The beautiful cathedral from a distance attracted the attention of everyone who was in Kargopol. You bet! It was the first stone building in the city. It took 10 years to build. What was the first version of the cathedral we do not know, but we can assume that in 1562 it looked majestic. It is known for certain that the forms were simple, rectangular, 2 floors high. The upper church, as now, was summer, unheated. The roof, presumably, was hewn with large bevels.
After 100 years, the temple ceased to accommodate parishioners. He was given a new name: Philip and Alexis, the Savior of the All-Merciful. On the west side, a gallery with a wide porch was arranged. They carved the cathedral. White stone handsome became the focus of the spiritual life of Kargopol.
Since 1714, the icon of the Mother of God of Kazan was carefully preserved in the temple. Pilgrims came to honor the icon from the surrounding villages and even from Arkhangelsk. During the Bolshevik persecutions, the icon disappeared, as well as all the utensils and a huge panic that hung on an iron beam in the form of a hand.
In 1765, the cathedral burned down. The stone walls resisted, but the roof, porch, gallery disappeared in the fire. Restoration work was carried out slowly, for 5 years of devastation painting inside the cathedral almost disappeared. What we are seeing today is the work of 19th century masters.
From the complete disappearance after the revolution, the cathedral was saved by the fact that it was transferred to the Kargopol Museum-Reserve. Thanks to this, it was possible to preserve the building itself, the iconostasis of the 18th century, several icons. Painted domes, the so-called heavens, were transported to the cathedral from churches that were located in the vicinity of the city.
The temple was restored in 2008, but everything suggests that only the most necessary works were carried out. The building needs extra care.
Charitable Foundation Holy Land
Russian Temples and Monasteries
