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Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Borok

Фото 1
The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, built in the 18th century, is designed in the style of temple architecture from the late 17th century. The basis of the volumetric-spatial composition consists of a two-light five-domed square. The domes of the church have a rare two-tiered form: the lower tier is represented by a large octagon, the central dome has a light drum, while the others are cylindrical blind drums. The square is surrounded by lower volumes on three sides, except for the south. To the east, it is adjoined by a semicircular apse, almost equal in width, and to the west, a refectory, the southern wall of which is laid at the same level as the square, while to the north, there is a chapel with a semicircular apse.

The corners of the square are decorated with wide pilasters, the base is highlighted by a ribbon of a curb, and the walls are topped with a stepped cornice with consoles. The southern facade features an unusual composition: three windows of the first light and two of the second are not aligned with the axes. In both tiers, the openings are symmetrical relative to the central axis, with the eastern window of the first light positioned higher than the others. The windows have architraves and are framed by rectangular moldings. On the northern and western facades, there are two windows of the second light each. In other parts of the church, the base with the curb is executed similarly. The walls of the apse and chapel are pierced with windows featuring deep arched embrasures, while in the refectory, the windows resemble the openings of the square, but on the southern facade, they are widened.

The column-free church is covered by a closed eight-part vault with narrow diagonal troughs resting on trompes. Three openings lead to the apse: a central arched one and two rectangular ones, covered with a conch and with formwork above the windows. The church is connected to the chapel by a large arch that occupies the entire eastern half of the wall. Under this arch, between the iconostases of the church and the chapel, there once stood a reliquary with the relics of Jacob of Zheleznovorsk under a carved canopy in the Russian style. The cylindrical vault of the chapel is separated by supporting arches from the conch of the apse and the barrel vault that covers the western part of the refectory. The main room of the refectory is covered by a semi-trough vault and is connected to the church by an arched opening, next to which there is a window on the southern side.

The church has preserved small fragments of painting, executed in 1834 and 1840. On the slopes of the windows of the first light, figures of saints are depicted. A grisaille cornice, imitating stucco decor, divides the walls of the square into two tiers.

Geo point

Церковь Рождества Пресвятой Богородицы Свято-Предтеченского Иаково-Железноборовского мужского монастыря в Бороке

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