Vladimirskie Novosti writes about old Vladimir and its sights again. 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.
Andrei 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 formed a single complex of defensive fortifications of the city of Vladimir. 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 so far 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, princely squads, returning from the battlefield, rode into Vladimir.
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 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 proposed 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 to them 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, a contact 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.
Archive of Hope Meerson. Early 1950s.
In 1953, the trolleybus route No. 2 “Vladimirsky Tractor Plant - Golden Gate” was opened. Around 1957, the gate was an exhibition hall of the 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 internal 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.
Celebration 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 took place from the Golden Gate to the Assumption Cathedral, in which Russian President 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
E that story deserves attention, because gold has not yet been found. Here's what I found out:
Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky, having declared Vladimir the capital of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, began to strengthen his capital city. In 1158 he surrounded the city with a rampart, and in 1164 he built five entrance gates.
Only the Golden Gate has survived to this day, serving as the front entrance to the richest princely boyar part of the city.
The oak doors of the gate, which are not there now, were bound with sheets of gilded copper, shining brightly in the sun, therefore the gate was called Golden. 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.
There is a legend that when the work was coming to an end and the scaffolding was dismantled, the arches of the gate suddenly collapsed and buried 12 people. None of the eyewitnesses doubted that people were crushed to death under the weight of stones, but Andrei Bogolyubsky ordered to bring the miraculous icon of the Mother of God and turned to the heavenly patroness with a prayer for the unfortunate. They cleared the blockage and found the people lying under it safe and sound. In honor of the miracle that happened, Andrei Bogolyubsky ordered to build a tiny white-stone chapel of the Position of the Robe of the Mother of God over the Golden Gate.
GOLDEN GATES PERFORMED A NUMBER OF FUNCTIONS
Firstly, they served as the main entrance to the city - through them the prince's squads, returning from the battlefield, rode into Vladimir. A white-stone triumphal arch, reaching a height of 14 meters, a grand passage tower and massive oak gates hanging on forged hinges, gave the structure a majestic appearance that corresponded to its purpose.
Secondly, the Golden Gate, along with the non-preserved Copper, Irinin, Silver and Volga gates, constituted a single complex of defensive fortifications of the city of Vladimir. The gates were adjacent to an arched lintel, on the top of which a wooden flooring was arranged, which served as a battle platform. From this site, the defenders of the city fired at the enemy. From the flooring, only large square nests have survived, intended for powerful wooden beams. The ascent to the site was carried out by a stone staircase, arranged in the thickness of the southern wall.
Among other things, the Golden Gate served as a decorative function, acting as a symbol of princely power and wealth. The graceful gate chapel crowning the gate blessed everyone who came to Vladimir in peace. In 1810, the Church of the Robe was completely rebuilt, and today the exposition of the military history museum is located within its walls.
In 1238, hordes of Mongol-Tatars, having devastated many Russian cities, 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 so far and are officially included in the UNESCO registers as masterpieces lost by mankind.
Photo: book33.ru SLEEPY JAPANESE
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.
For their work, the Japanese did not demand either Sakhalin or the Kuril Islands and did not even ask for money. As payment, they wanted to take everything that they would find at the bottom of the Klyazma.
This proposal was never accepted by the Soviet authorities, but it made us think about the question: "What values \u200b\u200bdid the Japanese want to find in the river in order to recoup their costs?"
Perhaps the Japanese were looking for gilded plates that once adorned the gates of the Golden Gate. Saving the precious doors from Khan Batu, the townspeople drowned them in the Klyazma.
Some researchers believe that this hypothesis is implausible, since enemy scouts were vigilantly watching the city and its environs, so the inhabitants did not have time to take out the gold from Vladimir or drown it in the waters of the Klyazma. According to an alternative version, the relic is hidden in one of the city walls or rests in an underground cache under the foundation. One way or another, the location of the gilded plates still remains a mystery.
The Golden Gate in Vladimir can be called almost the main attraction of the city. The Golden Gate is a unique monument of Russian architecture, a symbol of the greatness and power of North-Eastern Russia. The Golden Gate in Vladimir was built in 1164; unfortunately, it has not been completely preserved to this day.
The Golden Gate in Vladimir was built during the reign of Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky. The gate was part of the city's defensive fortifications. They also served as a triumphal arch. It was through these gates that honored guests came to the city of Vladimir, it was through the Golden Gate that Andrei Bogolyubsky solemnly returned after military successes.
Inside, the arch of the Golden Gate was closed by heavy oak doors, trimmed with gilded copper (hence the name of the gate - Golden). The Golden Gate was the main entrance to the noble part of the city, where princes and boyars settled mainly. The Golden Gate was built by local craftsmen. This assumption is based on the fact that a princely sign was left on one of the stone blocks of the gate. The Golden Gates were built by builders in semi-household masonry. This technique of building stone products was widespread in the cities of North-Eastern Russia. This fact is another reason to assume that they were built by Russian masters. The Golden Gate was not the only gateway to the city. In the massive walls the Copper Gates, Irinins, Serebryany and Volzhsky were "cut down". Unfortunately, these buildings have not survived to this day.
In 1238, during the Tatars' raid on Vladimir, the Golden Gate was seriously damaged. In the 17th century, during the Time of Troubles, the gate again had a difficult time. In 1778, there was a big fire in Vladimir, during which the Golden Gate was also damaged.
In 1785, the Golden Gate in Vladimir underwent a major restoration. These were the years of the reign of Catherine II. The Empress, together with her officials, worked out plans for the development of cities. So in the development plan of Vladimir, there was an instruction to tear down the ramparts that adjoin the Golden Gate, and to arrange a road in their place. The support structures of the Golden Gate were weakened during the stripping of the shafts. The question arose about the next reconstruction. So, in 1795 the architect Chistyakov developed a project for the reconstruction of the Golden Gate. Now, buttresses were attached to the corners of the pylons, which were “driven” into round towers. The vaults of the Golden Gate were also reconstructed, and a new brick church was built on the vaults themselves. 
Since then, the view of the Golden Gate in Vladimir has not changed. Back in the early 19th century, officials and architects tried to develop a project to restore the Golden Gate in its original form. However, this did not lead to anything.
What else is the Golden Gate so unique and famous for? Similar buildings existed in different years in large Orthodox cities - Jerusalem, Kiev and Constantinople. And to this day, only the Vladimir Golden Gate has survived.
HGIOLGolden Gate - a monument of ancient Russian architecture, located in the city of Vladimir. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in 1164 under the Vladimir prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. The Golden Gate was used as a defensive structure and as a triumphal arch. They decorated the front entrance to the richest princely boyar part of the city.
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Most likely, the Golden Gate was built by princely craftsmen. This, in particular, is evidenced by the princely sign left by the builder on one of the white stone blocks. The building was built using the half-foot masonry technique, which was widespread in the Vladimir-Suzdal architecture. The strict proportions of the passable arch, covered with a powerful semicircular vault, and the special grace of the small church at the top gave the building a majestic character, well suited to its purpose. The date of the laying of the gate dates back to 1158, the end of construction was on April 26, 1164, when the Gate Church of the Robe was consecrated.
During the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky, the city was girded with an extended rampart and had seven entrance gates (except for the Golden ones, these are Copper, Irinins or Orinins, Silver, Ivanovsky, Torgovye and Volzhsky). Only the Golden Gate has survived to this day.
It was the most front gate of the city in the XII-XIII centuries. The Ipatiev Chronicle reports that the prince "uchini" them with gold, meaning that they were covered with sheets of gilded copper, which shone brightly in the sun and amazed the imagination of contemporaries. Close to the gate from the north and south were embankments with deep ditches on the outside. A bridge passed through the moats from the gate leading out of the city. The arch was 14 meters high. Massive oak gates, hanging on forged hinges, adjoined the arched lintel, which is preserved to this day. On top of this bulkhead, a wooden flooring was arranged, which served as an additional combat platform. Only the slots for the beams in the masonry of the walls have survived from the flooring. The entrance to the site was carried out through a doorway in the southern wall, in the thickness of which a stone staircase with a creeping corrugated vault passed. On the same level, on the opposite side of the stairs, there was an exit to the southern line of the earth embankments. From the north to the ramparts there was a passage directly from the platform through a door in the wall. The staircase in the southern wall led further to the upper battle area, which had battlements in the form of loopholes. In the center of this site, a white-stone gateway church of the Position of the Robe of the Mother of God was erected. Most likely, it was a rather slender temple of the type already familiar from the buildings of Yuri Dolgoruky: square in plan, four pillars with three altar apses with inner and outer shoulder blades on the walls, three arched portals, a cylindrical drum and a modest decoration in the form of a decorative belt running in the middle of the height facade.
The gate has survived with major restructuring. The ancient parts of this structure include a wide passable arch with powerful side pylons and a battle platform above them, which has come down fragmentarily.
Frequent devastating fires and invasions of enemies significantly distorted the appearance of the Golden Gate. According to written sources, the renovation of the gate church was carried out in 1469 under the direction of the architect and sculptor V.D. Ermolin. In 1641, by order of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, the Moscow architect Antipa Konstantinov made an estimate for the repair of the gates, but restoration work was started only at the end of the 17th century.
Golden Gate Museum
The Golden Gate is run by the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve. A military-historical exposition is located in the gate church. The central place in the exposition is occupied by a diorama conveying the dramatic events of February 1238: the defense of Vladimir during the assault by the troops of Khan Batu (author - People's Artist of the RSFSR Efim Deshalyt, 1972).
The exposition presents weapons and military equipment from different periods: battle bolts of a throwing machine, arrowheads and spearheads of the 13th century, chain mail, a berdysh, a captured Polish crossbow of the early 17th century, flintlock guns of the Catherine's era, a steel cuirass and a blunderbuss from the period of the Patriotic War of 1812, a rifle, uniform, banners and awards of the late 19th century, captured Turkish weapons.
The exposition continues on the former battle ground, which was turned into a closed gallery-porch at the beginning of the 19th century. Here is the "Gallery of Heroes of Vladimir": portraits, memorial things, documents, photographs of 160 Heroes of the Soviet Union - participants in the Great Patriotic War and heroes of peace. The exposition presents samples of small arms created by designers-gunsmiths from the city of Kovrov: Vasily Degtyarev, Sergey Simonov, Georgy Shpagin and others. An unusual showcase was made up of the things of cosmonaut Valery Kubasov.
Other information
- According to some researchers, in particular, Nikolai Voronin, the Vladimir Golden Gate had no analogues in medieval Europe; the architecture of the European Middle Ages knew only purely fortress tower structures, while the Golden Gate in Vladimir, in addition to defensive functions, played the role of a ceremonial entrance to the city and served directly for religious purposes - there was a functioning Church of the Robe.
- According to one of the legends, in June 1767, the carriage of Empress Catherine II, when she passed through Vladimir to Nizhny Novgorod, at the entrance to Vladimir, got stuck in the arch of the gate in a large puddle. By order of the Empress, the ramparts were partially torn down (dismantled) on both sides of the Golden Gate, and driveways were arranged to bypass the gate. The left shaft was subsequently torn off completely. Its remains can be seen behind the building of the Pedagogical Institute near the Golden Gate.
- In the middle of the 19th century, in connection with the laying of a water supply system in Vladimir, the then inactive Golden Gate was supposed to be adapted for a water collector-distributor, but the project was not destined to come true. For these needs, a special building of a water tower was built near the gate, which now houses a museum and an observation deck.
- During the construction of the Golden Gate, a partial collapse of the vault occurred, fortunately, there were no casualties. Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky ordered a thanksgiving service on this occasion and replaced the construction team. According to legend, they were Italian masters who came from the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire
The Golden Gate in the center of Vladimir - the main entrance to the princely part of the ancient city - was built in the middle of the 12th century. They are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and are one of the main attractions of the city.
Story
Active construction in Vladimir fell on the reign Andrey Bogolyubsky... Andrey Bogolyubsky, even after capturing Kiev, preferred to have a capital in the north. And not in the rich Suzdal, which had its own traditions - no, the prince chose a small Vladimir to build the capital here anew. It was near Vladimir in the village of Bogolyubovo that he created a residence for himself, but construction began in the city itself. The craftsmen who built Bogolyubovo, the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir and the ceremonial Golden Gate belonged to different peoples. According to one of the lost chronicles, several masters were sent to Prince Andrew by the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Frederick Barbarossa... Indeed, in all their works, the traditions of not only Russian, but also Western European architecture can be traced.
In the middle of the 12th century, Vladimir was surrounded by ramparts with wooden walls and a moat. There were seven entrances to the city. The Golden Gate, built in 1164, became the grand princely entrance to the new capital. They really were "golden": their doors were covered with polished and gilded copper and shone brightly in the sun. The gate was not only beautiful, but also truly functional and was an excellent defensive structure. The doors themselves were made of heavy oak, a bridge led to the gate across the moat, and a battle platform was arranged above them, from which it was possible to go to the ramparts. Above is another platform, with a scalloped top and loopholes. On this upper platform, a small church of the Position of the Robe of the Mother of God was built and consecrated. The arch of the gate itself, 14 meters high and the platform above it, have survived to this day practically unchanged, the rest was rebuilt.
By the middle of the 15th century, the gate was dilapidated. They were restored by a famous architect, merchant Vasily Ermolin... It was he who during these years was also involved in the restructuring of the white-stone Moscow Kremlin, renovation of the cathedrals of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, as well as the reconstruction of the famous St. George Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky.
Golden Gate in the XVIII-XX centuries
In the middle of the 18th century, under Catherine II, provincial cities began to be rebuilt: dilapidated wooden and stone kremlin were dismantled, regular plans for urban development were adopted, and special provincial architects were hired for this. In Vladimir, according to the new development plan, there were the city walls were torn down - they lost their strategic importance and now only interfered with the passage. When the ramparts were torn down, the Golden Gate was also threatened. The shafts supported the structure and gave it stability.
The Golden Gate owes its modern appearance to the then restructuring. In 1795, round turrets appeared on the sides of the building, which hid the reinforcing buttresses attached to the building. The author of the project was the provincial architect Ivan Chistyakov... He created not only the project of the Golden Gate, but the entire ensemble of the city square and tried to make all buildings look in a single complex and "rhyme". It was planned to turn the main square into a huge parade ground, where it was possible to carry out military maneuvers - this was completely in the spirit of the emperor who reigned at that time. Paul I... But he did not have time to fully implement his project of rebuilding the square.
Church of the Robe updated not according to his project, but after a few years. It was renovated in 1810 or 1806 - the exact date is not yet known, and was rebuilt, most likely, according to the project of the next provincial architect - A. Vershinsky.
By the thirties the church is used as a regimental, and in the outbuildings around the Golden Gate, a police unit with a prison station, a warehouse for fire equipment and several city shops are located. By the 50s, the church is almost no longer active. The internal ceilings and the wooden staircase leading to the temple were badly dilapidated - it was simply dangerous to climb there. The staircase was slightly updated for the arrival of the great princes Nicholas and Mikhail in the city, and forgotten again.
In 1864, the idea of \u200b\u200brebuilding the Church of the Robe Deposition into a building for a water reservoir and the transformation of the Golden Gate into a water tower came up. But in the 1870s, services were resumed. Through the efforts of priest Simeon Nikolsky, the staircase is finally put in order. To the 700th anniversary of the death of Andrei Bogolyubsky, who is revered in Vladimir as a saint, in 1874 the Vladimir merchants arranged Vladimirskaya chapel with icons of the prince, and in 1898 the dome of the church was gilded.
At the beginning of the 20th century, in the wake of interest in ancient Russian history and architecture, ideas emerged to restore the historical appearance of the Golden Gate - at least, they were going to restore and upholster the gates with shiny copper, otherwise no one could understand why the whitewashed building with a green roof was called "Golden". Even a special commission for restoration was created, but it did not have time to do anything - the revolution of 1917 happened. Located in the church archive of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the outbuildings were occupied for housing. The restoration began after the war, but the building was not rebuilt, but the interior was replaced and slightly renovated. Electricity and ventilation were installed here in 1972, at the same time a modern museum exposition... At one time, the building served as a support for a trolleybus line - this negatively affected its condition.
Since 1992, the Golden Gate, along with other monuments of Vladimir-Suzdal architecture, have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The last restoration was carried out here in 2001.
Military history exposition
Inside the Golden Gate on the upper tier is now located military history exposition... Its main exhibit is a multimedia diorama with illumination and voice acting about the Tatar-Mongol invasion of 1238, the defense and fall of Vladimir. It was created in 1972. The author of the diorama is an honored artist E. Deshlyt, founder of one of the schools of the Soviet diorama.
Here it is collection of weaponsstarting from the XII century. Swords, shields and details of the chain mail of ancient Russian warriors; collection of weapons of the 18th century, the period of the Russian-Turkish wars: captured Turkish guns and sabers; commemorative signs and medals of the 18th century; stands dedicated to the war of 1812, etc.
The third part of the exposition is gallery of Heroes of the Soviet Union, natives of Vladimir and the surrounding area. Here are 153 portraits and some personal belongings of these people. A separate stand is dedicated to the feat of the pilot Nikolai Gastello - he was not a native of Vladimir, but Gastello Street has existed here since 1946. The personal belongings of Vasily Degtyarev, a military pilot, lieutenant who commanded one of the air links that defended these places in 1942, are presented. His plane was hit, he sat down, fired back to the last and shot himself with the last bullet. Another stand is dedicated to cosmonaut Valery Kubasov, a native of Vladimir.
The museum gallery offers a beautiful view of the city square.- The gilded gates were lost in the 12th century. According to local legends, they still lie somewhere at the bottom of the Klyazma - they were hidden from the invaders at the bottom of the river. They say that in the 70s the Japanese promised to clear the mouth of the Klyazma so that everything they found at the bottom would be given to them, but the Soviet authorities refused.
- Legend says that the ramparts around the Golden Gate were torn down by the personal order of Catherine II: she was driving through an arch and her carriage got stuck in a huge puddle. After that, the Empress ordered detours to be made.
- In one of the descriptions of the city of Vladimir in 1801, another church appears on the Golden Gate - the Church of Peter and Paul. There are no other traces of this church - either this is a mistake of the compilers of the inventory, or there is indeed a mention of some temple that has not survived.
On a note
- Location. Vladimir, st. Dvoryanskaya, 1 A.
- How to get there. By train from the Kursk railway station or by bus from metro Shchelkovskaya to Vladimir, then by trolleybuses No. 5, 10 and 12 to the city center, or up the stairs to the Assumption Cathedral.
- Official site. http://www.vladmuseum.ru/
- Working hours. 10: 00-18: 00 daily, closed on the last Thursday of the month.
- Visit cost. Adult - 150 rubles, concessionary - 100 rubles.
