Description of the attraction
The Assumption Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an Orthodox church in the city of Kondopoga, Republic of Karelia. It is located north of Petrozavodsk, at the very end of the Chupa Bay of Onega Lake. The church was built in 1774 and is rightfully the pinnacle of hipped wooden architecture.
The church is located at the highest point of a small rocky peninsula. But all its uniqueness and charm is not immediately visible. If you look from afar, it may seem that the temple is not at all high, but when you approach the church, immediately the proportions of the building become longer and the church tent appears faster and brighter on the horizon. The graceful silhouette of the church is directed upward, which completes the space stretching in all directions. This type of picture amazes with the completeness of the details located on it. It is in the height of this architectural structure that its based idea lies, which consisted in memory and grief for their dead countrymen who participated in the Kizhi uprising of 1769-1771. The church symbolizes faith in future victories. The Assumption Church, after its construction, belonged to the Prionezhskaya school of hipped roof architecture.
The church was never rebuilt, but was subject to restoration in 1927, in the 1950s, and also in 1999. In the summer of 1960, the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR decided to put the church on state protection.
It is known that there were two wooden buildings not far from the church, but they disappeared during the Soviet era. These were: a tent-roofed bell tower and a winter church of the Nativity of the Virgin. During the years 1829-1831, a wooden bell tower was built next to the temple at the expense of parishioners. In 1857, the winter church. But in 1930, the built bell tower was dismantled, and the winter temple was removed in the 1960s.
As for the architectural features of the Assumption Church, its main volume consists of two eights with a fall, which are placed on a four; there is a rectangular altar cut and two hanging rings. The height of the church reaches 42 meters, which puts it in the first place in height in a number of all preserved churches of that time.
The Assumption Church is a typical example of wooden temples built in the Prionezhskaya oblast. At the heart of the entire building there are wooden log cabins, huge heavy logs, but they have survived to this day. Despite its height, the building appears to be slim, light and picturesque. Two porches raised high are attached symmetrically to the north and south. They lead inside the temple. A small hallway leads to a light and airy refectory, decorated with carved benches, as well as two supporting imposing pillars that support longitudinal sub-ceiling beams. The spacious refectory accommodated a considerable number of parishioners. The church is decorated with a painted sky-ceiling and an iconostasis. The iconostasis is made in the Baroque style. The heavenly ceiling of the Assumption Church is the only example of the composition "Divine Liturgy" in this church. The central medallion of heaven depicts the image of Christ.
It is not possible to move the church to any other place or change the environment that is familiar to it, because then the visual outlines will collapse, changing the image of the temple. The church does not have decorations and everything that can divert attention from its holistic image. Earlier, when the city did not yet exist, travelers heading to the pier saw this church from afar, which amazed with its majestic size.
On August 10, 2018, the Assumption Church was completely destroyed by fire, only wooden rubble remained from it.
Description added:
Professor Shishkin A. I. 12.07.2017
The Assumption Church is an interesting exhibit of the most ancient Karelian art of building using pine - "Kelo Honka" Which was laid in the foundation of the church 250 years ago, preserved and preserves the frame of the upper rows, annually releases resin (cries). I didn’t like this pine in the last century.
Show full text The Assumption Church is an interesting exhibit of the most ancient Karelian art of construction using pine - "Kelo Honka" Which was laid in the foundation of the church 250 years ago, preserved and preserves the frame of the upper rows, releases resin annually (weeps). In the last century, this pine was not liked (it is difficult to process and does not float on water, it sinks). Now in Finland she is a super valuable gift of the forest. I will attach a fragment of the log house. Where a pine tree cries because of a forged nail hammered into it 50 years ago. Somehow barbarian.
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