Internet and Moscow History: Unique documents about Moscow 20 destroyed churches and chapels released

Moscow's Main Archival Directorate and the State Real Estate Inspection launched a project to collect unique documents about the historical appearance of the capital. They discovered design plans and specifications of 20 Moscow churches and chapels during the first two months of joint work. These churches and chapels were destroyed in the 1920s and 1930s.

All materials - plans, drawings, colour aquarelle paintings of facades - are already available online on the website of the Moscow's Main Archival Directorate in the Unique Documents section. Also soon they will enter the State Register of Unique Documents of the Moscow Archive Collection.

"Our joint educational project allows Moscow residents to imagine the city landscapes of the early XX century. Documents about 20 disassembled temples and chapels are of high historical value. Their publication introduces the residents to the gems of temple architecture, which do not exist. We plan to continue work and present new unique documents about Moscow", said Anastasia Rakova, Deputy Moscow Mayor for Social Development.

The project engages the specialists of Moscow's Main Archival Directorate, who look for historical documents and define their value. At the final stage, they select artefacts, which have historical significance and exist in a single copy.