View source for Ascension Cathedral, Almaty

{{Infobox church
| name                   = Ascension Cathedral
| fullname               = {{Lang|ru|Вознесенский собор}}
| image                  = Zenkov cathedral.jpg
| image size             = 340px
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| location               = [[Almaty]]
| country                = [[Kazakhstan]]
| denomination           = [[Russian Orthodox]]
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| consecrated date       = 1907
| cult                   = 
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| style                  = [[Ukrainian baroque]]
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The '''Ascension Cathedral''' ({{lang-ru|Вознесенский собор, ''Voznesenskij sobor''}}), also known as '''Zenkov Cathedral,''' is a [[Russian Orthodox]] [[cathedral]] located in [[Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, Almaty|Panfilov Park]] in [[Almaty]], [[Kazakhstan]]. Completed in 1907, it is claimed to be the second tallest wooden building in the world,<ref>Ness, Immanuel. ''Encyclopedia of World Cities''. M E Sharpe Reference, 1999. ISBN 0-7656-8017-3. p. 19.</ref> but the church of Sapânta and the monasteries of Bârsana and Peri, all in Maramures, Romania, are now all higher.<ref>Burford, Tim & Longley, Norm ''The Rough Guide to Romania''. Rough Guides, 201. ISBN 978-1-84836-887-3. p. 287.</ref>

==History==
[[File:Ascension Cathedral 1907.jpg|thumb|240px|left|Opening ceremony of the cathedral 1907]]
In the late 19th century the first bishops of the [[Russian Turkistan|Turkistan]] [[eparchy]] discussed the need for a Russian Orthodox Church in Almaty. On September 26, 1903 the bishop of Turkestan and [[Tashkent]], Paisii (Vinogradov) consecrated the foundation of the church. Construction lasted  between 1904 and 1907. The [[Bell tower|belfry]] was erected on September 14, 1906. The cathedral survived the [[1911 Kebin earthquake|1911 earthquake]] with minimal damage, even though it was built without any nails, which some bishops attributed to divine intervention,<ref name=doc>Zhamkhanova, K. A., A. K. Botanov, and Manash Kabashevich Kozybaev. ''Pamiatniki istorii i kulʹtury Almaty: katalog dokumentov''. Almaty: Izd-vo Ȯner, 2003. ISBN 9965-595-57-7. p. 39.</ref> although some credit might also be given to the advanced anti-earthquake techniques invented or employed by the architect, Andrei Pavlovich Zenkov.<ref>Dombrovsky, Yury "Khranitel Drevnostey" 1964, trans. as "The Keeper of Antiquities" Longmans 1969, pp. 18, 19</ref>

The inner structure of the cathedral was made in the artistic workshops of [[Moscow]] and [[Kiev]]. The [[iconostasis]] was painted by N. Khludov. After the [[Russian Revolution (1917)|Russian Revolution]] the cathedral was used to house the Central State Museum of the [[Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic]]. From 1930 to 1940 it was used by important public organizations. The first radio transmitters in Almaty were situated in the cathedral's belfry.<ref name=doc/>

[[File:Zenkov Cathedral Winter.jpg|thumb|220px|Front View of the cathedral during winter]]
Restoration work on the cathedral began in 1973 and lasted until 1976. In May 1995 control of the cathedral was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, and after additional restoration work it was reopened for religious services in 1997.<ref>[http://www.medeu.almaty.kz/page.php?page_id=269&lang=1&parent_id=260 Свято-Вознесенский кафедральный собор] Аппарат акима Медеуского района {{ru icon}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110326193601/http://quest3d.kz:80/raznoe.html 3D learning game about Ascension Cathedral]

{{Coord|43.258789|N|76.953160|E|source:ruwiki_region:KZ_type:landmark|format=dms|display=title}}
[[Category:Cathedrals in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Almaty]]
[[Category:Eastern Orthodox church buildings in Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Russian Orthodox cathedrals in Asia]]
[[Category:Churches completed in 1903]]
[[Category:Russian Revival architecture]]
[[Category:UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards winners]]


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