In the center of Simferopol defeated Victory Square, it is set on a pedestal T-34 - a monument to soldiers who fell for the liberation of Simferopol in April 1944. Until recently, few people knew that on the site of the park early in the century towered main cathedral of the city in the name of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky .
history of this temple is interesting and tragic. He became one of the first monumental buildings of the new town of the province. Catherine the Great during his visit to Simferopol, expressed the idea of erecting a cathedral, but its construction did not begin for a long time because of the death of GA Potemkin (1791), and then Catherine the Great (1796 g).
In 1804, Archpriest Nikita Peter and the priest Cyril Zabuzhenko appealed to the Tauride governor of the Dead with a request to begin construction of the temple. The provincial architect Karasev drafted a future cathedral. He was the St. Petersburg architect L. Rusca. For the construction of a new church chose a site on the shore Salgir, in Alexander's redoubt, which he built during the war Generalissimo Prince Suvorov Italica Count Rymniksky (currently on this site is the hotel "Ukraine"). In May 1810 took place the consecration of the future construction and laying of the temple.
Governor AM Borozdin signed a contract to build a cathedral with the French, P. Nikolov, I. Ferri, B. Lapi. They were not only build a temple, but also to repair Suvorovsky redoubt. At the same time make an order in St. Petersburg iconic shop K. Benediktov. Total for 2 months was written 30 icons, among them the image of Christ the Savior, Mother of God, the Holy Apostle Andrew the First Resurrection, the Holy Archangels Gabriel and Michael. All the icons were sent to Simferopol.
But the construction of the cathedral is progressing very slowly due to lack of funds. In 1812 the Patriotic War, which demanded that Russia all forces, including the material. Construction of the temple temporarily stopped going to complete it after the war. But those plans went awry, in the spring of 1813 swept over the city a big storm, the wind tore the roof of the cathedral, dispelled the sand. The rest of the building material purchased by simply pilfered. The temple has remained unfinished, and gradually began to deteriorate.
In 1816 by order of Emperor Alexander I was a commission to investigate. After seeing the temple, committee members concluded that the building was necessary to analyze because of the deep cracks in its walls. The provincial architect of the city of Poltava M, Paradis recommended for the construction of the cathedral to find a more suitable place, away from the steep banks of Salgir. There is a tradition that the place of the future built himself indicated, Alexander I, supposed to build a new cathedral on the spacious square in front of Suvorov redoubt, in terms of architecture, the cathedral, located in downtown, was supposed to tie in the whole entire future construction. A new project developed in the construction committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of St. Petersburg. Its author was the renowned architect, Titular Counselor II Charlemagne.
new temple was laid on March 12, 1823. In the Peter and Paul Church served the Divine Liturgy, after a favorite place of the temple carried the procession and consecrated Bishop Job location stroitelstva.Novy cathedral was built from local quarry stone, which were brought from the neighboring villages of Tatars.
Ekaterinoslavskaya spiritual consistory decided to abolish the ramshackle Peter and Paul Cathedral, a church utensils, sacristy, the bell moved to the new.
In 1844-1845 years in support of parishioners were arranged two chapel: in the name of Holy Righteous Anna, and in honor of the Protection of the Mother of God, and two new iconostasis. The new iconostasis, made in 1847, Panteleimon Bocherovym Ivanovich, was in the cathedral until 1864, then was transferred to the memory of the Simferopol prison church worship chains of St. Peter the Apostle.
city grew steadily, the population increased. In 1860, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the cathedral began. Require a partial adjustment that he and all the parishioners. In 1864, expanded the sanctuary, so we had to order a new iconostasis larger. Total iconostasis decorated with 25 icons and one large icon "The Last Supper", painted on the ceiling. August 30, 1864 he was consecrated bishop by Alex.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral repeatedly expanded and rebuilt. In 1869 there were built three altars and arranged gallery on the west facade. In 1881, work began on the lengthening of the cathedral. Upon completion of construction works, and the cathedral appeared in all of its updated glory.
The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral were sacred and historical relics: presented to Catherine II the golden chalice, monstrance, lzhitsa, two copy, Gospel Tabernacle, a vessel for the water bucket, a censer, two saucers, Zvezditsa, on the throne, was kept a copy of the miraculous image Theotokos Kasperovskoy, the highest charter of Emperor Alexander II (in which he thanked the residents Tauride province for services rendered to the Motherland during the Crimean War of 1853-1856), a large altar gospel.
By Alexander Nevsky Cathedral were attributed to the Greek church in the name of the Holy Trinity, St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, the Chapel of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky in the marketplace, the chapel at a military cemetery, built over the graves of the defenders of Sebastopol, died in Simferopol from his wounds.
Before the Revolution, his life was calm. Revolutionary storm has brought many changes in the life of a provincial town. For the Orthodox Church fell on hard times. Many temples Simferopol were closed and turned into warehouses, archives, clubs. In 1922, closed and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. For some time it was used as a repository for the church property seized in the temples and monasteries of Crimea, in 1929 the church tried to give "civil" form: removed the bell, knocked down the crosses. But the temple, standing in the center of the city, even closed, prevented the new government - his appearance, he recalled the days when life was more relaxed, when the faithful could attend his beloved cathedral.
In 1930 it was decided to demolish the cathedral. In September 1930, the patronal feast of the Exaltation of the honest and Holy Cross explosion was heard, and the once beautiful temple was left a heap of stones. They are gradually grew weak in the construction of other houses, and the place where formerly stood a majestic cathedral, smashing square.
In 1944 here in a mass grave were buried soldiers, Simferopol liberated from Nazi occupation. And over their grave is a monument - a tank. Later, the remains of soldiers reburied at the military cemetery. In 1994, June 22, the anniversary of the Great Patriotic War, Victory in the park found the cross and laid the first foundation stone of the chapel of St. George the Victorious.
Currently, the Orthodox Church and many residents want to restore Simferopol Alexander Nevsky Cathedral . Work has already begun on the creation of a unified spiritual and patriotic complex, which will include Dolgorukovskij obelisk rebuilt Cathedral of the Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky and a monument to soldiers killed during the Great Patriotic War. Each of these monuments symbolize a certain period in the history of the Crimea, and ACE together - the spiritual unity of the people.
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