Church of the Twelve Apostles

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The Patriarchal Chambers and the Church of the Twelve Apostles
Патриаршие палаты и церковь Двенадцати апостолов
55°45′05″N 37°37′03″E / 55.7514°N 37.6175°E / 55.7514; 37.6175
Location	Moscow
Country	Russia
Denomination	Russian Orthodox
Website	http://www.kreml.ru/ru/main/museums/patriarchal/
History
Founder(s)	Patriarch Nikon of Moscow
Consecrated	1656
Architecture
Architectural type	Russian
Style	Russian

The Patriarchal Chambers and the Church of the Twelve Apostles (Russian: церковь Двенадцати Апостолов, romanized: tserkov' Dvenadtsati Apostolov) is a minor cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, commissioned by Patriarch Nikon as part of his stately residence in 1653 and dedicated to Philip the Apostle three years later. Today, it is used by Moscow Kremlin Museums.

The church is almost as prominent as neighbouring grand cathedrals of the 15th century, due to its placement upon a high podium, pierced by two large arches allowing passage from the Cathedral Square to the patriarch's courtyard. The exterior walls are decorated with two belts of columned arches which reference both the neighbouring cathedrals of the Cathedral Square and the great churches of the 12th-century Vladimir-Suzdal school which had been their inspiration. The rigorous outline of five helmeted domes, in keeping with Nikon's conservative architectural tastes, serves to accentuate the church's Byzantine pedigree.