Time for a change. Intercession Cathedral in the 1920s-1930s

July 2021 marks the 460th anniversary of the Intercession Cathedral, which is known throughout the world as the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. Throughout its history, the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat, built in 1555-1561, has repeatedly changed its appearance. It was repaired, additional aisles were arranged, the wall paintings were renewed, the building acquired new extensions. But one of the largest transformations in the cathedral took place after the October Revolution. Restoration work was launched in many of the outstanding architectural monuments, which were everywhere accompanied by the liberation of buildings from the "ugly growths of the past." In the 1920s – 1930s, a large-scale restoration was carried out, which was based on the idea of recreating the original appearance of the Intercession Cathedral.

The exhibition presents prints from a unique collection of photographic plates of 1918–1940, which includes hundreds of negatives, which are sometimes the only clear evidence of the appearance of the Intercession Cathedral at that time. The photographs show the moments of restoration and museumification of the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. They reflect both the time of cardinal changes in the appearance and interiors of the temple, and the time of the opening and formation of the historical and architectural museum within the walls of the cathedral, the development of the concept of the exposition, the organization of numerous anti-religious and ideological exhibitions in order to please the anti-religious campaign that was widespread throughout the country.

A special photographic project was prepared for the exhibition, where the foreshortenings of a century ago were repeated in order to show what the cathedral has become, what is new in it, what has irrevocably disappeared, and what has survived. Comparison of old and modern photographs makes it possible not only to get new information about the history of the cathedral and its restoration, but also to see the changes that have occurred over the past 100 years.