Peter and Paul Cathedral towers over the main square of Tarusa. Previously, this square was called Cathedral Square, and now Lenin Square. The cathedral with a high bell tower was built in 1790. At first, the size of the temple was smaller, but in the 19th century two side chapels were added to the sides, and the cathedral acquired its current appearance.
In 1779, there was a severe fire in Tarusa. All the buildings of the city were made of wood, so almost the entire city burned down. Only 23 houses survived. After that, Empress Catherine II ordered the city to be rebuilt, but according to a new regular plan. The wooden Church of St. Nicholas has been located on the site of the cathedral since the 16th century. It also burned down during the fire.
According to the new city plan, construction of a large stone cathedral began on the site of a wooden church in 1785. The architect of the Peter and Paul Cathedral was Ivan Yasnygin, who built many churches in the Kaluga province, including the Trinity Cathedral in Kaluga. He was the first in Russia to design a dome with a diameter of 17 meters. Before him, all the domes of Russian churches were much smaller. In March 1790, Tarusa Cathedral was consecrated in honor of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
In 1930, the Peter and Paul Cathedral of Tarusa was closed. In 1937, the Communists destroyed the bell tower, but decided to give the building of the cathedral itself to the House of Pioneers. This allowed the temple to be preserved. In the 1990s, believers repeatedly appealed to the city administration with a request to return the church building, and in 1999 this happened.
In the early 2000s, the restoration of the cathedral began, and by 2004 the Peter and Paul Cathedral had regained its original appearance. On the facade of the cathedral, as well as inside near the altar, you can see beautiful icons laid out using the technology of Byzantine mosaics.
