Nativity Cathedral, Chişinău
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral of Christ's Nativity is the main cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church
in Downtown Chișinău
, Moldova
. It was commissioned by the governor of New Russia, Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov
, and Metropolitan Gavril Bănulescu-Bodoni
in 1830. The cathedral was built in the 1830s to a Neoclassical
design by Abram Melnikov (who had designed a similar church in Bolhrad
). The cathedral was bombed during the World War II
, and its belltower was destroyed by the local Communists in 1962. The new belltower was constructed in 1997. The restoration of the interiors is apparently still under way.
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
in Downtown Chișinău
Downtown Chişinău
Central or Downtown Chişinău is the central business district of Chişinău, Moldova.- Overview :In central Chişinău are located the major governmental and business institutions of Moldova:*The Parliament*Government building*Presidential palace...
, Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
. It was commissioned by the governor of New Russia, Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov
Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov
Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov , was a Russian prince and field-marshal, renowned for his success in the Napoleonic wars, and most famous for his participation in the Caucasian War from 1844 to 1853....
, and Metropolitan Gavril Bănulescu-Bodoni
Gavril Banulescu-Bodoni
Gavril Bănulescu-Bodoni was a Romanian clergyman who served as Metropolitan of Moldavia , Metropolitan of Kherson and Crimea , Metropolitan of Kiev and Halych , Exarch of Moldo-Wallachia , and Metropolitan of Chişinău , being the first head of the church in Bessarabia after the Russian...
in 1830. The cathedral was built in the 1830s to a Neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
design by Abram Melnikov (who had designed a similar church in Bolhrad
Bolhrad
Bolhrad sometimes known as Bolgrad is a small city in Odessa Oblast of south-western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Bolhrad Raion , and is located at around ....
). The cathedral was bombed during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and its belltower was destroyed by the local Communists in 1962. The new belltower was constructed in 1997. The restoration of the interiors is apparently still under way.
See also
- Transfiguration Cathedral, Odessa
- Moldovan Orthodox ChurchMoldovan Orthodox ChurchThe Moldovan Orthodox Church is an autonomous church under the Russian Orthodox Church, whose canonic territory covers the Republic of Moldova....