History and Culture: Exhibition "Time for Change. Pokrovsky Cathedral in the 1920s – 1930s" launched in Moscow

The State Historical Museum (Moscow) launched the exhibition "Time for Change. Pokrovsky Cathedral in the 1920s – 1930s".

July 2021 marks the 460th anniversary of the Pokrovsky Cathedral, known worldwide as Saint Basil's Cathedral. The Cathedral of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Moat was built in 1555-1561. It changed its decoration several times, had numerous restorations and acquired new areas, additional galleries and wall paintings. One of the most significant transformations in the Cathedral took place after the October Revolution. Soviet authorities ordered the renovation of many outstanding architectural monuments to eliminate "ugly annexes of the past". In the 1920s – 1930s, there was a large-scale restoration based on the idea of recreating the original image of the Pokrovsky Cathedral.

The exposition features a unique photo collection of 1918-1940 with hundreds of images that are the only evidence of the Cathedral's appearance in the past. The photographs show the moments of restoration and museum life of the Saint Basil's Cathedral.

A special photo project was prepared for the exhibition. The photographers repeated the pictures taken a century ago to show the past and present of the Cathedral. Paralleling old and modern photographs provides new information about the history of the Cathedral and its restoration. It also allows comprehending the changes of the past century.

The exhibition will run until January 24, 2022.