History and Description

The Trinity Church in Filimonki is a unique monument of Russian architecture and one of the few examples of European eclecticism in our country. This is explained not only by the aesthetic preferences of architect Julien Thibault but also by historical circumstances.

The church was built with funds from the princes Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky, one of the most noble Polish families whose estates were located in Volhynia. In 1794, due to their loyalty to Russia, they were forced to flee to St. Petersburg. By the mid-19th century, they were granted the village of Filimonki. Thibault's architectural pursuits, striving for a synthesis of Byzantine and Romanesque styles, matched the tastes of this family, especially its head, Boris Antonovich, who remembered his Volhynian childhood.

Construction of the church began in 1855 and took a long time. In 1862, work was halted, and by that time, only the lower church above the family crypt had been completed, consecrated in 1861. The upper tiers were only partially finished, and the roofs and crowns remained incomplete.

The two-tiered church, with a chapel of Sergius of Radonezh in the lower tier and a Trinity chapel in the upper, is shaped like a Latin cross. The central volume is formed by four arches supporting a light drum. The side arms and altar volume had independent roofs. An open gallery connects the central volume with the seven-tiered bell tower. The proportions of the building emphasize its height.

In 1888, Princess Vera Borisovna Svyatopolk-Chetvertinskaya established a women's community in memory of the miraculous salvation of the royal family. The community was named Vladimir in honor of Prince Vladimir Borisovich Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky. By that time, the church had become a dependency of the church in Valuyev and gained significance as the cathedral church of the monastery. In 1888, the church was completed, the premises were plastered, and decorative moldings and paintings in pastel tones appeared. These works may have been carried out under the guidance of architects A.P. Popov or P.K. Koziha.

On July 29, 1901, the community was granted the status of a monastery. In the early 20th century, major construction works were carried out in the monastery, including the erection of new buildings. By 1917, the monastery represented an ensemble of buildings united around two churches.

After the Bolsheviks came to power, all monasteries were closed. The Trinity Church was the first to be closed, likely in the 1920s. The Assumption Church operated until 1934. The Trinity Church began to be dismantled, but the demolition was halted. The Assumption Church was repurposed into a boarding house for the disabled. In the 1950s-1980s, the area was built up with new buildings, and the partially ruined remains of the church were used for storage and as a morgue.

Restoration

In 2002, the church was transferred to a local religious organization. With donations, the church was partially repaired, but the main structures remained destroyed. In 2010, scientific restoration began.

Before restoration, the church was a semi-ruined shell. Roof structures, a dome, a cross, sandstone floors, white stone steps, and carpentry fillings were recreated. The brick walls of the chapels were restored, and work was done on the bell tower. In 2013-2014, the restoration of brickwork and plaster was completed.

In 2014, the site became a laureate of the Moscow Government competition for the high quality of restoration work.