Russische Gedächtniskirche (Russisch Orthodoxe Kirche des Moskauer Patriarchats), Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany - Orthodox Churches on Waymarking.com

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Die St.-Alexi-Gedächtniskirche zur Russischen Ehre (Gedächtniskirche des heiligen Metropoliten Alexi von Moskau) ist eine russisch-orthodoxe Kirche in Leipzig, Ecke Philipp-Rosenthal-Straße 51a/Semmelweisstraße in der Nähe der Deutschen Bücherei.

Die Kirche ist eine freie Nachbildung der 1530–1532 erbauten Auferstehungskirche in Moskau-Kolomenskoje (seit 1994 Weltkulturerbe) mit dem dort erstmals verwirklichten Typus einer russischen Zeltdachkirche und als verputzter Ziegelbau und der Turmhelm als Eisenbetonskelettbau ausgeführt. Sie dient dem Gedenken an die 22.000 russischen Soldaten, die während der Völkerschlacht 1813 in und um Leipzig gefallen sind.

Der Architekt der Kirche war Wladimir Alexandrowitsch Pokrowski (1871–1931), seine Bauwerke stehen in Sankt Petersburg, Nischni Nowgorod und Moskau. Der Bau der Leipziger Kirche im Nowgoroder Stil mit 16-seitigen Zeltdach wurde am 28. Dezember 1912 begonnen. Nach 10-monatiger Bauzeit fand genau 100 Jahre nach der Völkerschlacht am 17. Oktober 1913, am Tage vor der Einweihung des Völkerschlachtdenkmals, die Konsekration und am 18. Oktober 1913 die Kirchenweihe statt. Die Baukosten betrugen 1 Mio. Goldmark bzw. 250.000 Rubel, von denen mehr als die Hälfte aus Spenden finanziert wurde. Einen vereinfachten, verkleinerten und zur Ausführung bestimmten Entwurf nach Pokrowskis Originalplänen reichten die Leipziger Architekten Georg Weidenbach und Richard Tschammer am 7. Dezember 1912 beim Baupolizeiamt ein, sie führten auch die Bauoberleitung.

Das Gebäude besteht aus einer Winter- und einer Oberkirche, in der sich 78 Ikonen des russischen Malers Luka Martjanowitsch Jemeljanow befinden. Der 55 Meter hohe Turm mit seiner vergoldeten Zwiebelkuppel nach altrussischem Vorbild ist weit über Leipzig zu sehen.

Im Gebäude befinden sich außerdem eine kleine Gemeindebibliothek und ein Kirchenmuseum.


Kriegsgedächtnistafeln:

Am linken und rechten Eingang zur Winterkirche befinden sich zwei Kriegsgedächtnistafeln, die in deutscher und russischer Sprache an die Völkerschlacht erinnern:

Dem
Gedenken
der 22000 russi-
schen Krieger, gefal-
len für die Befrei-
ung Deutschlands
1813 bei Leipzig.
An der Völkerschlacht
zu Leipzig vom 16-19 Ok-
tober 1813 nahmen teil:
Russen 127000
Oesterreicher 89000
Preußen 72000
Schweden 18000
In diesen Schlachten
fielen:
22000 Russen
16000 Preußen
12000 Oesterreicher
300 Schweden.



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History of the Russian Church in Leipzig (Saint Alexi Memorial Church in Leipzig):

is a unique and remarkable sight of Leipzig. It was built up in commemoration of the 22 thousand Russian warriors who fell on German soil in 1813.

The decisive battle at Leipzig went down in history under the title «Battle of Nations». In this battle the Russian army set out against Napoleon in alliance together with Prussian, Austrian and Swedish armies. Here by Leipzig, 1813 one hundred thousand soldiers found an eternal peace together with the fallen soldiers of Napoleon. Until 1913, for about one hundred years, huge long hills – mass burial places - dominated the city of Leipzig. To commemorate the centennial of the battle at Leipzig a memorial complex, the monument to the Battle of Nations, was erected instead of a cemetery. The emperor Wilhelm II proposed erecting a Statue of Victory, in honor of the Russian warriors as well. But much closer to a Russian tradition was the notion of a living monument where it would be possible to remember the glorious heroes, as well as to pray for their eternal rest. Thus, this wonderful single-cupola tent-shaped church in the 16th century style appeared. The exterior of it resembles a monument and its interior remains a church. The whole construction and decoration works were done according to the project of Vladimir Pokrovski by Russian building workers who had come to Germany for the purpose. The work has been done in eight months time.

Inside the church, there is the seven-row iconostasis which is a donation of the Don Cossacks. It is the work of a Moscow painter Emelianov, a disciple of the famous Russian artists Vasnetsov, and is 18 meters high. Eighty-seven icons construct a wonderful example of the old Russian iconpaiting tradition. There are three gates in the Altar behind the iconostasis. The central is colled the Royal Gate, and is opened by the clergies at a certain moment of a worship. In the bottom row, on the right of the Royal Gate, there is an icon of the Savior. On the left side there is an Icon of the Mother on God. The icon of Savior is a copy of the Byzantine original of the 4th century, and the icon of the Mother of God is a copy of the miraculous image, which is called the icon «Smolenskaya Mother of God». In front of this icon Russian Marshal Kutuzov and his army prayed on the eve of the battle against Napoleon at Borodino (1812). This icon is kept up to now in the city-cathedral of Smolensk in Russia. To the right of the icon of the Savior the icon of the patron-saint of the church: St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow. His memory is solemnly celebrated on October 18. To the left of the icon of the Mother of God there is an icon of St.Nicholas. These are two icons (of St.Alexis and St.Nicholas) with the «vita» - that is small paintings bordering the main image with the fragments of the most wellknown events in the lives of these saints. In front of the iconostasis are Cossack banners resembling traditional church banners. They were brought here by Cossack regiments during the battle, and 100 years later found a place in this church. To the left of the entrance you can see a carved oak icon-case with the icon of St. George, which was presented to the by Orenburg and Ural Cossacks. On the walls there are eight memorial plates holding a complete list of the Russian military units, which took part in the Battle, as well as their names 100 years after - as of the day of the inauguration of the church.

The church is lightened by a bronze chandelier. It's 68 lampshades were made of pure transparent Ural jasper. The chandelier was presented to the church by the Russian Parliament (Duma) in 1916. After the Second World War a glass lamps to imitate jasper were installed. Near the right wall, there is a sarcophagus - a symbolic tomb with a Shroud of Jesus Christ. On Good Friday it is placed in the center of the church.

Outdoors, on the opposite side of the church there is a small crypt. A burial vault holding the remains of the Russian soldiers. who died in the Battle of Nations. In the crypt a small row of icons is arranged in front of which an oil-lamp is constantly burning in commemoration to the buried. On the walls of the crypt you can see the portraits of Russia Emperor Alexander I, Marshal Kutuzov, and two other officers, who are hurried here. Near the portrait of Kutuzov is a Russian flag and a soldier's rifle, which was found when the graves were opened for reburial.

As you were approaching the church you must have noticed that there is another front door. This is the entrance to the lower church.

The Memorial church serves nowadays as a center of orthodox congregation of Leipzig. The worships are to be conducted in it each Sunday at 10.00 a.m.

The church choir deserves special attention. It is not very large, hut is singing professionally and during a worship you can hear classical spiritual songs in all beauty. The church houses as well a small library and the administrative premises.

Concluding this short review about the church our congregation cordially welcomes you as visitor to our historic, cultural and religious center in a beautiful city of Leipzig in Germany.

Type of Orthodox Church: Eastern Type of Building: Church Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Date of building construction: 12/28/1912 Address: Philipp-Rosenthal-Straße 51a Leipzig, Sachsen Germany 04103 Relevant Website: [Web Link] Date of organization: Not listed Associated Icons, Reliefs, art, etc.: Not listed Diocese: Not listed Archdiocese: Not listed

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