The Golden Gate (1164) is a rare monument of Russian military architecture during the rise of the Vladimir principality under Andrei Bogolyubsky and the growth of the capital city of Vladimir. The Golden Gate was included in the western line of the city ramparts, built in 1158-1164 by the princely town-makers. The ramparts adjoining from the sides to the array of gates were scattered in the 18th century for making detours; round pseudo-Gothic towers with extensions between them appeared at the corners of the gates; the arch of the gates and the church above it were then moved.
However, even now the original forms and grandeur of the architecture of the Golden Gate are clearly felt. The basis of the building is a huge white-stone quadrangle with deep niches on the side walls, which strengthened the adhesion of the building to the embankment of the ramparts (the remainder of the rampart was preserved to the south of the Golden Gate - Kozlov Val). The opening of the gate is unusually high (the level of the ground during its construction was lower than the modern one by 1.5-1.7 m). Its arch is supported by arches supported by flat shoulder blades. The high passage height, which weakened the defenses of the structure, testifies to the architects' intention to combine in one building the functions of the solemn triumphal arch, which led to the main street of Vladimir, and the city's defense center.
At half the height of the passage, an arched lintel was made, to which heavy oak gates adjoined (huge forged hinges and a bolt nest were preserved). They were bound with gilded copper, therefore the whole structure was named the Golden Gate. At the level of the lintel, powerful beams of the defensive flooring were laid in large square nests, from which the soldiers could fire at the enemy with bows, pour var, and lower stones. One got to the flooring by a stone staircase in the thickness of the southern wall through an arched exit, visible in the span of the gate. Above, the staircase went to the upper fighting platform with a small Church of the Robe, enclosed by the battlements of the parapet. The white-stone Silver Gate, similar to the Golden ones, stood at the opposite eastern end of the fortress. They marked the main axis of the city ensemble - the longitudinal street. The other seven gates-towers of the city were wooden.
10 facts about the Golden Gate in Vladimir
1. The Golden Gate was built by princely craftsmen in 1164, during the reign of Andrey Bogolyubsky. This is evidenced by a special princely sign, which the builders left on one of the white stone blocks.
2 fact The Golden Gate is one of the seven entrance gates to the city and the only one that has survived to this day.
3. The appearance of the Golden Gate differs significantly from the original one. This was facilitated by frequent fires, raids by enemies and civil strife. From the ancient building, only the passage arch, powerful side pylons and part of the battle platform above them remained. Everything else was repaired, rebuilt and changed many times. The vaults and the gateway Church of the Rizopozhenskaya were rebuilt, side elements were added, which were not originally there.
4. Now there is a museum in the church above the Golden Gate. A military historical exposition (weapons and military equipment of different times) is presented. And a diorama telling about the defense of Vladimir during the attack of the troops of Khan Batu in 1238.
5. One of the best specialists in ancient Russian architecture, Vladimir archaeologist Nikolai Nikolayevich Voronin believed that the architecture of the Golden Gate in Vladimir is unique for medieval Europe. For the West, only tower structures were characteristic, performing purely defensive functions. Vladimir's Golden Gate was built not only for protective purposes, they served as the main front entrance to the city, and also had a religious purpose - the Church of the Deposition of the Robe was active.
6. The ramparts on both sides of the Golden Gate, according to one of the legends, were torn down in 1767 by order of Empress Catherine II. Her carriage got stuck in a huge puddle under the archway at the entrance to the city. Then the detours of the golden gate were organized. But without the ramparts, the gates began to collapse, so side fortifications were soon built.
7. In the 19th century, they wanted to make the Golden Gate a catchment-distributor. Fortunately, this idea was not implemented, and for these needs a water tower was built, in which there is now a museum and an observation deck.
8. One of the legends says that during the construction the vault of the Golden Gate partially collapsed, burying 12 people under it. No one had any doubts that people had died. Andrey Bogolyubsky ordered to bring Miraculous icon and began to pray to the Mother of God, asking for the salvation of the workers. As a result, the people remained alive under the rubble, and the prince ordered to build on the gate a small church of the Position of the Robe of the Virgin.
9. After the incident with the collapse of the vault, Andrei Bogolyubsky replaced the brigade of craftsmen - Italian builders were completing the work, who later erected the Dmitrievsky and Assumption Cathedrals, the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl and the prince's residence.
10. In February 1238, the troops of Khan Batu did not manage to get into the city through the front Golden Gate - they perfectly withstood the onslaught of the invaders. Nevertheless, the city was taken - the Tatar-Mongols penetrated there through a gap in the wooden wall of the fortress. The oak gate, faced with gilded copper, has not yet been found. During the export to the Horde, they sank in the Klyazma.
Many tourists are interested in the origin of the name of the attraction. The researchers adhere to the version that the gate was named so because the Annunciation Church was built over it. The dome of the church was covered with gold, hence the corresponding definition. By the way, the construction of the temple was not small: the height reached 12 meters, and the width - almost 7. However, this is not the only assumption. Some historians refer to Constantinople: there was also the Golden Gate there, and by analogy Yaroslav the Wise gave the name to the Kiev building.
Reliable defense and main route to Kiev
The Golden Gate served more than just a protective function. Also through them it was possible to get into the city, as they say, through the "front door". In this regard, the view at the gate was appropriate: an impressive battle tower, consisting of two tiers, solid brickwork, an arched facade and niches. The gate held back many enemy attacks, but in 1240 the horde of Khan Batu destroyed them.
Further fate and primary reconstruction of the monument
After the Mongol invasion, the gates were no longer used, and in the 18th century they generally had to be covered with earth, as there was a threat of their complete disappearance due to the war with the Turks. On the site of the former Golden Gate, the architect Debosket began building new ones. In the 19th century, the monument attracted interest as a historical exhibit, and the authorities issued permission to begin excavations. In 1832, the remains of the walls reappeared from almost nothing, and Vincent Beretti immediately took up their restoration. For this purpose, the walls were reinforced with screeds and brickwork was made.
Golden Gate shines over Kiev again
1970 was the year of the revival of the legendary building. At that time, the place around the gate was put in order, and the best architects of Kiev got down to business. Experts studied all the historical information and drawings, prepared sketches. By the 1500th anniversary of Kiev, the Golden Gate appeared to the residents and guests of the capital in its original form - with an iron lifting lattice and swing doors.
Elements of the ancient gate are located in the interior of the pavilion. Other museum exhibits are also located here - tools with the help of which reconstruction and construction works... The museum hosts excursions, exhibitions, and excellent acoustics allows concerts and thematic presentations.
The exit from the Golden Gate metro station will take you directly to the monument.
The city of Vladimir, which was founded in 990, has a large number of attractions that have survived from medieval times. One of the most important is considered the Golden Gate, built in the middle of the 12th century and partially preserved to this day.
History of the Golden Gate in Vladimir
This gate is known as a monument of ancient Russian architecture, which is located in the city of Vladimir. They are also considered a monument World heritage UNESCO. The year of their construction is 1164th. This is the time of the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky, Initially they were used as a defensive structure. The gate was the main entrance to the very rich boyar and princely part of the city.
Presumably, the Golden Gate in Vladimir was created by princely craftsmen. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that on one of the white stone blocks used in the construction there is a princely sign. The gate was laid in 1158, and its construction was completed at the end of April 1164, when the Church of the Robe was consecrated above the gate. During the reign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, the city was surrounded by a rampart, and there were six more gates, these are Torgovye, Ivanovskie, Copper, Orinins, Volzhsky and Silver. However, until our time, only the Golden ones remained intact.
Golden Gate in the city of Vladimir
It says that the prince ordered to cover the top of the gate with gilded copper sheets, which sparkled brightly in sunny weather. Built embankments adjoined the gates from the south and north, next to which there were deep ditches on the outside. A retractable bridge was built across the moat that led outside the city.
The height of the arched span was 14 meters, there were massive gates made of oak planks. They were attached to strong forged hinges and joined to the lintel located on the arch. This lintel also served as the basis for a wooden flooring, which was an additional defensive battle area. Until now, only the holes in the walls have survived, where the beams for the flooring were attached.
The entrance to the platform itself was made in the southern wall, inside which a staircase of stone was built, it led to another flooring, located above. The latter had scalloped tops that served as loopholes.
White stone church
The Golden Gate in Vladimir in the center of the upper tier site has a square church built of white stone, which was erected in the name of the Position of the Robe of the Mother of God. Most likely, the church was a square building of the four-pillar type with three altar apses. The building had three arched portals and a cylindrical structure with a pommel. The middle of the church facade was decorated with a decorative stucco belt.
The building has come down to this day with major reconstructions and alterations. The original parts of the building include a wide passable arch and massive side pylons, as well as a battle platform located above them, but fragmentary preserved. The building itself was made using half-boulder masonry, which was widespread in the Vladimir-Suzdal architecture of that time. The church was very similar to the temples built during the reign of Yuri Dolgoruky.
Restoration of the Golden Gate
Numerous invasions of enemy troops and severe fires significantly changed the image of the Golden Gate in Vladimir. According to a number of sources, the restoration of the church built over the gate was carried out in 1469 under the leadership of the wealthy merchant Ermolin, who was also an architect. In 1641, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich issued a decree, according to which the architect A. Konstantinov made an estimate for the restoration of the Golden Gate, but all restoration work began only in the last quarter of the 17th century.
In 1778, during a severe fire, the gate was significantly damaged. A few years later, in connection with the general urban redevelopment, the embankments adjoining the walls at the gates were removed, ensuring free passage past them. Because of this, the gate supports weakened, and it became necessary to reconstruct the ancient building. In 1795, the project of the architect Chistyakov was approved, according to which buttresses were attached to the corners of the pylons and enclosed in rounded towers. At the same time, the vaults of the gates are being rebuilt using old stone, and a new brick church is being erected.
Museum "Golden Gate" in Vladimir
The famous Vladimir Gates are an integral part of the Vladimir-Suzdalsky Museum-Reserve. It includes 56 architectural monuments of the XII-XVII centuries. The church, located at the top of the gate, houses a military-historical exposition. The main thing in it is the diorama, which shows the events of 1238, when the horde of Khan Batu attacked the city of Vladimir. The opening hours of the Golden Gate in Vladimir can be clarified on the official website of the museum, as restoration work is currently underway there.
And also in the museum are widely presented combat equipment of warriors, weapons belonging to different periods. Here you can see: arrowheads and spearheads dating from the 13th century, chain mail of the Russian squad, berdysh, a trophy crossbow of the Polish army of the early 12th century, flintlocks that were used during the time of Catherine II. And also a blunderbuss and a metal cuirass, dating back to the period of the Patriotic War of 1812. The museum displays portraits and documents of the Heroes of the Soviet Union, who were originally from Vladimir.
Hotel at the Golden Gate. Vladimir
A cozy small hotel was built not far from the gates. It takes about three minutes to go to them. It offers visitors round-the-clock registration, comfortable rooms and free parking near the hotel. Other city attractions are also nearby.
You can book a hotel room near the Golden Gate in Vladimir by phone or through a large number of sites that provide this service. Numerous reviews of vacationers indicate that this hotel has the best combination of price, quality and availability of the main attractions of the city of Vladimir.
Once in Vladimir, you should definitely look at the Golden Gate, which is one of the architectural gems and a monument to ancient Russian architecture. The beauty and history of this beautiful structure will not leave anyone indifferent.
Vladimirskie Novosti writes again about old Vladimir and its sights. Today we will talk about the monument of ancient Russian architecture, built in 1164 under the Vladimir prince Andrei Bogolyubsky - the Golden Gate. They were used as a defensive structure and a triumphal arch, decorated the front entrance to the richest princely boyar part of the city.
Andrey Bogolyubsky in 1158 surrounded the city with a rampart, and in 1164 he built five entrance gates. Only the Golden Gates have survived to this day, and there were also Copper, Irinin, Silver and Volga gates - they made up a single complex of defensive fortifications of the city of Vladimir. The oak gates of the gates, which are now missing, were bound with sheets of gilded copper, shining brightly in the sun, so the gates and were called Gold. The gate was built by Vladimir architects. This is evidenced by two princely signs carved on one of the stones in the southern niche of the Golden Gate.
According to legend, in 1238 the Mongol-Tatars regiment approached Vladimir. The townspeople prepared for the defense and hid all the valuable relics in case the enemy did break through. The idea was a success: the gilded doors of the Golden Gate have not been found to this day and are officially included in the UNESCO registers as lost masterpieces. In the 1970s, the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union received an unexpected proposal from Tokyo. The Japanese corporation promised to clear the bottom of the Klyazma River and even expand its channel. As payment, the Japanese wanted to take everything that they would find at the bottom of the Klyazma. This proposal was never accepted by the Soviet authorities.
Initial view of the Golden Gate (Diorama) Photo: www.ruskiezemli.ru
Through them, the princely squads, returning from the battlefield, rode into Vladimir.
The ramparts on both sides of the Golden Gate, according to one legend, were torn down in 1767 by order of Empress Catherine II.
Her carriage got stuck in a huge puddle under the archway at the entrance to the city. Then detours of the Golden Gate were organized. But without the ramparts, the gates began to collapse, so side fortifications were soon built.
The project of adapting the church above the Golden Gate for the reservoir of the city water supply. Source rozamira.ucoz.ru
In 1864, during the construction of the city water supply, the Water Supply Commission suggested using a gate church for the reservoir. On July 2, 1864, workers were injured during the construction of the first water supply system in Vladimir. As a result, the city water supply commission refused to set up the main reservoir for the water supply at the Golden Gate. Instead, they decided to build a water tower on Kozlovy Val.
1893-1897 years. It is worth paying attention to the stars on the towers. VSMZ archive. Author Korenev Vasily Ivanovich.
Immediately after the revolution, a church at the very top of the Golden Gate began to be adapted for housing. For some time, the chief firefighter lived in it, and in the round towers his family hung clothes to dry. They did not live there for a long time, because more than a hundred steep steps led to this "house", and there was no heating. The Semiz family did not take root in the church either, with the onset of cold weather in the fall of 1943, they left for Myshkin, where their father returned from the camp.
Bolshaya Moskovskaya Street. 1910s. Author F.F. Vershetsky. VSMZ archive. On the right is the Nikolo-Zlatovrat church, demolished in 1930.
In 1948-1956, the building was renovated, but the work was carried out by the Vladimir restoration workshops without a preliminary scientific examination of the building, without measurement drawings and research of the strength of the structures.
In 1947, the gateway church and gallery were freed from the archives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the northern extension was freed from tenants. In 1948-49, a wooden staircase was dismantled in the southern middle extension. At the same time, an overhead trolleybus network was installed based on the Golden Gate. The office was called "Oblproekt".
In 1953, the Chapter, cross, balls and stars were gilded with gold leaf. The works of these years did not affect the ancient white-stone parts of the monument and consisted of repairing roofing, plastering walls, replacing floors, window and door frames.
Hope Meerson Archive. Early 1950s.
In 1953, the trolleybus route No. 2 "Vladimirsky Tractor Plant - Golden Gate" was opened. Around 1957, the gate was exhibition hall Vladimir Regional Museum of Local Lore. In 1955-1956, there were serious repair and restoration work. As a result, the monument acquired a neat appearance, but the inner ancient parts were never affected. The author of the project and the leader of these works is A.V. Stoletov.
The measurements of the Golden Gate were carried out in 1962, and the heat came only 2 years later. Before that, they were heated by two stoves, but in winter the temperature was quite low.
It was to the heating main that the Golden Gate was connected in 1971.
In 1977, the regional leadership repeated long-standing attempts to restore the gates, but such a reconstruction was impossible.
St. Noble. Stop "Golden Gate" 1977. Photo: photobook33.ru. It is worth paying attention to the fact that by car it was possible to turn onto st. Gogol.
On August 20, 1983, on the occasion of the City Day celebrations, a capsule with a message to the residents of Vladimir of the XXI century was inserted into the niche of one of the corner towers.
A holiday at the Golden Gate, not a centimeter of empty space on Kozlovy Val. 1986 year. Author Galina Belorusova.
On Easter, April 18, 1993, a religious procession was made from the Golden Gate to the Assumption cathedral, in which the President of Russia Boris Yeltsin took part.
Significant repair and restoration work took place in 2001, when the old plaster was cleaned for the first time and the opportunity to observe the brickwork appeared.
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Now there is a museum in the church above the Golden Gate. A military historical exposition (weapons and military equipment of different times) is presented. And a diorama telling about the defense of Vladimir during the attack of the troops of Khan Batu in 1238.
Complain
1. Creators of the "Golden Gate"
The construction of such a huge structure took only 4 years! Joseph Strousse - project developer, famous architect Irving Morrow was his consultant, and Charles Alton Ellis did all the math. But the latter's name was not entered on the bridge builders' plaque, as he had a bad relationship with Strous. Such is the injustice!
2. Where does the name come from?
The poetic name of the bridge has its own background. The military surveyor John Fremont in 1846 noticed the similarity of the Pacific Bay with the Golden Horn in the capital of Turkey - Istanbul.
3. The complexity of the design
The construction of such a structure required a lot of effort. Just imagine what kind of load had to be placed on a 1970 meter long bridge with a support height of 230 meters above the water and weighing almost a million tons! It had to withstand a Pacific current of 185 kilometers per hour and gusts of wind, causing the bridge to vibrate up to 9 meters.
4. Opening day
On the first day of opening at 6 am on May 27, 1937, the bridge was accessible only to pedestrians. But the very next day the first cars drove to it. On its fiftieth anniversary, the Golden Gate was visited by 300,000 people. Until 1964, it was considered the largest suspension bridge in the world!
5. Why is the bridge so popular?
The Golden Gate Bridge is popular for several reasons. First, its bright red color makes it easily recognizable. Secondly, he is depicted on the emblem of the NBA basketball club Golden State Warriors and Cisco Systems. And thirdly, the picturesque landscape of the vicinity of the Golden Gate flashed in many films, in particular - "X-Men: The Last Stand" and "View to kill "- one of the parts of Bondiana.
6. But there is also a bad reputation
The number of suicides committed on it brought bad publicity to this bridge. According to statistics, every two weeks someone's life ends on it.
