The Nicholas-Zaretsky Church of the Nativity of Christ

The Nicholas-Zaretsky Church of the Nativity of Christ located near the heart of Tula has been the parish church of Zarechensky district inhabitants for more than four hundred years. Of course, it was not built that large and made in stone as it is now. The Nicholas-Zaretsky Church owes its today's appearance to the most prominent of its parishioners, the Demidov dynasty. The heir to the legendary Nikita Demidov, Akinfiy, is the founder of the stone church. The church was consecrated as it was built; the lower limit, devoted to Nicholas the Wonderworker, was built in 1730, and the upper limit, devoted to the Nativity of the Savior, was built in 1734. That's why the church is named after both the Nativity of Christ and St. Nicholas.

200 years later, the Bolsheviks closed the church; it opened its doors only in 1999. However, the church was restored before that in 1995, and the necropolis of the Demidov family opened for visitors a year later.

Akinfiy Demidov wanted to create a worthy temple for gunsmiths at Kuznetskaya Sloboda, who made an invaluable contribution to the Demidov dynasty. He invited an architect from the capital, approved a two-story project, and ordered a unique pistachio paint to paint the outer walls. The Nicholas-Zaretsky Church of the Nativity of Christ became and remains the largest church in the city.

Right next to it, the Demidov Museum and the Tula State Museum of Weapons are found. Hotel Sudar and Restaurant Pryanosti i Radosti both have an excellent view of the Church. The photos you can take there are very picturesque.

The Nicholas-Zaretsky Church of the Nativity of Christ is styled after the early Peter the Great Baroque with the lower floor rustication. The Church is a two-story quadrangle with a refectory and a freestanding octahedral bell tower.

It is located at Oruzheyny Lane, 12, and the best way to reach it is from Oktyabrskaya Street. We recommend visiting this sight, since the Church has a rich and fascinating history. You can find out everything about it if you visit the Demidov Necropolis Museum.