When Christianity was adopted in Rome in the 4th century AD, and the persecution of its representatives ended, church architecture began to develop. This process was largely influenced by the division of the Roman Empire into two parts - Western and Byzantine. This influenced the development of the basilica in the West. In the East, the Byzantine style of church architecture gained popularity. The latter is reflected in religious buildings in Rus'.

Types of Orthodox churches

There were several types of church architecture in Rus'. The temple in the shape of a cross was built as a symbol of the fact that the Cross of Christ is the foundation of the church. It was thanks to him that people were freed from the power of devilish forces.

If the architecture of cathedrals and churches is presented in a circular form, this symbolizes the infinity of the existence of the Church.

When the temple is built in the form of an eight-pointed star, it personifies the Star of Bethlehem, which led the Magi to where it was Jesus is born. The architecture of churches of this type is a symbol of the fact that human history is counted in seven long periods, and the eighth is eternity, the Kingdom of Heaven. This idea originated in Byzantium.

Often the architecture of Russian churches included buildings in the shape of ships. This is the most ancient variation of the temple. Such a building contains the idea that the temple saves believers, like a ship, from the waves of life.

In addition, architecture is often a mixture of these types. Religious buildings combine circular, cross and rectangular elements.

Byzantine traditions

In the East in the 5th-8th centuries it was popular in the architecture of temples and churches. Byzantine traditions also extended to worship. It was here that the foundations of the Orthodox faith were born.

Religious buildings here were different, but in Orthodoxy each temple reflected a certain creed. In any church architecture, certain conditions were observed. For example, each temple remained two- or three-part. For the most part, the Byzantine style of church architecture was manifested in rectangular shape buildings, figured roofing, vaulted ceilings with arches, pillars. It was reminiscent of the interior of a church in the catacombs. This style also passed into Russian church architecture, imbued with additional characteristic features.

In the middle of the dome was the Light of Jesus. Of course, the similarity of such buildings to catacombs is only general.

Sometimes churches - architectural monuments - have several domes at once. Orthodox places of worship always have crosses on their domes. By the time Orthodoxy was adopted in Rus', the cross-domed church became popular in Byzantium. He combined all the achievements in Orthodox architecture available at that time.

Cross-domed churches in Rus'

This type of church also developed in Byzantium. Subsequently, it began to dominate - this happened in the 9th century, and then was adopted by the rest of the Orthodox states. Some of the most famous Russian churches - architectural monuments - were built in this style. These include the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, St. Sophia of Novgorod, and the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir. They all copy the St. Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople.

For the most part, Russian architectural history is based on churches. And cross-domed structures play a leading role here. Not all variations of this style were widespread in Rus'. However, many examples of ancient buildings are of the cross-dome type.

A design of this kind transformed the very consciousness of ancient Russian people, drawing their attention to an in-depth contemplation of the universe.

Although many architectural features of Byzantine churches were preserved, churches built in Rus' from ancient times had many distinctive unique features.

White stone rectangular churches in Rus'

This type is closest to the Byzantine variations. The basis of such buildings is a square, which is complemented by an altar with semicircular apses and domes on a figured roof. The spheres here are replaced by helmet-shaped coverings of domes.

In the middle of small buildings of this type there are four pillars. They serve as support for the roof. This is the personification of the evangelists, the four cardinal directions. In the center of such a building there are 12 or more pillars. They form the signs of the Cross and divide the temple into symbolic parts.

Wooden temples in Rus'

In the 15th-17th centuries, a completely unique style of constructing religious buildings appeared in Russia, which was radically different from their Byzantine counterparts.

Rectangular buildings with semicircular apses appeared. Sometimes they were white stone, and sometimes they were brick. There were walkways around the walls. The roof was figured, with domes in the shape of poppies or bulbs placed on it.

The walls were decorated with elegant decoration, windows with stone carvings and tiled trims. A bell tower was placed near the temple or above its porch.

A lot of unique features of Russian architecture appeared in the wooden architecture of Rus'. In many ways, they appeared due to the characteristics of the tree. It is quite difficult to form a smooth dome shape from boards. For this reason, in wooden churches it was replaced by a pointed tent. In addition, the entire building took on the appearance of a tent. This is how unique buildings appeared, which had no analogues in the world - churches made of wood in the shape of large pointed wooden cones. The famous temples of the Kizhi churchyard are the brightest representatives of this style.

Stone tented churches in Rus'

Soon the features of wooden churches influenced stone architecture. Stone stones appeared. The highest achievement in a similar style was the Intercession Cathedral in Moscow. It is known as St. Basil's Cathedral. This intricate structure dates back to the 16th century.

This is a cruciform structure. The cross is formed by four main churches, which are located around the central one - the fifth. The last one is square, while the others are octagonal.

The tent style was popular for a very short period of time. In the 17th century, the authorities prohibited the construction of such buildings. They were bothered by the fact that they were very different from ordinary ship temples. Tent architecture is unique; it has no analogues in any culture in the world.

New stylistic forms

Russian churches were distinguished by their diversity in decoration, architecture, and decorations. Colorful glazed tiles have become especially popular. In the 17th century, Baroque elements began to dominate. Naryshkin Baroque put symmetry and completeness of multi-tiered compositions at the heart of everything.

The works of the capital's architects of the 17th century - O. Startsev, P. Potapov, Y. Bukhvostov and a number of others - stand out. They were some harbingers of the era of Peter's reforms.

The reforms of this emperor affected, among other things, the architectural traditions of the country. The architecture of the 17th century in Russia was determined by the fashion of Western Europe. There were attempts to achieve a balance between Byzantine traditions and new stylistic forms. This was reflected in the architecture of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, which combined ancient traditions and new trends.

During the construction of the Smolny Monastery in St. Petersburg, Rastrelli decided to reflect Orthodox traditions in the construction of monasteries. However, the organic combination did not work out. The 19th century saw a revival of interest in the architecture of the Byzantine era. It was only in the 20th century that attempts were made to return to medieval Russian architectural traditions.

Church of the Intercession on the Nerl

The architecture of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl is famous throughout the world. It is distinguished by lightness and lightness; it is a true masterpiece of the Vladimir-Suzdal architectural school. The grace manifested in the architecture of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl became possible thanks to the ideal combination of construction with environment- Russian nature. It is noteworthy that the temple is included in the UNESCO list of world monuments.

The building reflects the path upward, to God, and the road to it is a kind of pilgrimage. Information about the church is preserved in the Life of Andrei Bogolyubsky. It was erected in 1165, it was a memorial for the prince's son Izyaslav. He died in the war with Volga Bulgaria. According to legend, the white stones were transported here from the defeated Bulgarian principality.

It is noteworthy that descriptions of the architecture of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl contain many comparisons of this building with a white swan floating on the water. This is the bride standing at the altar.

All that remains of the building dating back to the 12th century is a square frame with a dome. Everything else turned out to be destroyed over time. The restoration took place in the 19th century.

The descriptions of the architectural monument contain information about the verticality of the walls. But due to the measured proportions, they look inclined; due to this optical effect, the building looks taller than it actually is.

The church has a simple, no-frills interior. The frescoes were knocked off the walls during the restoration in 1877. However, there is an iconostasis with icons.

There are many wall reliefs left on the outer surface. Biblical figures, birds, animals fly by here, and there are also masks. Central figure King David appears and reads the psalms. At his side is a lion, the personification of his power. There is a dove nearby - a sign of spirituality.

Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye

The first stone tent-type temple in Rus' is the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye. Its architecture reflects the influence of the Renaissance. It was erected by Vasily III in honor of the birth of his heir, Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible.

The architectural features of the Church of the Ascension are manifested in the cruciform shape of the building, which turns into an octagon. It, in turn, relies on high altitude tent It overshadows the interior space of the church. It is noteworthy that there are no pillars. The temple, distinguished by its expressive silhouette, is surrounded by a gallery with staircase descents. They are executed quite solemnly.

The church has a lot of additional details that migrated here from the Renaissance. At the same time, there are many features from the Gothic. Italian bricks, the connection of the building with the centric shape of the temples of Italy give a hint that this project was created by an Italian architect who worked at the court Vasily III. Accurate information about the author has not survived to this day, but, according to assumptions, it was Petrok Maloy. It was he who was the author of the Church of the Ascension in the Moscow Kremlin, the walls and towers of Kitay-Gorod.

Pskov-Novgorod churches

In addition to generally accepted world classifications, it must be taken into account that in each principality architecture acquired its own unique features. In the art of architecture there is never a pure style, and this division is also only conditional.

The following were evident in the architecture of Novgorod: distinctive features: most often the temples here had five domes, but there were also buildings with one dome. Their shape was cubic. They were decorated with arches and triangles.

Vladimir-Suzdal churches

Architecture flourished here during the times of Andrei Bogolyubsky and Vsevolod III. Then a church with a palace was erected here. They glorified the capital of the principality. Here stone was skillfully processed and techniques from wooden architecture were used.

In the 12th century, first-class structures made of high-quality white stone - limestone - rose here. The most ancient of them had simple decorations. The windows in the temples were narrow, they more likely resembled slits of loopholes rather than windows. The decoration of churches with stone carvings began in the 12th century. Sometimes it reflected folklore subjects, sometimes the Scythian “animal style”. The presence of Romanesque influences is also noted.

Kiev-Chernigov churches

The architecture of this principality reflects monumental historicism. It is divided into cathedral and tower-type architecture. Cathedral churches have circular galleries and a uniform rhythm of façade divisions. The architecture of this type is quite figurative, the symbolism is complex. For the most part, the buildings of this principality are represented by princely court buildings.

Smolensk-Polotsk churches

When Smolensk architecture was just developing, there were no architects here yet. Most likely, the first buildings here were erected thanks to the participation of Kiev or Chernigov residents. In Smolensk churches there are many marks on the ends of the bricks. This indicates that, most likely, Chernigov residents left their mark here.

The architecture of these cities is distinguished by its scope, which speaks in favor of the fact that in the 12th century they already had their own architects.

Smolensk architecture was popular in Rus'. Architects from here were called to many other ancient Russian lands. They also built buildings in Novgorod, which was the largest center in the country. But this rise was short-lived - it lasted 40 years. The thing is that in 1230 an epidemic broke out, after which the political situation in the city changed greatly. This was the end of the work of local architects.

Godunov style

Conventionally, temples in the style of Godunov classicism also stand out. These were churches built during the period when Boris Godunov (1598-1605) sat on the throne of Rus'. Then construction techniques were canonized, reflected in the symmetry and compactness of buildings.

In addition, Italian order elements have become popular. The Russian style turned out to be canonized in the Italian manner.

The variety of structures has decreased. But stylistic unity came to the fore. This manifested itself not only in Moscow, but throughout Rus'.

Patterned

The style called patterned is also noteworthy. It appeared only in the 17th century in Moscow. It is characterized by intricate shapes, decor, and complex compositions. Silhouettes in this style are incredibly picturesque. Patterning is associated with pagan roots and the late Renaissance in Italy.

For the most part, buildings in this style are represented by churches with closed vaults, without pillars and with high refectories. They have a tent covering. The interior is unusually rich in colored ornaments. There is a lot of decor inside.

Stroganov churches

Churches built in the Stroganov style also gained great fame. It appeared in the 17th and 18th centuries. This style acquired its name thanks to G. Stroganov, since it was he who ordered such buildings. Here the traditional five-headed silhouette appeared. But baroque decor is applied on top of it.

Totem style

Baroque, which manifested itself most clearly in St. Petersburg, was also reflected in the buildings of the Russian north. In particular, in the city near Vologda - Totma. The uniqueness of the architecture of his buildings led to the emergence of the “Totem Baroque”. This style appeared in the 18th century; already in the next century there were at least 30 temples built in this style. But in the same century, many of them were rebuilt. At the moment, they are mostly destroyed or remain in disrepair. The features of this style were adopted during the sea voyages of local merchants. They were the customers of these churches.

Ustyug style

Some of the earliest religious buildings in Veliky Ustyug were buildings dating back to the 17th century. It was at that moment that the foundations of stone architecture began to appear here. The architectural style of this area flourished in the 17th century. Construction continued on its features for just over 100 years. During this time, many local architects appeared in Veliky Ustyug, who were distinguished by their great talent and unprecedented skill. They left behind many unique churches. At first, five-domed churches with side chapels were common. And in the 18th century, temples with a longitudinal axis gained popularity.

Ural temples

The Ural language also deserves special mention. architectural style. It appeared in the 18th century, during the era of Peter the Great. He strived for reforms, including in architecture. The main feature of this style was manifested in the five-domed structure on a tiered basis. For the most part, he borrowed features of Baroque and Classicism. In the Ural cities, buildings were often erected in the style of ancient Russian architecture. This demonstrated the uniqueness of Ural architecture.

Siberian style

Modernist traditions were reflected in their own way in the Siberian style. In many ways, features emerged here climatic conditions the region itself. Folk craftsmen formed their own special vision of the Siberian schools of modernity - Tyumen, Tomsk, Omsk and so on. They created their own unique mark among the monuments of Russian architecture.

Cross-domed churches

The cross-domed type of the temple (the entire central space of the temple in the plan forms a cross) was borrowed from Byzantium. As a rule, it is rectangular in plan, and all its shapes, gradually descending from the central dome, form a pyramidal composition. The light drum of a cross-domed church usually rests on a pylon - four load-bearing massive pillars in the center of the building - from where four vaulted “sleeves” radiate. The semi-cylindrical vaults adjacent to the dome, intersecting, form an equilateral cross. In its original form, the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv represented a clear cross-dome composition. Classic examples cross-domed churches - the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the Church of the Transfiguration in Veliky Novgorod.

Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Church of the Transfiguration in Veliky Novgorod

In my own way appearance cross-domed churches are a rectangular volume. On the eastern side, in the altar part of the temple, apses were attached to it. Along with modestly decorated temples of this type, there were also those that amazed with the richness and splendor of their external design. An example again is Sophia of Kiev, which had open arches, external galleries, decorative niches, semi-columns, slate cornices, etc.

The traditions of building cross-domed churches were continued in the church architecture of North-Eastern Rus' (Assumption and Demetrius Cathedrals in Vladimir, etc.) Their external design is characterized by: zakomaras, arcature, pilasters, and spindles.

Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir

Demetrius Cathedrals in Vladimir

Tent temples

Tent churches are classics of Russian architecture. An example of this kind of temple is the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye (Moscow), recreating the “octagon on a quadrangle” design accepted in wooden architecture.

Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye

An octagon - a structure, octagonal in plan, or part of a structure, was placed on a quadrangular base - a quadrangle. The octagonal tent organically grows from the quadrangular building of the temple.

The main distinguishing feature of a tent temple is the tent itself, i.e. tent covering, roofing in the form of a tetrahedral or multifaceted pyramid. The cladding of domes, tents and other parts of the building could be made with a ploughshare - oblong, sometimes curved wooden planks with teeth along the edges. This elegant element is borrowed from ancient Russian wooden architecture.

The temple is surrounded on all sides by gulbischami - this is how galleries or terraces were called in Russian architecture, surrounding the building, as a rule, at the level of the lower floor - the basement. Rows of kokoshniks - decorative zakomaras - were used as external decoration.

The tent was used not only to cover churches, but also to complete bell towers, towers, porches and other buildings, both religious and secular, secular in nature.

Tiered temples

Temples, consisting of parts and sections placed on top of each other and gradually decreasing towards the top, are called tiered in architecture.

You can get an idea of ​​them by carefully examining the famous Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary in Fili. There are six tiers in total, including the basement. The top two, not glazed, are intended for bells.

Church of the Intercession of the Virgin Mary in Fili

The temple is replete with rich external decor: various kinds of columns, platbands, cornices, carved blades - vertical flat and narrow projections in the wall, brick linings.

Rotunda churches

Rotunda churches are round (rotunda in Latin means round) in terms of construction, similar to secular buildings: a residential building, pavilion, hall, etc.

Vivid examples of churches of this type are the Church of Metropolitan Peter of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery in Moscow, the Smolensk Church of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. In rotunda churches, architectural elements such as a porch with columns or columns along the walls in a circle are often found.

Church of Metropolitan Peter of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery

Smolensk Church of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra

The most common in Ancient Rus' were rotunda temples, round at the base, symbolizing eternal life in heaven, the main components of the external design of which were: a base, apses, a drum, a valance, a dome, sails and a cross.

Temples - “ships”

The cubic temple, connected to the bell tower by a rectangular building, looks like a ship.

This is why this type of church is called a “ship” church. This is an architectural metaphor: the temple is a ship on which you can set sail on the worldly sea full of dangers and temptations. An example of such a temple is the Church of Dmitry on the Spilled Blood in Uglich.

Church of St. Dmitry on Spilled Blood in Uglich

DICTIONARY OF ARCHITECTURAL TERMS

Temple interior

The internal space of the temple is organized by the so-called naves (nave translated from French as ship) - the longitudinal parts of the temple premises. A building may have several naves: central, or main (from the entrance door to the place of the singers in front of the iconostasis), side naves (they, like the central one, are longitudinal, but, unlike it, less wide and high) and transverse. The naves are separated from each other by rows of columns, pillars or arches.

The center of the temple is the space under the dome, illuminated by natural daylight penetrating through the windows of the drum.

In my own way internal structure any Orthodox church consists of three main parts: the altar, the middle part of the temple and the vestibule.

Altar(1) (translated from Latin - altar) is located in the eastern (main) part of the temple and symbolizes the realm of God's existence. The altar is separated from the rest of the interior by a high iconostasis(2). According to ancient tradition, only men can be in the altar. Over time, the presence in this part of the temple was limited only to clergy and a select circle of people. In the altar there is the holy altar (the table on which the Gospel and the cross lie) - the place of the invisible presence of God. It is next to the Holy Throne that the most important events take place. church services. The presence or absence of an altar distinguishes a church from a chapel. The latter has an iconostasis, but no altar.

The middle (central) part of the temple makes up its main volume. Here, during the service, parishioners gather for prayer. This part of the temple symbolizes the heavenly region, the angelic world, the refuge of the righteous.

The narthex (pre-temple) is an extension on the western, less often on the northern or southern side of the temple. The vestibule is separated from the rest of the temple by a blank wall. The porch symbolizes the area of ​​earthly existence. Otherwise it is called a refectory, because church holidays feasts are held here. During the service, persons intending to accept the faith of Christ, as well as people of other faiths, are allowed into the vestibule - “for listening and teaching.” The outer part of the vestibule - the porch of the temple (3) - is called porch. Since ancient times, the poor and wretched have gathered on the porch and asked for alms. On the porch above the entrance to the temple there is an icon with the face of that saint or with the image of that sacred event to which the temple is dedicated.

Solea(4) - the elevated part of the floor in front of the iconostasis.

Pulpit(5) - the central part of the solea, protruding in a semicircle into the center of the temple and located opposite the Royal Gate. The pulpit serves for delivering sermons and reading the Gospel.

Choir(6) - a place in the temple located at both ends of the solea and intended for the clergy (singers).

Sail(7) - elements of the dome structure in the form of spherical triangles. With the help of sails, a transition is provided from the circumference of the dome or its base - the drum to the rectangular space under the dome. They also take over the distribution of the load of the dome on the sub-dome pillars. In addition to sail vaults, vaults with load-bearing stripping are known - a recess in the vault (above a door or window opening) in the form of a spherical triangle with an apex below the top point of the vault and stepped vaults.

Throne(18)

High place and throne for hierarchs (19)

Altar (20)

Royal Doors (21)

Deacon's Gate (22)

Exterior decoration temple

Apse(8) (translated from Greek - vault, arch) - semicircular protruding parts of the building that have their own ceiling.

Drum(9) - a cylindrical or multifaceted upper part of a building, crowned with a dome.

Valance(10) - decoration under the roof eaves in the form of decorative wooden planks with blind or through threads, as well as metal (made of expanded iron) strips with a slotted pattern.

Dome (11) - a vault with a hemispherical, and then (from the 16th century) onion-shaped surface. One dome is a symbol of the unity of God, three symbolize the Holy Trinity, five - Jesus Christ and the four evangelists, seven - the seven church sacraments.

The cross (12) is the main symbol of Christianity, associated with the crucifixion (redemptive sacrifice) of Christ.

Zakomars (13) are semicircular or keel-shaped completions of the upper part of the wall, covering the spans of the vault.

Arcatura (14) - a series of small false arches on the facade or a belt that covers the walls along the perimeter.

Pilasters - decorative elements, dividing the facade and representing flat vertical projections on the surface of the wall.

Blades (15), or lysenes, are a type of pilasters, used in Russian medieval architecture as the main means of rhythmically dividing walls. The presence of blades is typical for temples of the pre-Mongol period.

The spindle (16) is a part of the wall between two shoulder blades, the semicircular end of which turns into a zakomara.

Base (17) - Bottom part outer wall building, lying on the foundation, usually thickened and protruding outward in relation to the upper part (church plinths can be either simple in the form of a slope - at the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir, or developed, profiled - at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin in Bogolyubovo).

Based on materials from the book by Vl. Solovyov “The Golden Book of Russian Culture”

Beautiful architecture of churches and temples!

"Church of St. Prince Igor of Chernigov in Peredelkino."

Church of the Transfiguration in Peredelkino

Nicholas the Wonderworker of Mozhaisk

Shorin's country estate in the town of Gorokhovets, Vladimir region. Built in 1902. Now this house is a center for folk art.

St. Vladimir's Cathedral.

The idea of ​​​​creating the Vladimir Cathedral in honor of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir belongs to Metropolitan Philaret Amfitheatrov. The work was entrusted to Alexander Beretti, the cathedral was founded on St. Vladimir's Day on July 15, 1862, construction was completed in 1882 by the architect Vladimir Nikolaev.

The Vladimir Cathedral gained fame as a monument of outstanding cultural significance mainly due to its unique paintings by outstanding artists: V. M. Vasnetsov, M. A. Vrubel, M. V. Nesterov, P. A. Svedomsky and V. A. Kotarbinsky under the general supervision of Professor A. V. Prakhova. The main role in the creation of the temple painting belongs to V. M. Vasnetsov. The ceremonial consecration of the Vladimir Cathedral took place on August 20, 1896 in the presence of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.

Novodevichy Convent.

Temple named after St. Cyril and St. Methodius"

Orthodox church in Biala Podlaska, Poland. It was built in the period 1985-1989.

The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel (Arkhangelsk Cathedral) in the Kremlin was the tomb of the great princes and Russian tsars. In the old days it was called the “Church of St. Michael on the square." In all likelihood, the first wooden Archangel Cathedral in the Kremlin arose on the site of the current one during the short reign of Alexander Nevsky's brother Mikhail Khorobrit in 1247-1248. According to legend, this was the second church in Moscow. Khorobrit himself, who died in 1248 in a skirmish with the Lithuanians, was buried in the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral. And the Moscow temple of the guardian of the gates of heaven, Archangel Michael, was destined to become the princely tomb of the Moscow princes. There is information that Mikhail Khorobrit's nephew, the founder of the dynasty of Moscow princes, Daniel, was buried near the southern wall of this cathedral. Daniel's son Yuri was buried in the same cathedral.
In 1333, another son of Daniel of Moscow, Ivan Kalita, built a new stone temple as a vow, in gratitude for delivering Rus' from famine. The existing cathedral was built in 1505-1508. under the leadership of the Italian architect Aleviz the New on the site of the old cathedral of the 14th century and consecrated on November 8, 1508 by Metropolitan Simon.
The temple has five domes, six pillars, five apses, eight aisles with a narrow room separated from it by a wall in the western part (on the second tier there are choirs intended for women of the royal family). Built of brick, decorated with white stone. In the treatment of the walls, motifs from the architecture of the Italian Renaissance were widely used (order pilasters with plant capitals, “shells” in zakomari, multi-profile cornices). Initially, the heads of the temple were covered with black-polished tiles, the walls were probably painted red, and the details were white. In the interior there are paintings from 1652-66 (Fyodor Zubov, Yakov Kazanets, Stepan Ryazanets, Joseph Vladimirov, etc.; restored in 1953-55) , carved wooden gilded iconostasis of the 17th-19th centuries. (height 13 m) with icons of the 15th-17th centuries, chandelier of the 17th century.The cathedral contains frescoes from the 15th-16th centuries, as well as a wooden iconostasis with icons from the 17th-19th centuries. The 16th-century murals were knocked down and painted again in 1652-1666 according to old copybooks by icon painters of the Armory Chamber (Yakov Kazanets, Stepan Ryazanets, Joseph Vladimirov).

"Orekhovo-Zuevo - Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary"

Palace of Alexei Mikhailovich in the village of Kolomenskoye

The ancient village of Kolomenskoye near Moscow stood out among other patrimonial possessions of Russian sovereigns - the grand ducal and royal country residences were located here. The most famous among them is the wooden palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (reigned 1645-1676)
The son of the first tsar from the Romanov dynasty, Mikhail Fedorovich, Alexei Mikhailovich, having ascended the throne, repeatedly rebuilt and consistently expanded his father’s residence near Moscow, which was associated with the growth of his family. He often visited Kolomenskoye, practiced falconry in its surroundings and held official ceremonies here.
In the 1660s. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich conceived large-scale changes to the Kolomna residence. The solemn ceremony of laying the foundation of the new palace, which began with a prayer service, took place on May 2-3, 1667. The palace was built from wood according to drawings, the work was carried out by an artel of carpenters under the leadership of the Streltsy head Ivan Mikhailov and the carpenter elder Semyon Petrov. From the winter of 1667 to the spring of 1668, carving work was carried out, in 1668 the doors were upholstered and paints were prepared for painting the palace, and in the summer season of 1669 the main icon-painting and painting works were completed. In the spring and summer of 1670, blacksmiths, iron carvers and locksmiths were already working in the palace. Having examined the palace, the king ordered the addition of picturesque images, which was done in 1670-1671. The Emperor closely monitored the progress of work, and throughout the construction he often came to Kolomenskoye and stayed there for a day. The final completion of the work occurred in the autumn of 1673. In the winter of 1672/1673, the palace was consecrated by Patriarch Pitirim; At the ceremony, Hieromonk Simeon of Polotsk said “Greetings” to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
The Kolomna Palace had an asymmetrical layout and consisted of independent and different-sized cells, the size and design of which corresponded to the hierarchical traditions of the family way of life. The cages were connected by vestibules and passages. The complex was divided into two halves: the male half, which included the tower of the king and princes and the front entrance, and the female half, consisting of the tower of the queen and princesses. In total there were 26 towers in the palace different heights- from two to four floors. The main living quarters were rooms on the second floor. In total, there were 270 chambers in the palace, which were illuminated by 3000 windows. When decorating the Kolomna Palace, for the first time in Russian wooden architecture, carved platbands and planking imitating stone were used. The principle of symmetry was actively used in the design of facades and interiors.
As a result of large-scale work in Kolomenskoye, a complex complex was created that shocked the imagination of both contemporaries and people of the “enlightened” 18th century. The palace was distinguished by its great decorativeness: the facades were decorated with intricate platbands, multi-colored carved details, figured compositions and had an elegant appearance.
In 1672-1675. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and his family regularly traveled to Kolomenskoye; Diplomatic receptions were often held in the palace. The new sovereign Fyodor Alekseevich (reigned 1676-1682) carried out the reconstruction of the palace. On May 8, 1681, carpenter Semyon Dementyev, a peasant of the boyar P.V. Sheremetev, began construction of a huge Dining Chamber instead of a dilapidated tumbledown building. The final appearance of this building was then captured in various engravings and paintings.
Kolomna Palace was loved by all subsequent rulers of Russia. In 1682-1696. he was visited by Tsars Peter and Ivan, as well as Princess Sofya Alekseevna. Peter and his mother, Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna, were here much more often than others. Under Peter I, a new foundation was laid under the palace.
Throughout the 18th century. the palace gradually deteriorated and collapsed despite all attempts to preserve it. In 1767, by decree of Empress Catherine II, dismantling of the palace began, which continued until approximately 1770. During the dismantling process, detailed plans of the palace were drawn up, which, together with inventories of the 18th century. and visual materials give a fairly complete picture of this remarkable monument of Russian architecture XVII V.
Now the palace has been recreated in a new location according to ancient drawings and images.

Chapel of Alexander Nevsky

The Alexander Nevsky Chapel was built in 1892. architect Pozdeev N.I. Characterized by perfection brickwork and elegant decor. Yaroslavl.
St. Andrew's Cathedral is a functioning Orthodox cathedral in Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg, standing at the intersection of Bolshoy Prospekt and the 6th line, an architectural monument of the 18th century. In 1729, the foundation stone of a wooden church built between 1729 and 1731 by the architect G. Trezzini took place. In 1744, St. Andrew's Church was renamed a cathedral. In 1761, the wooden St. Andrew's Cathedral burned to the ground as a result of a lightning strike.

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Nelazskoye. Built in 1696.

Church of the All-Merciful Savior in Kuskovo - the former home church of the Sheremetyev family, also known as the Church of the Origin of the Honest Trees Life-giving Cross The Lord's. Currently, it is part of the architectural and artistic ensemble of the Kuskovo estate. Kuskovo was first mentioned in the chronicles of the 16th century and already as the possession of the Sheremetyevs, whose family was one of the most noble in Russia. The first wooden house church has been known since 1624; the boyar courtyard and the courtyards of serfs were also located here. Around the same time, in 1646, Fyodor Ivanovich Sheremetyev built a large tented Assumption Church in the neighboring village of Veshnyakovo. In 1697-1699, Boris Petrovich Sheremetyev, together with John Pashkovsky, carried out diplomatic assignments of Peter I, traveled around Western Europe. According to legend, the Pope gave him a golden cross with a particle of the Tree of the Life-Giving Cross. This shrine was passed on by will to his son, Count Peter Borisovich Sheremetyev. Peter Borisovich, having inherited the Kuskovo estate after the death of his father, decided to reconstruct it so that it could amaze everyone with luxury and wealth. Construction began in 1737 with the construction of a new church. The main and only altar of the church was consecrated in honor of the Origin of the Honest Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. Since its construction, the church has not been rebuilt and has reached our time in its original form. It is considered one of the rare architectural monuments of Moscow in the “Anne Baroque” style, that is, the Baroque architectural style of the era of Anna Ioannovna].

In 1919, the estate received the status of a State Museum. The church building was converted into a museum utility rooms. The Church of the All-Merciful Savior was restored and re-consecrated in 1991.

The Staraya Russa Resurrection Cathedral was built on the site of a former wooden church, as can be seen from the description of the city of Staraya Russa. The original foundation of this church dates back to distant times. It was there before the Swedish destruction of the city of Staraya Russa, which took place in 1611-1617, and during the destruction it was left unharmed. When and by whom it was built is unknown, all that is known is that the Intercession Church, after the destruction (1611) by the Swedes of the Boris and Gleb Cathedral, built by Novgorod visiting merchants in 1403 and located near the Peter and Paul Church, on the north side, was instead of a cathedral. The wooden cathedral Church of the Intercession, due to its disrepair, was dismantled and in its place, on the right bank of the Polist River and at the mouth of the Pererytitsa River, church elder Moses Somrov built the current stone Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ with borders on the north side in the name of the Intercession Holy Mother of God, and from the south in the name of the Nativity of John the Baptist. Construction of the cathedral began in 1692 and was completed in 1696. The chapels were consecrated during the reign of Peter the Great (Pokrovskaya on October 8, 1697. The Church of the Resurrection of Christ was consecrated on July 1, 1708).

The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl was built in 1165. Historical sources connect its construction with the victorious campaign of the Vladimir regiments against Volga Bulgaria in 1164. It was on this campaign that the young Prince Izyaslav died. In memory of these events, Andrei Bogolyubsky founded the Intercession Church. According to some news, the white stone for the construction of the church was delivered as an indemnity by the defeated Volga Bulgars themselves. The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl is a masterpiece of world architecture. She is called the “white swan” of Russian architecture, a beauty, and is compared to a bride. This small, elegant building was built on a small hill, on a riverside meadow, where the Nerl flows into the Klyazma. In all of Russian architecture, which has created so many unsurpassed masterpieces, there is probably no more lyrical monument. This amazingly harmonious white stone temple, organically merging with the surrounding landscape, is called a poem captured in stone.

Kronstadt. Naval Cathedral.

Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

Cathedral Cathedral of Christ the Savior (Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ) in Moscow - Cathedral Russian Orthodox Church not far from the Kremlin on the left bank of the Moscow River.
The original temple was erected in gratitude for saving Russia from the Napoleonic invasion. It was built according to the design of the architect Konstantin Ton. Construction lasted almost 44 years: the temple was founded on September 23, 1839, consecrated on May 26, 1883.
On December 5, 1931, the temple building was destroyed. It was rebuilt in the same place in 1994-1997.

As if in contrast to the powerful volumes of the Resurrection Monastery, unknown masters created an elegantly proportioned, surprisingly slender church: an elegant hipped bell tower, a refectory, an elongated upward central five-domed cube of the temple, small single-domed chapels from the north and south.

All photographs and descriptions for them are taken from here http://fotki.yandex.ru/tag/%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%85%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BA% D1%82%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B0/?p=0&how=week

http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/gorodilowskaya-galya/view/707894/?page=12

Russian church architecture begins with the establishment of Christianity in Russia (988). Having accepted from the Greeks the faith, clergy and everything necessary for worship, we at the same time borrowed from them the form of temples. Our ancestors were baptized in the century when the Byzantine style dominated in Greece; therefore our ancient temples are built in this style. These churches were built in the main Russian cities: Kyiv, Novgorod, Pskov, Vladimir and Moscow.

Kyiv and Novgorod churches resemble Byzantine ones in plan - a rectangle with three altar semicircles. Inside are the usual four pillars, the same arches and domes. But despite the great similarity between ancient Russian temples and contemporary Greek ones, some differences in domes, windows and decorations are noticeable between them. In multi-domed Greek temples, the domes were placed on special pillars and on different heights Compared to the main dome, in Russian churches all domes were placed at the same height. The windows in Byzantine churches were large and frequent, while in Russian ones they were small and sparse. The cutouts for doors in Byzantine churches were horizontal, in Russians they were semicircular.

Large Greek churches sometimes had two porches - an internal one, intended for catechumens and penitents, and an external one (or porch), furnished with columns. In Russian churches, even large ones, there were only internal porches small sizes. In Greek temples, columns were a necessary accessory both in internal and external external parts; in Russian churches, due to the lack of marble and stone, there were no columns. Thanks to these differences, some experts call the Russian style not just Byzantine (Greek), but mixed - Russian-Greek.

In some churches in Novgorod, the walls end at the top with a pointed “gable”, similar to the gable on the roof of a village hut. There were few stone churches in Russia. Wooden churches, due to the abundance wood materials(especially in the northern regions of Russia), there was much more, and in the construction of these churches Russian craftsmen showed more taste and independence than in the construction of stone ones. The shape and plan of ancient wooden churches was either a square or an oblong quadrangle. The domes were either round or tower-shaped, sometimes in large numbers and of varied sizes.

A characteristic feature and difference between Russian domes and Greek domes is that above the dome under the cross there was a special dome, reminiscent of an onion. Moscow churches before the 15th century. They were usually built by masters from Novgorod, Vladimir and Suzdal and resembled temples of Kiev-Novgorod and Vladimir-Suzdal architecture. But these temples did not survive: they either finally perished from time, fires and Tatar destruction, or were rebuilt in a new way. Other temples built after the 15th century have survived. after being released from Tatar yoke and strengthening of the Moscow state. Beginning with the reign of Grand Duke John III (1462-1505), foreign builders and artists came to Russia and were invited, who, with the help of Russian craftsmen and according to the guidance of ancient Russian traditions of church architecture, created several historical churches. The most important of them are the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, where the sacred coronation of Russian sovereigns took place (the builder was the Italian Aristotle Fioravanti) and the Archangel Cathedral - the tomb of the Russian princes (the builder was the Italian Aloysius).

Over time, Russian builders developed their own national architectural style. The first type of Russian style is called “tent” or pole style. It is a type of several separate churches united into one church, each of which looks like a pillar or a tent, topped with a dome and dome. In addition to the massiveness of the pillars and columns in such a temple and large quantity domes in the form of onions, the features of the “tent” temple are the variegation and variety of colors of its external and internal parts. Examples of such churches are the church in the village of Dyakovo and St. Basil's Church in Moscow.

The time of distribution of the "tent" type in Russia ends in the 17th century; later, a reluctance towards this style and even a prohibition of it on the part of the spiritual authorities was noticed (perhaps due to its difference from the historical - Byzantine style). In the last decades of the 19th century. a revival of this type of temple is awakening. Several historical churches are being created in this form, for example, the Trinity Church of the St. Petersburg Society for the Propagation of Religious and Moral Education in the Spirit of the Orthodox Church and the Church of the Resurrection at the site of the assassination of the Tsar-Liberator - “Savior on Spilled Blood”.

In addition to the “tent” type, there are other forms of the national style: a quadrangle (cube) elongated in height, as a result of which upper and lower churches are often obtained, a two-part form: quadrangle at the bottom and octagonal at the top; a form formed by the layering of several square logs, of which each one above is narrower than the one below. During the reign of Emperor Nicholas I, for the construction of military churches in St. Petersburg, the architect K. Ton developed a monotonous style, called the “Ton” style, an example of which is the Church of the Annunciation in the Horse Guards Regiment.

Of the Western European styles (Romanesque, Gothic and Revival style), only the Revival style was used in the construction of Russian churches. The features of this style are seen in the two main cathedrals of St. Petersburg - Kazan and St. Isaac's. Other styles were used in the construction of churches of other faiths. Sometimes in the history of architecture a mixture of styles is noticed - Basilica and Byzantine, or Romanesque and Gothic.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, “house” churches, established in palaces and homes of rich people, at educational and government institutions and at almshouses, became widespread. Such churches can be close to the ancient Christian “ikos” and many of them, being richly and artistically painted, are a repository of Russian art.

architecture symbols Orthodox church

Classicism was a new direction in art, established at the state level. In church architecture, on the one hand, he demanded strict adherence to the language of forms and spatial-compositional solutions, on the other hand, he did not exclude a certain freedom of creative pursuits, which was widely used by Russian masters. This, ultimately, despite all the opposition of classicism to Russian traditions, led to the creation of majestic and uniquely beautiful monuments that enriched both Russian and world culture.

The formation of classicism in Russia began under Catherine II.

Being a pragmatic person, the empress in the first years of her reign demonstrated particular piety and reverence for church traditions. She, just like Elizaveta Petrovna, went on foot to the Holy Trinity Lavra, went to Kyiv to worship the saints of Pechersk, fasted and received communion with all her court staff. All this played a significant role in strengthening the personal authority of the empress, and “thanks to the constant tension of thought, she became an exceptional person in the Russian society of her time.”

Catherine II sought, following Peter I, to reshape Russian traditions according to European patterns

The architecture and art of this time were influenced by many various factors, which lay essentially outside their boundaries, but led to fundamental changes - the replacement of “Elizabethan Baroque” with classicism. First of all, it is necessary to point out Catherine’s deep hostility towards her predecessor on the throne: everything that was sweet and dear to one was not accepted and condemned by the other. The decisive reason that influenced the replacement of the general imperial baroque style with classicism was the desire of Catherine II to reshape, following in the footsteps of Peter I, Russian cultural and social traditions according to European models and patterns.

The temples founded in both capitals under Elizaveta Petrovna were completed in the Baroque style, but with the introduction of obvious elements of the new state direction in art into their appearance. The Russian imperial court accepted classicism as a system of international artistic culture, within the framework of which from now on domestic culture was to exist and develop. Thus, half a century later, the initiatives and ideas of Peter I in the field of architecture and art find their real embodiment.

However, it should be noted that our Fatherland also originally had European cultural roots: “The ancient tradition came to Rus' through Byzantium, which had already carried out its creative implementation in the Christian spirit - rethinking.” Our culture has always been part of the world, primarily European, Christian culture. A special part, but not closed, not isolated. The entire history of Russian architecture clearly demonstrates that there has never been “cultural loneliness.” Each era presented contemporaries with new architectural buildings, erected using not only technical innovations, but also stylistic and visual elements borrowed from outside. This can be proven by Moscow monuments of the late 15th - early 16th centuries, and examples of Moscow Baroque, and St. Petersburg buildings from the time of Peter I.

For the European self-awareness of that time, the very concept of “tradition” became something archaic

During the reign of Catherine II, for the first time (even if we do not forget about Peter’s innovations), church architecture was completely under the influence of consistent state pressure aimed at reorienting to Western secular models. For the European self-awareness of that time, the very concept of “tradition” became something archaic. It was the desire to consign to oblivion the philosophy of continuity of Russian tradition in architecture and art that became the main feature of the time when European classicism came to Russia.

In Europe, a return to culture Ancient Greece and Rome in the 18th century becomes a fundamentally new large-scale phenomenon that soon covered all Western countries. But if for them classicism (“neoclassicism”) was nothing more than a return to their own roots in creative quests, then for Russia it became an innovation, especially in church architecture. However, we note that the foundation of the tradition has still been preserved. So, what remains is the three-part construction of the temple, inherited from Byzantium.

Latently, unconsciously, new architectural elements were intertwined with original national ones. Let us pay attention: Russian wooden temple architecture in its construction striving for vertical forms. This was due to the use of the main building material- wood, logs. And such a basic architectural module as a column, so beloved by classicism, provided a visual (albeit somewhat conditional) parallel with the external elements of national wooden architecture.

Nevertheless, classicism significantly changed many things - not only in the appearance of churches, but also in the entire architectural environment.

Traditional Russian cities occupied vast areas due to extremely sparse buildings, which harmoniously included a natural landscape with gardens, vegetable gardens and even forests. All this gave the city, with its ornate interweaving of streets, alleys and dead ends, a unique flavor. At the same time, it was the temples that always acted as town-planning dominants, by which the main part of the city could be distinguished.

The general redevelopment of Russian cities, carried out in accordance with European urban planning guidelines, rationalized the space; at the same time, the existing stone temples gradually disappeared among new buildings, as a result of which they lost their dominant sound in the urban environment. As a result, the main guidelines of the socio-cultural space in which a person’s life attitudes were formed have shifted. Temples and church buildings remained, as before, as the dominant architectural structures only in rural areas.

Temple construction in Moscow during the reign of Catherine II was insignificant: mainly repair work was carried out on dilapidated buildings. In St. Petersburg, construction was still underway.

Soon after the coronation, Empress Catherine II began choosing a design for the new main cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery - by that time the temple had been dismantled due to dilapidation. IN Trinity Cathedral (1776-1790) Alexander Nevsky Lavra the philosophical ideas of European classical buildings were embodied as fully as possible. In addition, after the consecration of the cathedral, paintings by European artists on biblical themes were placed inside it, which gave everything interior decoration solemn and strict, but at the same time a palace look.

One of the few churches founded under Catherine II in St. Petersburg was (the third in a row). But of the elements of the new style in this cathedral, perhaps, there was only one thing - decorating the walls with marble. Such architectural ideas could not fully satisfy Catherine’s tastes, so construction moved extremely slowly: by the time Paul I ascended the throne, the temple had only been completed to the vaults.

The emergence of new church architecture in classic style was accompanied by almost universal reconstruction - in favor of the ideas of classicism - of already existing temples. This is the first time in the history of Russian church building that something like this has happened on such a large scale. First of all, the alterations everywhere affected the roof coverings of churches, which were replaced with a simple hipped roof, which, naturally, radically changed the entire architectural sound of the buildings. Old windows were cut out and new ones were cut, the architectural decoration of the platbands was removed, additional porticoes with columns were added, the facades were decorated with monumental paintings done in oil painting on canvas. Similar examples tens; Among the historically significant monuments that underwent restructuring, we will name the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir, as well as the Trinity Cathedral, the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit and the Church of St. Nikon of Radonezh in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. As historian E.E. points out. Golubinsky, during the time of Catherine II, all the fortress towers of the monastery were also rebuilt in a Western style, which changed the entire appearance of the ancient monastery almost beyond recognition. Such innovations did not enrich its overall appearance; it was a striking example of the inorganic addition of significant structures to buildings of one time. architectural elements another.

Artificial “grafting” of the ideas of classicism affected, in one way or another, almost all ancient Russian monuments. The wholesale reconstruction of churches became a demonstration of the indiscriminate and inappropriate absorption of national architectural ideas and images into the European tradition: what was original almost dissolved into oblivion, however, the new did not look at all organic or even aesthetically pleasing on ancient buildings.

The interior space of a traditional Russian church with its twilight and frescoes created conditions for prayerful repentance and sacred standing before God. And chipping away old windows and cutting through new windows created a different, rarefied air space in the interiors of ancient temples. In such a space, the fresco paintings, which consisted of large spots of color and reproduced symbols, the reading of which did not require examination and admiration, but called for prayerful deepening and spiritual peace, ceased to be properly perceived. The ancient practice of fresco painting itself became inappropriate with a new interpretation of sacred space. Previously, frescoes filled the entire temple, consistently telling about gospel events or events in the life of the Church. The ideas of the classicist decoration of the temple implied a fundamentally different initial task. The general space of the internal walls was freed from images as much as possible. Stories on various biblical themes were presented in the form of compositions not connected into a single narrative; they were “hung as separate canvases on the walls,” and each image was mounted in a decorative pictorial frame.

The interiors of churches were “corrected” to suit classicism, and the relationship between paintings, natural light and liturgical rites was disrupted

In fact, the complex relationship between fresco paintings, natural light and liturgical rites was disrupted. The interiors of the temples, “corrected” to the ideas of classicism and decorated with paintings done in oil technique and sometimes, unfortunately, not of the highest artistic level, began to loosely resemble the hall spaces of European buildings. Today, most of the temple interiors have been restored to their original fresco paintings, which were preserved under later records. Of the few that have survived to this day from that time, the paintings of the Great Cathedral of the Donskoy Monastery, completed in 1775, look most fully and harmoniously taking into account the originality of the sacred space. And this is actually an isolated example.

The new churches, built in the classicist style, were characterized by clarity of composition, conciseness of volumes, perfect harmony of proportions within the classical canon, fine drawing of details, rationality and ergonomics. But churches in the Byzantine traditions, which became national after centuries, largely have all the characteristic features listed above.

After the death of Empress Catherine II, her only son Pavel Petrovich ascended the throne in 1796. The new emperor's policy towards the Church can be described as lenient. During the Pavlovian period, there was virtually no temple construction in the capital. It is worth paying attention to this fact. By the time of Paul's accession to the throne, the third Cathedral in the name of St. Isaac of Dalmatia has been under construction for 28 years. Paul ordered the marble prepared for its decoration to be taken out and used in the construction of the Mikhailovsky Castle. However, it was apparently indecent to completely consign the construction of the cathedral, founded by Peter I, to oblivion, and Paul ordered it to be completed as quickly as possible with a minimum of funds, which required a change in the original plans, which is why the construction of the cathedral was again delayed, and it was consecrated only in 1802.

The only large-scale temple-building undertaking of the reign of Paul I was Cathedral in honor of the Kazan Icon Mother of God in St. Petersburg: in 1800, the project of the young talented architect A.N. was approved. Voronikhin.

A rather unusual innovation within the framework of classicism was the church in the name of Life-Giving Trinity(1785-1790) near St. Petersburg, or rather, its bell tower in the form of a tetrahedral pyramid, which is why the people began to call this temple "Kulich and Easter". Also unique in its artistic design temple-monument in honor of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands(1813-1823, Kazan), built already under Alexander I, this church, erected in memory of the soldiers who fell during the capture of Kazan in 1552, has the shape of a truncated pyramid, where each side is decorated with a portico. However, the “non-singularity” of the given examples is evidenced by interesting architectural solutions of a later time, for example St. Nicholas temple of pyramidal type in Sevastopol(1857-1870). Thus, the essentially foreign ideas of ancient Egyptian architecture, actually alien to Russian culture, gradually acquired a new artistic meaning.

After the coup d'etat on March 12, 1801, the Russian throne was occupied by the son of Paul I, Alexander. In relation to the Church, the emperor pursued basically the same policy as Catherine II. But he would greatly O He carried out construction on a larger scale, including church construction, and not only in St. Petersburg, embodying new architectural ideas and projects. The ideas of classicism flourished like never before.

On August 27, 1801, Alexander I was present at the foundation stone in St. Petersburg, and ten years later he already prayed during the consecration of this truly unique structure, which became one of the most beautiful buildings not only in Russia, but also in Europe.

Of course, Russian classicism in all its manifestations was oriented towards European culture, but a political factor intervened in artistic life, weakening classicism in Russia - Patriotic War 1812-1814. After the Napoleonic invasion, the destruction of cities, the mockery of churches and shrines, and above all the Moscow Kremlin, the very image of European civilization faded and was no longer perceived by many of our ancestors with the same reverence. Political guidelines have changed - and the architecture and art of the High Empire era received a new vector of development associated with the glorification of the heroism of the Russian army, the patriotic valor of the people and the autocracy.

The series of St. Petersburg buildings of the late classicism period is completed by the construction of two churches designed by V.P. Stasova - Preobrazhensky(1825-1829) and Troitsky(1828-1835). Both of these church buildings were founded under new socio-political conditions and significantly changed tastes. In these churches, the author seemed to be trying to give a new interpretation to the forms and philosophical ideas of classicism through a return to the traditional Russian five-domed structure.

Stasov tried to combine classicism with tradition: porticoes and columns with Russian five-domed architecture

According to established opinion, the construction St. Isaac's Cathedral according to the project of O. Montferrand (1817-1858; already the fourth in a row), the era of classicism in Russia actually ends. The author was faced with the same problem that V.P. tried to solve. Stasov: to embody the traditional Russian five-domed structure in a building that is classical in spirit. For St. Isaac's Cathedral, majestic multi-figure bronze reliefs, sculptures, unique entrance doors, columns. All these works are creations of the best masters. St. Isaac's Cathedral is an expression of the official understanding of Orthodoxy at that time.

As for the Mother See, in the first quarter of the 19th century, church building in Moscow was insignificant, which is understandable: according to the state commission, in Moscow in 1812, 6,496 houses out of 9,151 and 122 churches out of 329 were destroyed. Large-scale construction and restoration work began immediately after liberation from Napoleonic troops.

A special place in Moscow architecture was to be occupied by the impressive building of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior on Sparrow Hills, erected in honor of the victory over the French. In his architectural solution it was a traditional building in the classicist style. However, in 1826, the construction of the temple, which began in 1817, was stopped by decree of Emperor Nicholas I: for nine years, not even the foundation was built, although a lot of money was spent. They never returned to the idea of ​​building on Vorobyovy Gory.

It is important to emphasize that following classical models in the church architecture of the ancient Russian capital had certain specifics: “Moscow architecture of mature classicism was characterized, in comparison with St. Petersburg, by greater softness and warmth in the interpretation of classical forms.”

In general, the Alexander era in culture is characterized by serious internal contradictions. During this period, there was a kind of collision of two directions - the ongoing classicism and the emerging Russian Renaissance. The heterogeneity of ideas, styles, and searches, in our opinion, is one of characteristic features architecture and fine arts of Russia at that time.

As we see, classicism in Russia went through all stages of its development: from a restrained early “invasion” into traditional temple buildings, when it was intertwined with “Elizabethan Baroque,” ​​to establishing itself with an almost declarative rejection of any non-classical images, after which its gradual decline began , which manifested itself primarily in the church architecture of the province, where it turned into increasingly mediocre and uniform forms. Classicism, transformed at a later time into the Empire style, was aimed at glorifying the state power of the victorious country.

Despite all the contradictions in the process of adapting the ideas of classicism to, so to speak, “Russian conditions,” there were - and this must be emphasized - positive aspects. Russian masters, having mastered the ideological, artistic, technical and engineering fundamentals and techniques of classical architecture in the shortest possible time, created samples equal to their European counterparts, which significantly advanced Russian art, including the church, go ahead. And such magnificent churches as Kazan and St. Isaac's have become truly world masterpieces. And it is quite appropriate to talk about the era of classicism in Russia as “Russian classicism” - a unique and inimitable phenomenon of world culture as a whole.

(The ending follows.)