Moscow (Russia) -- Description and travel; Moscow (Russia) -- History
The western door has representations of the eight Sybils.
The mediæval incense-burner suspended in the centre is of foreign,
probably Dutch, origin, and apart from its own attractiveness serves
well to contrast the great differences in Western and Russian
handicraft, for the ikonostas has some excellent relief work. The
paintings at the east-end are on a gold ground, at one period a
prevalent fashion with Russian ikon painters. The brilliant colouring,
the lavish use of gold and silver, and the bright illumination, so
unusual in Russian churches, together make this royal chapel one of the
most interesting of those in the Kremlin. It was from the corridor
leading to this church that the first "Dmitri" is said to have been
thrown; the window, which had been blocked up, will be pointed out to
the visitor before entering the Chapel of the Crucifixion, which is over
this corridor and on the same level as the fourth storey of the Terem.
The interior of this chapel is very gloomy; the floor of black and white
marble may assist in its recognition. Its most interesting feature is
the ikonostas of embroidery, the work of the Tsaritsas and their
daughters. The faces of the saints on the ikons are painted upon canvas,
and the vestments instead of metal are of worked silk and other tissues.
At the entrance is the private oratory of the Tsar Alexis, and amongst
other things which will be pointed out as having some connection with
the younger members of this Tsar's family, is the spot upon which he at
one time erected a "Golgotha"; the cross is of cedar, pine and cypress,
contributed by three princes. This church was built in 1679 and
communicates with the "Church of the Holy Vestments," by the door to
the left of the entrance, a piece of work highly characteristic of
Russian art at this period.
There are other churches and chapels which are technically private
chapels of the palace, as are also the Cathedrals of the Assumption and
Annunciation, but these are dealt with elsewhere. Those actually within,
or communicating with the Terem, are those above enumerated, and in
addition there is the old Chapel of St John the Baptist "in the wood,"
now removed to the second floor of the tower over the Borovitski Gate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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