Narrow and Steep Staircase to the Church Roof & Belfry

The hidden narrow and steep staircase in the tower of the Intercession Cathedral leads up to the Tsar’s Pew at the second level and a belfry on the top of the church. Day light comes from octagonal windows which goes thought the walls and highlight the interior of the building as well.

During construction of the impressive Church of Intercession of the Virgin at Fili in 1690-1693, the unknown master made use of many traditional ideas and canons of architecture in his work. Among them was construction of the tower in type “octahedron on tetrahedron” which became especially widely-spread in the architecture of stone churches in the late seventeenth century and, particularly, in “Naryshkin Baroque” styles , but also combing the church with belfry and making a single whole. This type of the churches from ancient times was called “resting under the bells”.

Photo #158 taken on May 24, 2014 during extended tour of the Intercession Cathedral at Fili.