Description of the attraction
The Church of Peter and Paul in Salekhard is the first stone Orthodox church built on permafrost. The first temple in Obdorsk was founded in 1747. For some reason, its construction was significantly delayed. The consecration of the church in honor of Basil the Great took place only in 1751. The church, towering over the Poluy River, was very beautiful: domes gilded with gold leaf, upholstered with iron and painted with oil paint on the roof.
Over time, the Vasilievsky temple was badly dilapidated, so it was dismantled. In 1817, construction began on a new three-altar church, consecrated by Archpriest John Vergunov in June 1823 in honor of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The temple was built with funds donated by the Obdorsk parish and private donations. The church had two side chapels: the first - in the name of Basil the Great, the second - in the name of Nicholas the Wonderworker.
Over time, this temple began to decay. Then the question arose about the construction of a new temple, the design of which lasted as much as 20 years. In September 1894, a new stone church in honor of the apostles Peter and Paul was consecrated. Sunday and holiday services were held here. The church building was surrounded by a white stone fence in the form of arches, more than three meters high. At the southern wall of the temple there was a cemetery where noble residents of Obdorsk were buried.
The temple remained in operation until 1930. First, the bell towers and domes were demolished, without which the temple began to resemble a huge squat stone barn. Special settlers began to live within its walls. Later the church was used as an archive, warehouse and children's sports school.
In October 1990, the local authorities decided to return the building of the church to the community of believers. In 1991, the solemn consecration of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul took place. A few years later, the church was restored to its original appearance. Today the Church of Peter and Paul is one of the iconic sights of the city of Salekhard.
