Temple of the Sign of the Virgin

Almost like a castle ... The Church of the Sign of the Mother of God in Dubrovitsy is an Orthodox church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God "The Sign". Located in the village of Dubrovitsy, Podolsk district, Moscow region. The central part of the architectural ensemble of the Dubrovitsy estate, which once belonged to representatives of the old noble families of the Morozovs, Golitsyns and Dmitrievs-Mamonovs.

The church was built of white stone on the high bank of the promontory formed by the confluence of the Desna and Pakhra rivers. The church is famous for its unique architecture, unusual for Russian architecture. The temple was built from 1690 to 1703. Presumably, foreign (possibly Italian) craftsmen, commissioned by Prince Golitsyn specifically for this purpose, participated in the construction.

The temple is decorated with sculptural images. In front of the main entrance, on the sides of the western staircase, there are two white stone sculptures. On the left side, Gregory the Theologian with a book and a raised hand, and on the right - John Chrysostom with a book and a miter at his feet. Directly above the entrance, on the roof of the western vestibule, is the statue of Basil the Great. The temple is crowned not by a tent, not by a helmet and not by a dome, but by a crown.

Peter I and his son Tsarevich Alexei were present at the opening and consecration of the temple, which was performed by the Exarch, Metropolitan Stephen (Yavorsky) of Ryazan and Murom on February 11 (old style), 1704. The celebrations on this occasion lasted a whole week and all local residents were invited to them. After that, Peter I, apparently, did not visit Dubrovitsy any more.