Annunciation Cathedral

INFORMATION FOR VISITORS

The Annunciation Cathedral is currently an operational Orthodox church that is open to the public. The Annunciation Cathedral History Museum, located in the temple’s basement, is open to the public.

When visiting the cathedral, women must wear a headscarf and close the bare parts of their bodies (shoulders, knees), men must remove their headdress, and all must turn their phones to silent mode. Photographing worshippers, readers, and anyone in charge of religious ceremonies is strictly prohibited. During religious events, tourists’ access may be restricted.

WORKING HOURS

The Annunciation Cathedral works daily
from 9:00 AM to 19:00

The works on restoration of the Annunciation Cathedral had been carried out in 1996-2005 under the guidance of architects R.R. Raimova and I.B. Kharisova from the Tatar Special Scientific and Restoration Department. The cathedral was consecrated anew on July 19, 2005, by Archbishop Anastasius of Kazan. On July 21, 2005, Patriarch Alexis II held the First Liturgy in the revived cathedral.

OBJECT DESCRIPTION

The Annunciation Cathedral was built in 1561–1562 in the north-eastern part of the Kazan Kremlin by Pskov craftsmen Postnik Yakovlev and Ivan Shiryai on the site of a small wooden church established by decree of Ivan the Terrible in 1552.

Throughout history, the cathedral has been rebuilt, burned down in fires, and restored. During the Soviet period, the temple was closed, some architectural objects were destroyed, and the building was used for household needs. The cathedral was restored twice: from 1977 to 1982 and again from 1996 to 2005.

The Annunciation Cathedral has 5 domes, 5 apses (a semicircular projection of the building adjacent to the main volume), and 2 side chapels (a section of the temple dedicated to housing an additional altar with a throne for divine services).

The central volume is made of white stone and supported by six pillars and features three apses, side chapels with apses, one central drum designed in the Ukrainian Baroque style, and four side drums with bulbous ends (the cylindrical upper part of the building, which is crowned with a dome). The internal pillars of the temple are round, and the transition to the main dome is designed as a vaulted structure in the shape of a cone (trumpet arc), allowing you to visually move from the dome to the cubic volume of the room.

The main volume has a ground floor with walls and cross vaults made of hewn limestone blocks. The ground floor of the 16th century housed a separate Church of All the Saints.

The building’s facade is decorated with ornamental belts linked by arcatures (false arches). The walls are finished with keeled endings (semi-oval with an external sharpening) and posacomar (semicircular wall completion) roofing. The side bulbous blue domes are adorned with gilded stars, while the central dome has a baroque pear-shaped design.

Two brick chapels with semicircular apses flank the cathedral’s central volume on the south and north sides, respectively, while an extensive refectory with two tiers of windows stands to the west. The refectory is made of brick, plastered, and has posacomar roofing. Its facades are decorated with flat pilasters (vertical projection). The refectory has two tiers of windows, with rood lofts around the perimeter (upper open gallery) and a staircase on the western wall. The cathedral and refectory walls are painted in oil (19th century painting).

The works on restoration of the Annunciation Cathedral had been carried out in 1996-2005 under the guidance of architects R.R. Raimova and I.B. Kharisova from the Tatar Special Scientific and Restoration Department. The cathedral was consecrated anew on July 19, 2005, by Archbishop Anastasius of Kazan. On July 21, 2005, Patriarch Alexis II held the First Liturgy in the revived cathedral.

The bell tower of the Annunciation Cathedral, which was erected in the 17th century with Metropolitan Matthew of Kazan’s blessing, has not been survived to this day. Upon entering the Kazan Kremlin grounds, all visitors could see the 50-meter, five-tiered white stone bell tower. The bottom tier of the bell tower housed a massive 2.5-tonne bell, the biggest in ancient Kazan. In the 18th century, the bell tower had a chiming clock, and the dome was originally designed like a helmet. The bell tower adjoined the Annunciation Cathedral’s refectory porch. Under the bell tower, there existed a temple that was originally dedicated to the holy martyr Irina, but it was closed at the end of the 18th century owing to dilapidation. In 1832, this temple was renovated and dedicated in honour of St. Herman the Wonderworker of Kazan, thanks to the initiative of Archbishop Philaret of Kazan. During the Soviet period, the bell tower was destroyed. There is a square in its place now.