Волхонка 15
A book about a plot of land in the center of Moscow, where dreams were realized and the plans of the entire era were destroyed. History from the Temple of Christ Savior to the House of Soviets, from the Moscow Basin to the restored Temple. The history of this place reflects Russia’s turbulence and eternal disputes between the past and the future, faith and revolution.
The basis is a thorough study of the history of the site. These are archival materials (paints, photographs, building and demolition documents), historical records, witness memories, articles and books on the history of the architecture of the Russian Empire, Moscow and the USSR. The book is structured chronologically, describing the change of eras and buildings in one section (Wolchonka 15). Each object is presented as a separate chapter describing its history and architectural features.
CHAPTER THE FIRST Temple of Christ Savior of 1839-1883 — History of construction (when the last soldier of Napoleon’s 600 — 000 army was expelled from Russia, Emperor Alexander I, in honour of the victory of the Russian army and in gratitude to God, signed the High Manifesto on the construction of a church in Moscow for the Savior of Christ) — A.L. Witberg and his project — K. A. Ton and his project — Destruction (5 December 1931 — a memorial temple of military glory, the main temple of Russia was barbaricly destroyed)
CHAPTER SECOND House of Councils never built — History — All Union Competition — Description of outstanding projects
CHAPTER THREE BASIN MOSQUA — History and development of the Dmitry Chechulin — Bassane project as a sightseeing of Moscow. In November 1960 a representative of the Cuban Government delegation, Ernesto Che Guevara, visited Moscow.)
CHAPTER THE FOURTH Temple of Christ the Savior of 1999 — Revival of the Temple as an act of expiation of guilt before the Russian Orthodox Church for its barbaric destruction in the past — The process of re-establishment — Internal cleaning today
