens up from above.
Inside the temple, a huge six-tiered iconostasis from 1860 attracts attention. It contains icons of the 17th-19th centuries, which were created by local iconographers. Older icons are located on the lower tiers of the iconostasis.
Entrance to the Transfiguration Cathedral
Murals
The main attraction of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral is the paintings of the early 19th century, which are executed in an academic manner. The compositions on flat walls are arranged in four tiers and are dedicated to the most famous parables from the Gospel. Each of the 59 scenes has a frame and resembles a separate painting.
The frescoes are made with glue paints. The artists had a high level of skill, so the paintings look bright and expressive. The main plot "Transfiguration" copies a painting by Raphael, the original of which is kept in Vatican.
Painting in the Transfiguration Cathedral
Useful information for tourists
The Transfiguration Cathedral is a functioning Orthodox church and museum. Inside you can see a collection of ancient Russian paintings. A single ticket for adults costs 70 rubles, and for students - 65 rubles. A single ticket to inspect the entire Kremlin and the cathedral is 450 rubles for adults, 400 rubles for students, and 350 rubles for schoolchildren (2021).
How to get there
Domes of the Transfiguration Cathedral
The temple stands on the territory of the Kremlin, a five-minute walk from the Uglich bus station. Tourists who come by train get to the cathedral by taxi or city buses.
Information sources
- Sobors.ru, Uglich. Transfiguration Cathedral
- Wikipedia, Transfiguration Cathedral (Uglich)
- Official site of the city of Uglich, Transfiguration Cathedral
- Parish.ru, Transfiguration Cathedral
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