Back in the Tzarist times, every Jubilee provoked the creation of a new church (to say thank you to God for many, hopefully happy, years). For example, in 1910 in the name of the 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov (the second and last imperial dynasty of the 20th century), the Fedorov’s cathedral was built in the center of the city. Emperor Nicholas II himself came to the opening.
Unfortunately, it was built a bit too close to the central railway station. To make the prayer’s mind clear from any disturbances, the architect had to cover the view towards the railway station with the charming and surprisingly red defensive wall which reminds me of the well-known Moscow Kremlin’s wall (which also has double-horned so-called “swallow tails” to make the silhouette so special and cute). Some sources say this appearance has been chosen for Muscovites to feel themselves almost at home.
Despite all the supposed defensive power of the wall, during Soviet times the cathedral was donated to a milk plant and its onion domes were demolished. Only twenty years ago the building was returned to the Orthodox church and was renewed thoroughly. And the wall is still standing and reminds us of the metaphysical defense which doesn’t always work in our physical world.
Fedorov’s cathedral is a 10-minute walk from the Moskovsky railway station.
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