Description of the attraction
On Studenaya Gora Street in the city of Vladimir stands the Church of the Archangel Michael, which at one time was built according to the will of Captain Fyodor Grigorievich, which happened in 1893. The project of the temple was drawn up by the provincial architect Afanasyev A. P., as well as the engineer I. O. Karabutov. The consecration of the temple was carried out in the middle of 1893. At that time, the temple was built in the Byzantine style and had a distinctive appearance from the rest. Before the appearance of the Church of the Archangel Michael, there was no such architectural appearance on the Vladimir land, expressing such clear acoustic properties.
The land plot intended for the construction of the temple was bought by the Vladimir Charitable Society, and the benefactors generously donated the necessary building materials, an oak iconostasis and glass intended for doors and windows.
The ceremonial foundation of the temple began on October 13, 1891, and on September 19, 1893, all five bells were raised on the church belfry. Honorary members of the Construction Committee attended the solemn event dedicated to the consecration of the temple. At that moment, when the voices of the bishop's choir sounded, all those praying and those present were sincerely delighted with the resonance inherent in the church. During the all-night vigil, the church was richly consecrated, and the gatehouse and the belfry with the fence were brightly illuminated. In the morning, the blessing of the water was carried out, while the bell ringing of the city churches informed the people of the arrival of the Eminence. There was a great procession with the cross around the temple.
The upper part of the temple was crowned with a mirror cross, which was made at one of the factories in Yekaterinburg. In the inner part of the keeled zakomars there were icons of some saints.
For the church, a wooden iconostasis was made, made of black oak, which was made by the hands of the artist from Moscow Bette E. K., and all the church icons were painted by the talented icon painter from Palekh N. M. Safonov. At one time, temple utensils and chandeliers were brought from the capital from a merchant named Agapov.
As you know, in 1917 the reign of the Soviet government began, which soon began to carry out campaigns for the destruction and closure of Orthodox churches. This fate could not escape the temple of the Archangel Michael, so in 1929 it was closed. The bell tower to the left of it, equipped with five bells, was almost completely dismantled.
Over the next few decades, the Church of Michael the Archangel was used for all sorts of economic and domestic needs. For example, in the period between 1986 and 1996, it housed the exposition of one of the museums in the city of Vladimir, which was called "Clock and Time". After some time, the exposition was closed and was no longer restored - the museum moved out of the church building. It was from this moment that the restoration of the previously lost church of Michael the Archangel began.
The return of the temple to the authority of the Russian Orthodox Church, represented by the Vladimir diocese under the Moscow Patriarch, took place only in 1996. On April 19, 1997, which fell on Lazarev Saturday during Great Lent, the Church of Michael the Archangel was re-consecrated by Archbishop Eulogius of Suzdal and Vladimir, which was attended by a large number of people. In 2002, repair and restoration work was carried out at the previous location of the church, as a result of which the bell tower was completely restored to its original form. After some time, it was consecrated.
In 2010, the Church of the Archangel Michael regained its original appearance, and its wedding was carried out with the help of a large and visible from afar crystal cross, made especially for this project at a crystal factory in one of the cities of the Vladimir region - Gus-Khrustalny.
Today the church has several local shrines, which include the icon of the Mother of God "Quick to Hear", as well as the Mother of God "Bogolyubskaya" and "Feodorovskaya".
