Description of the attraction
The Church of the Annunciation is located in the village of Opoki, on the high bank of the Sheloni River, next to the Pskov-Novgorod highway. The temple has amazing beauty that distinguishes it from its counterparts. The church was built in 1772 with the support of a landowner by the name of Kositsky in the place where the wooden temple was previously located. Since its erection, the temple has always been active, even in difficult times for the whole country, it was able to preserve all its splendor. In modern times, the Annunciation Church is considered an architectural monument under federal protection.
Even the village itself, in which the church is located, is a unique and rare monument of culture, history and nature, bearing a complex character. In ancient times, there was a city on the territory of Opok, which was founded in 1239 by Prince Alexander Nevsky. In the chronicles, this city was originally mentioned in 1329, when peace was concluded with Prince Ivan Kalita. For a long time, this area was especially rich in limestone, while the ancient Russians used limestone as a building material. At the moment, a suspension bridge adjoins the fort from Opok.
The Church of the Annunciation was built pillarless, like an octagon on a quadrangle. On the east side, a slightly lowered altar volume adjoins the main cubic volume, which is a protrusion with a triangular apse located on the east side. On the west side, a refectory porch, rectangular in plan, and a bell tower, square in plan, are attached. From the north and south, symmetrically with respect to the narthex and the quadrangle, two side-altars adjoin: the northern side-altar - in the name of John the Baptist and the southern - Ilyinsky side-altar.
The western walls of the vestibule and side-chapels form a single whole. The altar walls located on the east side are made of triangular. The main double-height volumes of the churches are slightly increased. The interior design of the main volume of the quadrangle is especially spacious. The light drum fills the entire church with sunlight. The overlapping of the octagon is carried out with the help of a closed vault, and the transition from the octal to the quadruple is made by means of two-stage tromps.
In the northern and southern walls of the quadrangle there are two windows each, as well as one window opening that leads to the northern and southern aisles. In the wall located on the west side, there are three huge windows with arched beam lintels. On the east wall there are three arched openings that lead to the altar. There are also seven window openings on the octagon. The overlap of the apse is decorated with a box vault, and the eastern part - with a closed vault with stripping over the window openings. The narthex has one doorway in the north and south walls, and two windows and one door in the west. The vestibule is covered with a corrugated vault with formwork over the windows and central receptions that lead to the quadrangle.
In the church bell tower, the first tier is covered with a baptismal vault, while the southern and northern arched openings are completely covered. In the southeastern part of the wall, there is a staircase that leads to the second and third tiers of the ringing. The upper tiers have flat wooden beams. The facades of the apse, quadrangle, octagon, as well as side churches are decorated with pilasters, and the volumes are completed with multi-profile double cornices, door and window openings; platbands decorate niches.
The interior church decoration dates back to the 18-19th centuries. The 18th century iconostases of the side and main churches are of the greatest artistic value. The iconostasis itself consists of three main tiers, a pommel, which is crowned with a carved Crucifixion, and a pedestal. The iconostasis is decorated with gilded carvings, which have a rocaille character when done professionally. The two-tiered iconostases of the side churches have accurately preserved their original carving.
In the warm season, the Annunciation Church is literally immersed in bright green foliage and grass, which attracts tourists and pilgrims with its amazing beauty and grace.
