Church of Saint Nicholas in Zvonary, Eastern Orthodox church in Meshchansky District, Moscow, Russia.
The Church of Saint Nicholas in Zvonary is a Russian Baroque church on Rozhdestvenka Street, built between 1762 and 1781 to a design by Karl Blank for Senator Ivan Vorontsov. It consists of a bell tower, a two-altar refectory and a main church with an apse, all aligned on one axis. The lower rectangular volume carries an octagonal tier with corner pilasters and large white-stone window surrounds.
A wooden church of Saint Nicholas Bozhedomsky stood here from 1616, named for the poorhouse where unclaimed bodies were kept. The stone church was rebuilt in 1762–1781 to Karl Blank's design for Senator Ivan Vorontsov, and after the 1812 fire it received a new classical refectory and bell tower. Closed in 1933 and used as a warehouse, it became the Moscow metochion of the Pühtitsa Convent in 1994.
The church reflects Russian Orthodox faith that resumed after decades of interruption in the late 20th century. Visitors today encounter an active religious community carrying on its practices within these brick walls.
The building is accessible during worship services and welcomes visitors to explore its architecture and religious setting. Checking local opening times beforehand is helpful, as availability may vary according to religious celebrations and services.
The church's wonder-working icon of the Mother of God "Seeking of the Lost" was carried out by a parishioner when the church closed in 1933 and given in 1981 to the Pühtitsa Convent in Estonia. It returned to the church in 1996, when Patriarch Alexy II reconsecrated the main altar and side chapels.
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