The Grand Cathedral Framed with Trees

The grand five-domed cathedral of Assumption (Dormition) of Our Lady was built in brick on money commissioned by Ivan IV The Terrible on the grounds of Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra (Monastery) in Sergiev Posad in 1559-1585. The magnificent church, that was erected to commemorate successful military campaign of the first Russian Tsar against Tatars and taken Kazan-Khanate.The building repeats in its basic proposions and constructions the Cathedral of the Dormition in the Moscow Kremlin that was the central cathedral of the Orthodox Church and was based, in turn, on the forms of the most ancient and highly prized Cathedral of the Dormition (Assumption) in Vladimir city.

The exterior of the cathedral attracts one's attention by the stately appearance of its modestly adorned facades articulated by pilaster-strips. In the middle of the eighteenth century the domes acquired bulbous shapes and the drum of the central, predominant dome was raised over the others and wholly covered with guilding while the four corner ones were decorated with gilt stars on the darl blue background.

Photo #112 taken on October 03, 2008 during countryside tour to Sergiev Posad with my Dear clients from USA, Jim & Paula Mahaffey.