Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Work on this project began with changes in the architectural design of the parish center. According to the specifications, we could not change the planning solution, tectonics of the main space, the shape of the dome with the drum and the master plan. Therefore, the entire design process was built within strictly set limits. However, based on the original materials with which the customer came, we still managed to bring the temple to its proper appearance.

The church is being built on the site of the former POW camp Stalag-352 (1941-1944), where more than 80000 people died. There is a memorial and mass graves near the territory of the church.

The church is designed to host 500 parishioners with a lower church for 100 people and a small baptistery in the basement. There is a parish house with a school and a museum and an entrance area with a bell tower next to it.

Project: Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Location: Timiryazeva St., Minsk, Belarus
Capacity: 500 people
Total area of the church: 805 m²
Stage: construction project
Year: 2015

We changed the facades of the temple and the base of the drum by placing an octagon on the quadruple on which the drum itself stands. Also, it slightly decreased in diameter. Some decorative elements, such as pilasters, cornices, etc., were added to the church. We changed the entrance portal to the narthex. We introduced minor changes to the layout to meet all necessary standards. Access ramp was replaced by an elevator that provides barrier-free access to the ground level and the lower temple.
We also changed the facades of the parish house and worked out the floor plans in detail. The tectonics and proportions of the bell tower were changed.

The first draft proposed a solution to make the drum with the dome and the windows cut into the roof of the kliros. However, it was an obligatory condition of the design to follow the given shape of the dome planted on the drum in a straight line without arches.