The Golden Gate in Vladimir is a symbol of the greatness and power of Ancient Rus. Golden Gate (Historical appearance) Why Golden Gate

Vladimirskie Novosti writes about old Vladimir and its sights again. Today we will talk about the monument of ancient Russian architecture, built in 1164 during the reign of 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 widen its bed. 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 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, an overhead 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 the 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 was made from the Golden Gate to the Assumption cathedral, in which the President of Russia 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.

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

The Golden Gate in Vladimir can be called almost the main attraction of the city. The golden gate is unique monument 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 gates were 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 terms of Vladimir's development, there was an instruction to tear down the ramparts that adjoin the Golden Gate and build 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.

The historical monument is striking in its grandeur, despite the fact that it has not fully survived to this day. The oak doors of the gate were covered with gilded plates, for this reason the gate got its name - Golden.

The monument is interesting for its history, architecture and is definitely worth a visit. There is a museum at the top of the building, where an exposition is open, presenting weapons and military equipment of the past centuries - spearheads and arrows, weapons from the times of Catherine and the Patriotic War with Napoleon, as well as captured weapons of the 17th-19th centuries.

Your attention, undoubtedly, will be attracted by a small diorama with musical and announcer accompaniment, which tells about the assault of Vladimir by Khan Batu in 1238. The entrance fee to the museum is quite low, but the performance at the diorama exposition, lasting only 15 minutes, will be interesting for both adults and children.

Golden Gate in Vladimir - address

Vladimir, Dvoryanskaya street, 1A.

How to get to the Golden Gate in Vladimir

The Golden Gate is located in the very center of the city. You can walk from the railway and bus stations in 20-25 minutes: walk two blocks along the Kommunalny descent to Bolshaya Moskovskaya street. Turn left and follow Bolshaya Moskovskaya street.

The main attractions of Vladimir are within walking distance, for example, the observation deck, the Assumption and Dmitrievsky cathedrals.

Golden Gate - opening hours in 2019

Opening hours of the military-historical exposition in the Golden Gate

• Daily from 10:00 to 18:00
• The last Thursday of each month is a cleaning day

Golden Gate - ticket prices in 2019

• For adults - 150 rubles
• For children under 16 years old - free
• For children from 16 years old and students - 100 rubles

From the history

In 1157, Prince Andrei Bogolyubov, son of Yuri Dolgoruky, moved the capital of his principality from Suzdal to Vladimir and began to fortify the city. Ramparts 5 km long were poured around Vladimir, and a wooden fortress wall with towers and seven gates was built. Some of them were called Golden, they were built for 6 years - from 1158 to 1164 on the western side of the wall and served as the main entrance to Vladimir.

In addition, the Silver Gates were built, leading to Suzdal, Ivanovskie - to Ivanovo, Trade and Volga, Copper and Irina gates.

According to legend, Prince Andrew, who sincerely loved the city, wanted to please the townspeople and open the Golden Gate on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. The builders did not wait for the shrinkage of the building and immediately after the completion of the masonry they hung the gate. As a result, the sash fell and crushed 12 townspeople.

Then the prince turned with a prayer to the Queen of Heaven, asking her to save the victims: "If you do not save these people, I, a sinner, will be guilty of their death." Andrew's plea was heard and a miracle happened: when the gates were raised, it turned out that all the people crushed by them remained alive and unharmed.

After the assassination of Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1174, his younger brother Vsevolod the Big Nest, who was also called Vsevolod III, occupied the grand ducal table.

The monument of history and architecture has reached us in a highly distorted form. For the first time, the passable arch was probably destroyed in 1238 during the storming of the city by the Tatar-Mongol army. The gate also suffered from frequent fires, after which they were restored. The last global restructuring was the work done at the end of the 18th century.

According to legend, the reason for this reconstruction could be a large puddle in which the carriage of Catherine II was stuck. The Empress was unable to pass through the arch and ordered to tear off the shafts on the side of the span and arrange a passage for her carriage.

One way or another, but in 1795 the ramparts from the north and south of the arch were torn down, and to strengthen the Golden Gate, buttresses (vertical structures to support the walls), camouflaged with round towers, were brought up on both sides. In addition, the vault, which had become dilapidated by this time, was strengthened and a new Church of the Robe made of bricks was erected over it. In this form, the structure has survived to our time.

In 1991, the Golden Gate greeted the relics of Seraphim of Sarov, which were transported from St. Petersburg to Diveevo (The Diveevo monastery is located in the Nizhny Novgorod region).

Description

The structure is distinguished by its height and slender proportions. The huge oak doors were covered with gilded copper sheets. The wooden walls of the New Town fortress adjoined the gates.

The height of the building is 14 meters. The golden gates of Vladimir are the main, ceremonial ones, they led to the richest part of the city, where the Vladimir prince and the boyars lived. Accordingly, this structure performed the most important functions:

• The Golden Gate served as the entrance to Vladimir on the most solemn occasions - it was opened for important guests even after successful military campaigns
• The structure also played a defensive role, there was a battleground above it to protect the city from the attacking enemy.
• The Golden Gate, shimmering in the sun, served as an adornment of the main entrance to Vladimir, emphasized the power and might of the prince, that is, it also performed a decorative function. There is an assumption that the gates were decorated not with ordinary gold leaves, but with a gold tip on an engraved drawing (like the doors of the Nativity Cathedral in Suzdal)
• Considering that at the top, on the battlefield, there was a gate church, the building also had religious significance.

The Golden Gate is made in the form of a passable arch with a hemispherical vault, around which graceful towers are arranged. A deep ditch was dug in front of the rampart, a wooden non-lifting bridge was thrown across it, which was burned in case of danger.

The most ancient part of the Golden Gate is the passable arch with massive pilasters (fortifications supporting the arch on both sides). The white stone walls are made of rubble stone on a strong lime foundation. By our time, the walls have sunk into the ground by about 1.5 meters, which means that at the beginning of the 12th century they were even higher. The vault was constructed from a lighter porous tuff.

This height of the passable arch created difficulties in the defense of the western entrance to the city. Therefore, approximately in the middle of the arch, a lintel was arranged, and hinges were attached to the side for hanging the panels. These hinges and bolt groove have survived to this day.

Although initially the oak gates were covered with gilded copper, nowadays we will not see gold on them, since the gold plates from the gate were removed and hidden by the inhabitants of the city when there was a threat of the capture of Vladimir by the army of Khan Batu. Unesco has added this relic to the list of lost objects.

There is another version of the loss of the Golden Gate, according to which Batu Khan removed the gold and loaded it into a train. However, he could not take the valuable cargo far. The thin ice of the Klyazma cracked and the train went under water.

The Japanese offered to clear the bottom of the river, and instead of paying, take whatever they find at the bottom. But our archaeologists did not agree with such conditions.

The architectural monument was created by princely masters, confirmation of this is two princely signs of Rurik, preserved on the stones of the building. Currently, the Church of the Robe is not functioning.

Golden Gate in Vladimir - official site

The exposition is part of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve: www.vladmuseum.ru

According to historians, in the XII century, the Golden Gate was a unique structure not only in Russia, but throughout Europe. IN Western countries fortress towers played only a defensive role, and in Vladimir, the Golden Gate, in addition to this function, served as a front entrance and an important decorative element.

Golden Gate (Ukraine) - description, history, location. The exact address, phone, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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What the people of Kiev call the Golden Gate, the symbol of their city, is actually a newly rebuilt pavilion. The gates themselves, or rather their remains, are inside this massive structure. The reconstruction pavilion was erected in order to preserve the unique monument of the defense architecture of Ancient Russia, which has survived to this day. The Golden Gate performed not only a defensive function, but also served as the main entrance to the great city, its landmark. Eminent guests and foreign ambassadors were welcomed here. Here they saw off the princely squads, and after the end of the campaigns they met the winners with honors.

The Kiev Golden Gate got its name from the triumphal gates of Constantinople. This was probably a kind of rivalry with the great Byzantine Empire.

The Golden Gate was built during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. Some sources say that the date of creation of the monument of defensive architecture is 1164, others say 1037. Latest version confirm the "Tale of Bygone Years", which mentions these Kiev gates, and the fact that the prince died in 1054. Initially, the gate was a rather wide arch with a battle platform above it. The site was crowned with a white-stone Church of the Annunciation, so that guests would know that they had arrived in a Christian city. The structure amazed with its grandeur and inaccessibility. The Kiev gate got its name from the triumphal Golden Gate of Constantinople. Perhaps this is how Russia competed with the great Byzantine Empire.

In general, the main city gates built in 1164 differed from similar structures erected in Europe. The Church of the Annunciation above the battle tower emphasized that there is an entrance to the Christian city here, and the general appearance of the building resembled, rather, the triumphal Golden Gate of Constantinople.

In 1240, the gate was badly damaged during the attack on Kiev by Khan Batu. From the notes and drawings of travelers, it becomes clear that by the 17th century the fortress was badly destroyed. They brought it into a presentable form only in 1982, when Kiev celebrated its 1500th anniversary. But the reconstruction was carried out in a hurry, poor-quality concrete and wooden fortifications began to collapse quickly, and the gates were dilapidated again. Another restoration was carried out in the 21st century, in 2007.

The Golden Gate in Kiev is included in the List World heritage UNESCO.

Now there is a museum inside the pavilion, where you can see the preserved parts of the fortifications, learn the history of the Golden Gate. There is also a staircase, along which you can climb and admire the panorama of modern Kiev.

It is known that during the establishment of the city of Vladimir, St. The blessed Grand Duke Andrew imitated Kiev in many ways.A similar imitation of the Kiev Golden Gate, arranged by Yaroslav, was the construction of the Golden Gate, which was created by Andrey Bogolyubsky in 1164, at least this year the church built on the Golden Gate was consecrated, simultaneously with him.

According to the legend of the description of the life of Andrei Bogolyubsky, this is what a miracle happened during the construction of these gates. When the Grand Duke created the stone Golden Gate and built a church on it, then many people began to converge there to admire the beauty of the building. Since the construction site was still damp, the gates fell from their own gravity, filling up twelve people. God-loving Prince Andrew, blaming himself for the death of these people, fell with tears to the miraculous image of the Mother of God, and when the gates were raised, all the crushed ones turned out to be alive and unharmed, through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos.

In ancient times, the Golden Gate was part of the fortification erected by Andrei Bogolyubsky around the entire city in the form of high earthen ramparts, on which strong walls towered. The ramparts adjoined on both sides to the very building of the Golden Gate and passage into the city was possible only through these gates. Thanks to these ramparts, the Golden Gate in antiquity had the appearance of an irregular quadrangle cut in the middle of the building by a huge arch with a semicircular vault (as the top of the gate, which stands out by several arshins, from the later extensions), is located at the top of which the temple of the position of the robe of the Most Holy Theotokos is located. ... This temple (not preserved to this day in original form), was probably built on the model of the Annunciation Church, which was at the Kiev Golden Gate of Yaroslav, in imitation of which the Vladimir Golden Gate was erected, or was similar to the Trinity Church, built on the gate in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, by the Chernigov prince Nikolai the Svyatosha in 1106 , which, judging by the research of Professor P.A.Lashkarev, had some similarity with churches: Bogolyubovskaya and generally with the monuments of church architecture of the Suzdal Principality of the XII century. Several centuries passed over this ancient building of the Golden Gate and the punishing hand of the all-crushing time kept this monument of Russian architecture intact for a long time, and only in the last century did the Golden Gate undergo a significant external change.

The change in the appearance of the Golden Gate began due to the damage to the ramparts that surrounded the entire city and adjoined the Golden Gate. Our ancestors were very careful about the protection of the earthen ramparts and walls that protected the city from the invasion of enemies. The negligent attitude towards the integrity of the ramparts began in the last century and in 1729 Corporal Koptev reported to the Vladimir provincial chancellery that “on the earthen ramparts, pedestrians walk and horseback rides ... cut, and among other things "against the Spaso-Zlatovrat monastery (now the parish church) and on both sides of the Golden Gate, through the earthen rampart, pedestrian roads." Then and finally the ramparts were dug from the walls of the Golden Gate for the construction of passages; a square was formed on both sides. This opening of the ramparts changed the previous appearance of the Golden Gate and took away from them exactly the character they had, and then caused new changes in the facade. Since the Golden Gate was built without a foundation and the side walls were supported by earthen ramparts closely adjacent to them, with the removal of these ramparts, cracks appeared on the walls of the Golden Gate. Empress Catherine II, who was informed about this gradual destruction of the Golden Gate, strictly forbade the destruction of this remarkable ancient building and ordered new extensions to the ancient walls. Instead of buttresses, four round low towers are attached to the four corners of the gate, one of which is a chapel. Over time, the top of the Golden Gate has also changed. The Church of the Robe, which was lowered during the invasion of Vladimir by the Tatars, stood in a dilapidated state until 1687. This year the church was renewed and consecrated in 1691. But then in 1778, during a strong fire in Vladimir, the roof and interior decorations and all church utensils burned down and the church again remained in complete desolation until the beginning of this century. In 1810, the temple was finally rebuilt and consecrated under the governor of Vladimir I. M. Dolgorukov.

The figure of the present church above the Golden Gate has nothing to do with the construction of the 12th century temples.

But, despite these modifications, the Golden Gate still represents a wonderful monument ancient architecture... A careful study can easily distinguish the ancient walls of the Golden Gate from the later extensions. The ancient walls were built of white stone in the same way as was common in stone buildings of the 12th century, i.e. made of rubble and cobblestone; the walls on both sides are faced with white stones and poured with lime mortar; however, later buildings are exclusively brick.
It is highly desirable that this remarkable monument of antiquity finally attracts the attention of archaeologists and lovers of antiquity and be restored to its original form, just as the Dmitrievsky Cathedral and the Nativity Church in the Nativity Monastery were restored. It is difficult to restore the ruins of the Kiev Yaroslavl Golden Gate, on the contrary, the Vladimir Golden Gate can be restored easily. The walls of the Golden Gate are almost all intact, mainly the inner side of them. Particularly well preserved is the semicircular vault of the huge arch of the gate, made entirely of white stone, supported by six also white-stone arches. At the fourth of them, counting from the eastern side, another ancient arch also of white stone survived, rising from the base of the building to half of the main arch of the gate; to the pilasters, from which this arch was taken out, pretended to be heavy door leaves, hung on huge hooks laid in the masonry and surviving to this day; Near the pilasters, there are also preserved recesses in the walls of the gate for locking the gate, arranged in such a way that in one direction the lock was inserted into the wall, and on the other it was brought in and lowered into another depression, for which the latter was given a special well-known shape. In all arches of the main arch of the gate, there are recesses inside the walls, level with the surface of the lower arch.
These recesses served as a nest for the beams of the knurler, arranged over this lower arch, and former site, to which the people of Vladimir went to "fight from the city" with the besieging enemies. The knurled beams were not laid tightly so that you could let steles, pour boiling water, or throw stones at the enemies besieging the city.

A stone staircase led to this platform inside the southern wall, ending with a door, which is now visible on the inner side of the southern wall. Here, on this platform, the defenders of their hometown stood breastfeeding against their enemies for the honor and independence of their fatherland. Batu's hordes approached here on February 2, 1238, in this year of disaster for the entire Russian land, and here near the Golden Gate that terrible bloody battle took place, in which all the valiant defenders of the city fell, and among the first princes Vsevolod and Mstislav, and then died freedom and honor of the Russian land.

Many other historical memories are connected with the Vladimir Golden Gates. Here, in front of the Golden Gates, the people of Vladimir swore allegiance to their princes, taking the oath and kissing the cross. So under the year 1177 in the annals it is written: “Volodimertsy (great after burial. , having put him on fathers and days so in Vladimirei ”(S.R.L. vol. 1, 161 p.).

Here, at the Golden Gate, solemn meetings took place, arranged by the people of Vladimir for their princes, when they ascended the throne, or when they returned after victorious battles. So according to the legend of the chroniclers: here St. The Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, who came to Vladimir from the Horde, was elected to the Grand Dukes as Khan, amazed by his valor.

Metropolitan Kirill “all the hegumins and citizens,” says the chronicler, went out to meet the blessed prince “from the Golden Gate and sat down on the table of his father Yaroslav, quickly great joy in the city of Vladimieri”. (Laurentian Chronicle, page 202).

On great holidays in antiquity, it was customary to make a procession from the Assumption Cathedral to the Golden Gate, moreover, along the entire length from the Cathedral to the Golden Gate, ropes were stretched in two rows, on which shroud embroidered with gold and pearls developed, so that the people passed between them, as between the tapestries (Ipatiev Chronicle, page 127).

In addition to the Golden Gates in Vladimir, according to the legend of the chronicler, there were Silver, Copper, Irinins and Volzhsky. But there are no traces of them to this day.