Cathedral of the Archangel, Orthodox cathedral in Moscow Kremlin, Russia
The Archangel Cathedral stands on Cathedral Square in the Moscow Kremlin, showing five gilded domes, white limestone portals, and Renaissance-style exterior ornaments. The brick facade combines Italian design elements with Russian building traditions and forms an ensemble with the neighboring houses of worship on the square.
Between 1505 and 1508, Italian architect Aloisio the New erected this cathedral to replace an earlier white stone church from 1333. The new building expanded the function of the older church as a resting place for Moscow rulers and remained in this role until the early 18th century.
This house of worship preserves the burial sites of 54 rulers from several centuries, including Ivan the Terrible and Dmitry Donskoy. The building served until 1712 as the main resting place for Moscow princes, keeping alive the memory of Russia's early state leadership.
Visitors reach the building through the Kremlin museum grounds, accessible via the main entrances with security checks. The interior visit takes place as part of a museum tour, where sarcophagi and wall paintings can be viewed up close.
The white stone carvings and semi-circular niches on the facade follow an Italian design vocabulary not found in other Kremlin buildings. This design made the cathedral a model for later church construction in Moscow and connected western Renaissance with eastern church tradition.
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