Main entrance of the headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Church at Danilovsky Monastery in Moscow, Russia
The headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Church stands behind white fortress walls. The Danilovsky Monastery was built in the late 13th century by Daniil, the first Prince of Moscow, as an outer city defence. It was repeatedly altered over the next several hundred years, and served as a factory and a detention centre during the Soviet period. It was restored in time to replace Sergiev Posad as the Church's spiritual and administrative centre and the official residence of the Patriarch during the Russian Orthodoxy's millennium celebrations in 1988. Today, it radiates an air of purpose befitting the Church's role in modern Russia. On holy days this place seethes with worshippers murmuring prayers, lighting candles and ladling holy water into jugs at the tiny chapel inside the gates. Enter beneath the pink St Simeon Stylite Gate-Church on the north wall. The monastery's oldest and busiest church is the Church of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils where worship is held continuously from 10:00 to 17:00 daily. Founded in the 17th century and rebuilt repeatedly, the church contains several chapels on two floors: the main one upstairs is flanked by side chapels to St Daniil (on the northern side) and SS Boris and Gleb (south). On the ground level, the small main chapel is dedicated to the Protecting Veil, and the northern one to the prophet Daniil. The yellow and neoclassical Trinity Cathedral, built in the 1830s, is an austere counterpart to the other buildings. West of the cathedral are the patriarchate's External Affairs Department and, at the far end of the grounds, the Patriarch's Official Residence. Against the north wall in this part of the monastery there's a 13th-century Armenian carved-stone cross or khachkar , a gift from the Armenian Church. The church guesthouse in the southern part of the monastery grounds has been turned into the elegant Hotel Danilovsky.
Size: 4368px × 2912px
Location: Headquarters Orthodox Church, Danilovsky Monastery, Moscow, Russia, Eastern Europe
Photo credit: © DE ROCKER / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: architecture, art, artwork, attraction, blue, building, christ, church, courtyard, cross, cultural, culture, danilovsky, doors, eastern, entrance, estate, europe, european, facade, federation, flag, flags, flowers, gilded, golden, headquarters, image, jesus, landmark, lanterns, main, monastery, mosaic, moscow, orthodox, palace, patriarch, patriarchs, religion, religious, russia, russian, sightseeing, sky, stairs, sunny, tourism, tourist, travel, visitor, windows
