THE TACIT WITNESSES OF HISTORY: THE FATE OF THE TEMPLE IN LISINO AS A REFLECTION OF THE TRAGEDY AND REVIVAL OF RUSSIAN STATEHOOD

Damshin Maxim Vladimirovich

This article examines the historical fate and architectural and cultural significance of the church in Lisino, built in 1862 according to the designs of architect N.L. Benois. Particular attention is paid to the church's role as a witness to key historical periods in our country, tracing the relationship between its fate and the changing eras. Three key aspects are highlighted: the church's role as a spiritual center and the site of important diplomatic negotiations (in particular, meetings between Alexander II and Chancellor Bismarck, which influenced the revision of the terms of the 1856 Treaty of Paris) in Imperial Russia; the tragic period of desolation and destruction during the Soviet era and the World War II; and the church's restoration after 1991 as a symbol of the country's and its national and cultural identity’s renaissance.

Keywords:Church in Lisino, Alexander II, N.L. Benois, Treaty of Paris, A.M. Gorchakov, Otto von Bismarck, history of Orthodox churches).