Fili church Moscow is the best-known reason to come to this western district: the Church of the Intercession at Fili, a red and white Naryshkin Baroque church with golden domes, completed in 1694 for the boyar Lev Naryshkin, the uncle of Peter the Great. It was the first church built in the style that now carries the family’s name.
Fili was a village between the Moskva River and Poklonnaya Hill, first mentioned in 1627, and it entered the city of Moscow in 1935. In September 1812 Kutuzov held a military council in a wooden hut here and decided to abandon Moscow. Today the area is a residential district served by Fili metro station on Line 4, and the church stands a short walk away.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Фили |
|---|---|
| Address | Church of the Intercession at Fili, Novozavodskaya Street 6, Moscow |
| District | Filyovsky Park |
| Metro | Fili (Filyovskaya Line (Line 4, light blue), The nearest station to the church and the old village; a short walk of roughly 10 minutes by one guide's estimate; the exit and the exact time were not verified) |
| Opening hours | The church is a museum branch and an active church in one account, with hours and services that were not verified; the surrounding park and streets are public.
(as of October 2026 – check the official site) |
| Admission | No admission price was verified for the church. The surrounding streets and park are free to walk. |
| Best time to visit | The church can be seen from outside all year, and it is best on a clear day when the red walls and golden domes stand out, in spring to autumn. Interior access depends on the museum's hours. Crowd patterns were not verified. |
| Recommended duration | 1 to 2 hours |
| Website | pokrov-fili.ru |
| Last updated | October 7, 2026 |
What Is (and Isn't) Part of a Visit to Fili?
| Part | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Church exterior and park | Included in the standard ticket | Public streets and park, free to walk. |
| Church of the Intercession interior | Separate ticket or institution | A museum branch and church with its own hours and rules, not verified. |
| Site of the council of 1812 | Outside / not part of it | In the old village; its marking was not verified. |
| Filyovsky Park | Included in the standard ticket | A public park, free to walk. |
| Victory Park and Poklonnaya Hill | Outside / not part of it | A neighboring area with its own sights and rules. |
| Kuntsevo and Dorogomilovo | Outside / not part of it | Neighboring districts with their own guides. |
Why Visit Fili?
The Church of the Intercession is a rare surviving example of the Naryshkin Baroque style: an octagon on a cube with four corner chapels, red walls with white-stone carving and golden domes, set in a quiet park far from the center. It contains two churches in one, a winter church in the basement and a summer church above it.
Fili also carries a famous moment of 1812, the council in which Kutuzov insisted on abandoning Moscow to save the army. The visit is short, and the church is easy to combine with Victory Park, Dorogomilovo or Kuntsevo on the same day. Entry to the surroundings is free, and the church’s hours and tickets should be checked on its own site.
How Fili Is Laid Out
The old village of Fili lay between the Moskva River and Poklonnaya Hill, near today’s Fili metro station and the Church of the Intercession. The Filyovsky Park District administers the territory, and the Fili-Davydkovo District lies to the south-west of the historic Fili.
The church stands at Novozavodskaya Street 6, in its own small park with trees. The area around it is a residential district, and the Moskva River bank and Filyovsky Park lie to the north and west. The site of the Kutuzov council is in the old village, and its marking and any museum should be checked on a map.
A sensible visit starts at the Fili station, walks to the church, looks at the exterior and the interior if it is open, and walks through the park, with Victory Park or Dorogomilovo as a follow-up.
Highlights of Fili
The Church of the Intercession
The church was built between 1689 and 1694 on the estate of the boyar Lev Naryshkin, who acquired Fili in 1689, and it replaced a wooden church of 1619. It is the first church in the Naryshkin Baroque style, with a presumed architect, Yakov Bukhvostov. Look for the red walls, the white-stone carved window frames and borders and the golden domes. It is a museum branch and a church, so check access.
Tip: See the exterior from the park first, since the whole tiered shape shows best from a distance.
The two churches in one
The building holds two churches: a winter, heated Intercession church in the basement and, above it, a summer, unheated Church of the Saviour Not Made by Hands. This is why the exterior has two tiers and several levels of stairs. Inside, the original carved iconostasis was lost in 1812, when French troops used the church as stables, though some icons from 1693 to 1694 are described by a guide.
Tip: If the interior is open, ask which level is accessible.
The Naryshkin Baroque decoration
The church is an octagon on a cube with four corner side chapels, and its decoration, with white stone carving against red walls and gold domes, is the reason it is called a jewel of Moscow Baroque. The style spread from here to other churches in Moscow, such as the Vysokopetrovsky Monastery in the center. It is the best surviving example of the style in the city.
Tip: Compare the carving with the Vysokopetrovsky Monastery in the center for context.
The council at Fili
After the Battle of Borodino on 7 September 1812 the Russian army retreated east and camped near Fili on 12 September. A military council led by General Kutuzov met in a wooden hut in Fili, and, despite objections from younger generals, Kutuzov insisted on abandoning Moscow to save the rest of the army. What marks the site today was not verified.
Tip: Check a map and a museum listing before you look for the site.
Filyovsky Park and the river bank
The Filyovsky Park District has green areas along the Moskva River, which the village lay beside. It gives space for a walk before or after the church. Its paths, events and rules were not verified.
Tip: Bring a map, since the park is large and the church is on its edge.
Victory Park next door
Poklonnaya Hill, with Victory Park and the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, lies between Fili and Kutuzovsky Prospekt, close to the old village. It is not part of Fili but is the best-known sight nearby and easy to combine. Check its own hours and rules.
Tip: Plan Victory Park as its own half day.
Atmosphere
Fili is quiet and residential, with apartment blocks around a small park where the red and white church stands, bright against the trees even on an overcast day. The sounds are birds and distant traffic, and the stairs and the golden domes give the church a festive look.
By day the park has walkers and a few visitors, and the district is calm in the evening. The contrast between the 17th-century church and the modern buildings is part of the scene. The crowd varies by day and season, and no figures were verified.
History of Fili
The village of Fili lay between the Moskva River and Poklonnaya Hill, and its first mention dates from 1627. A wooden church of the Intercession was established in 1619, when the estate belonged to the Mstislavsky family, according to a guide.
In 1689 Fili was acquired by Lev Kirillovich Naryshkin, brother of Natalia Naryshkina and uncle of Peter I. Two of Naryshkin’s brothers were murdered during the Moscow Uprising of 1682, and it is believed that Natalia saved Lev from the same fate and that he vowed to dedicate the church to his late brothers. The new church was built between 1689 and 1694 in the form of an octagon on a cube, with four corner chapels, with donations from Peter I. It was the first church in the style now called Naryshkin Baroque, and its presumed architect was Yakov Bukhvostov.
The church holds two churches: a winter Intercession church in the basement and a summer, unheated Church of the Saviour Not Made by Hands above it. Many of the icons were painted in 1693 to 1694.
After the Battle of Borodino on 7 September 1812 the Russian army retreated east and camped near Fili on 12 September. A military council, led by General Kutuzov, assembled in a wooden hut in Fili, and despite objections from younger generals such as Pyotr Konovnitsyn, Kutuzov insisted on abandoning Moscow, saving what remained of the Russian army. The church was damaged by French troops, who used it as stables, and the carved iconostasis was destroyed.
The territory has belonged to the city of Moscow since 1935. The church was closed in the Soviet period, in 1930 according to one source and 1941 according to another, and it was looted. It was restored in the 1950s and, since 1980, has been a branch of the Andrei Rublev Museum of Early Russian Culture and Art. Accounts differ on whether services are held.
Today Fili is a residential district served by the Fili metro station on the Filyovskaya Line, and the Church of the Intercession is its landmark.
Legends and Myths about Fili
Naryshkin's vow for his brothers
Disputed by historians. A common story says that Lev Naryshkin built the church in memory of his two brothers killed in the Moscow Uprising of 1682 and that his sister Natalia saved him from the same fate. The tale is repeated in guides and encyclopedias as what is believed, but no document confirms his vow, so historians treat it as tradition.
Tickets and Booking for Fili
There is no ticket for the park or the streets. The Church of the Intercession is a branch of the Andrei Rublev Museum and, according to some accounts, also a church, and no ticket price, hour or booking rule was verified for this guide. Check the church’s own site, pokrov-fili.ru, before you plan a visit, and dress modestly in case it is open.
- Neighboring venues: Victory Park, with its own rules, and the Dorogomilovo and Kuntsevo guides are close by.
- Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict some Russian payment services, so check this yourself.
Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ at most venues, so check the church’s own page for all categories.
Plan and Book
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Suggested Itineraries for Fili
1 hour
Come out at Fili and walk to the church. Look at the exterior, the carving and the domes, and walk around the park.
2 hours
Follow the 1-hour route and add the interior if it is open, planned with its hours. Walk toward the river bank afterward.
Half day
Add Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill, or Dorogomilovo or Kuntsevo, with their own guides. Check venue hours first.
How to Get to Fili
The nearest station is Fili on the Filyovskaya Line (Line 4), and a guide describes a short walk to the church, roughly 10 minutes. The church is at Novozavodskaya Street 6. The exit and exact walking time were not verified.
- Metro: use Fili for the church; the metro guides on this site explain the lines.
- Taxi: the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options.
Accessibility
No accessibility information was found. The church has stairs between its levels, as far as is known, and the park paths vary, so check with the museum about access before you go.
Food Nearby
Cafes and shops are around the Fili metro station and along the main streets of the district. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check opening hours and menus on site.
What to Bring
Comfortable shoes for the walk, modest clothing in case the church is open and rubles in cash for small purchases, since foreign cards are reported not to work.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Fili
The church from the park
The red church with white stone carving and golden domes, framed by trees. The tiers and the domes show best from a distance.
Best time: Morning light.
The carved window frames
The white stone borders against the red wall, seen close up. The detail is the main attraction of the style.
Best time: Midday.
The church in autumn
The red and gold church among yellow leaves in the park. The colors reinforce each other.
Best time: Autumn.
Photography Rules
No general photography rules were found. The interior of the church is a museum and may restrict photography, so look for signs and ask the staff, and avoid flash. Drone rules in Moscow are strict and were not checked.
Family Suitability
The church and the park suit a short family stop, and the colorful building interests children. There are few other attractions for young children. Stroller access in the park and the church was not verified.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- See the church from the park before going close, since the whole shape shows best from a distance.
- Check whether the interior is open before you go, since it is a museum branch and its hours may differ from the church's.
- Do not confuse Fili with the Fili-Davydkovo District to the south-west; the church is in the Filyovsky Park District.
- Compare the church with the Vysokopetrovsky Monastery in the center to see the Naryshkin Baroque style in a second building.
- Combine with Victory Park, since the two are close.
- Read about the council of 1812 before you go, since the site is not obvious.
Explore Nearby Fili
Sights near Fili
Victory Park Moscowabout 2.3 km away · typical visit: 2–4 hours; longer with the museumMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Fili Park Moscowabout 1.3 km away (~21 min walk) · typical visit: About 2 to 3 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Church of the Intercession at Fili Moscowabout 50 m away (~1 min walk) · typical visit: About 45 minutes to 1 hourMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Only Love Is Above Observation Deck Moscowabout 1.5 km away (~24 min walk) · typical visit: 45–90 minutesMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Borodino Battle Panorama Museum Moscowabout 1.5 km away (~25 min walk) · typical visit: About 1.5 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
PANORAMA360 Moscowabout 1.7 km away (~28 min walk) · typical visit: About 1 to 2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Fili
Fili Metro Stationabout 600 m away (~10 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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Browse more: More in Filyovsky Park · All Neighborhoods
FAQ: Fili
What is the Church of the Intercession at Fili?
A church built in 1689 to 1694, the first in the Naryshkin Baroque style.
Who built it?
It was commissioned by the boyar Lev Naryshkin; the architect is presumed to be Yakov Bukhvostov.
Can I go inside?
Access was not verified; the church is a museum branch, so check its site.
What happened at Fili in 1812?
Kutuzov held the military council that decided to abandon Moscow.
Which metro station is the nearest?
Fili, on Line 4.
Is Fili the same as Fili-Davydkovo?
No, Fili-Davydkovo is a separate district to the south-west.
Is there an entrance fee?
Not verified; the park is free.
How long does a visit take?
About 1 to 2 hours.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.
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