Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Church at Torg

Photos

  • Церковь Параскевы Пятницы на Торгу. Photo 1

Description

The Church of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa at Torg in Veliky Novgorod is a cross-domed building with one dome and three apses, two of which are located inside the temple. It was the patronal church of the merchants of ancient Novgorod and was dedicated to the Great Martyr Paraskeva Pyatnitsa, who was considered the patroness of the Novgorod merchants.

The history of the church includes many rebuildings and reconstructions. The first wooden church was built on this site in 1156, and already in 1207 it was replaced by a stone building erected by overseas merchants. Over time, the church has undergone major changes and reconstructions, including after fires that repeatedly struck the temple.

In the 20th century, a large-scale restoration of the church began, which took about 50 years. Today, the Church of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa is a cruciform building with six pillars and one apse visible from the outside. However, inside the temple there are two more internal apses. The southern façade of the church contains elements that echo the architecture of ancient Smolensk, which testifies to the cultural and trade ties of Novgorod with other centers of Ancient Rus'.

Thanks to restoration work, many ancient elements and forms of the temple were discovered, which were hidden under layers of plaster. The modern appearance of the church is the result of long and careful work to restore and study the history of this wonderful architectural monument.

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