Holy Trinity Church, Karakol
| Holy Trinity Church | |
|---|---|
Crkva svetog Nikole Црква светог Николе | |
 Holy Trinity Church | |
 | |
| Location | Karakol |
| Country |  Kyrgyzstan |
| Denomination | Russian Orthodox |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Dedication | Holy Trinity |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Years built | 1895 |
The Holy Trinity Church (Russian: Свято-Троицкая церковь, Kyrgyz: Улуу Троица чиркөөсү) is a Russian Orthodox wooden church building in Karakol in Kyrgyzstan. The building was constructed between 1894 and 1895, replacing an earlier church that was destroyed by an earthquake.[1] The church is located 12 kilometers from the shores of Issyk-Kul.[2] The church is located at an altitude of 1758 meters above sea level.[3]
History
[edit]In the middle of the 19th century, a wave of immigration from Russia and Ukraine brought significant cultural and historical changes to Turkestan.[4] Representatives of the Orthodox clergy, having settled in the area, began to advocate for the establishment of local prayer houses and churches.[4] Wooden churches began to be constructed in Kyrgyzstan due to their increased earthquake resistance.[4]
Established in 1869 as a chapel for military personnel in the garrison town of Karakol, the church was originally a small brick building on stone foundations.[5] In 1889, the original church in Karakol was destroyed by an earthquake, and a new wooden structure was completed in 1895.[5] After its construction, the Holy Trinity Church was the tallest building in Karakol, with the top of the cross reaching about 26 meters.[5][3] A wooden church was erected by the Maslikov family, based on the design of engineers from Verny (now Almaty).[6]
During its history, particularly after the 1917 Revolution, the church served various secular purposes, including a school, sports hall, theater, and even a coal store.[5] It was briefly returned to religious use in 1947, but by 1961, it was once again secularized.[5] By 1982, the church had been abandoned, but restoration work began in 1986.[2] After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the church was returned to the orthodox community, with restoration responsibilities shifted to the church in 1995.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "Holy Trinity Orthodox Church". Discover Kyrgyzstan.
- ^ a b "Trinity Orthodox Church". Central Asia Travel.
- ^ a b "Trinity Church in Karakol". Silk Road Adventures.
- ^ a b c "Holy Trinity Church 1895 year". save-karakol.tilda.ws.
- ^ a b c d e f "Holy Trinity Orthodox Church". Visit Karakol.
- ^ "Христианство. Храм Святой Троицы". Union of Photojournalists of Kyrgyzstan.