Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
Спасо-Преображенский собор
; Preobrazhenskaya pl; Chernyshevskaya)
The interi-
or of this marvellous 1743 cathedral, which has been beautifully restored and re-
painted both outside and in, is one of the most gilded in the city. The grand gates bear
the imperial double-headed eagle in vast golden busts, reflecting the fact that the
cathedral was built on the site where the Preobrazhensky Guards (the monarch's per-
sonal protection unit) had their headquarters. Architect Vasily Stasov rebuilt the
cathedral from 1827 to 1829 in the neoclassical style. It is dedicated to the victory
over the Turks in 1828-29; note the captured Turkish guns in the gate surrounding the
cathedral.
MMUSSEUUM
MUSEUM OF DECORATIVE & APPLIED ARTS
R60/30; 11am-4.30pm Tue-Sat; Chernyshevskaya)
Also known as the
Stieglitz Mu-
seum
, this fascinating establishment is as beautiful as you would expect a decorative
arts museum to be. A vast array of gorgeous objects is on display, from medieval
handcrafted furniture to 18th-century Russian tiled stoves and contemporary works by
the students of the Applied Arts School next door. Their surroundings merely match
their magnificence. This museum is less visited than some of its counterparts in the
city, but the quiet, off-the-beaten-track atmosphere only adds to its appeal.
In 1878 the millionaire Baron Stieglitz founded the School of Technical Design and
wanted to surround his students with world-class art to inspire them. He began a col-
lection that was continued by his son and was to include a unique array of European
and Oriental glassware, porcelains, tapestries, furniture and paintings. It eventually
grew into one of Europe's richest private collections. Between 1885 and 1895, a
building designed by architect Maximilian Messmacher was built to house the collec-
tion and this building also became a masterpiece. Each hall is decorated in its own
unique style, including Italian, Renaissance, Flemish and baroque. The
Terem
Room
, in the style of the medieval Terem Palace of Moscow's Kremlin, is an opu-
lent knockout.
After the revolution the school was closed, the museum's collection redistributed to
the Hermitage and the Russian Museum, and most of the lavish interiors brutally
painted or plastered over, even destroyed (one room was used as a sports hall). The
painstaking renovation continues to this day, despite receiving no state funding.
