Architecture of Ancient Russia: history, features, styles and development

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Architecture is thethe soul of the people embodied in stone.

Old Russian architecture from the 10th to the end of the 17th century was closely connected with the church and Orthodoxy. The first Christian churches began to appear in Russia as early as the 10th century, and Kyiv became the first Russian city to be baptized. Russia had a traditional material - wood. At first, almost all buildings were wooden. However, due to numerous fires, thousands of wooden buildings erected by the Russians burned down. Stone construction also begins at this time.

Thus, monumental architecture is the most preserved type of Old Russian art, the objects of which were various palaces, fortifications and, of course, churches.

History of the architecture of Ancient Russia from the 10th to the 12th centuries

In the first period, which took place in the X - XII centuries. architecture in Russia took the architectural style of Byzantium as a basis, in connection with this, the most ancient Russian buildings resembled Byzantine temples. The first temples on the territory of Ancient Russia were built by specially invited Byzantine architects. The architecture of Ancient Russia is most clearly represented by such architectural buildings as the Church of the Tithes (not preserved to our time, as it was destroyed during the invasion of the Tatar-Mongol) and the Kyiv Cathedral of St. Sophia, Borisoglebsky Cathedral in Chernigov, St. Sophia Cathedral in Veliky Novgorod, and others.

Immediately after the baptism of Russia, Prince Vladimir invited Byzantine craftsmen to create the 25-headed Church of the Assumption of the Virgin (Desyatinnaya). Before the construction of St. Sophia Cathedral, it was the main temple of Kyiv.

The Hagia Sophia in Kyiv is the famous temple of ancient Russia, built in 1037. In its design, the cathedral has 5 longitudinal aisles (naves) and 12 cruciform pillars on which the vaults rest. The arches of Kyiv Sophia are crowned with 13 chapters, which rise rhythmically to the sky. In terms of the building, they form the figure of a cross, in the center of which a large dome rises. This design of the temples was called cross-domed. She was adopted from Byzantium.

Practically all structures could not reach us in their original form due to the numerous Tatar-Mongol invasions. What we can see now are only modern reconstructions.

Second period (second half of the 12th century - beginning of the 13th century)

From the second half of the XII century. until the beginning of the thirteenth century. distinguish the "golden age" of ancient Russian architecture. Most temples and cathedrals are beginning to be built from a new special material - white stone. This stone replaced the plinth - this is the burnt brick that beganuse in Byzantium. It is still unknown what made the architects of this period replace plinth with new material. White stone began to be widely used in construction, the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral and the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl were built from it.

Features of the architecture of ancient Russia during this period:

• Single-domed cubic temples.
• Strict decoration.
• Based on a cross-domed church.

Vladimir Assumption Cathedral was built under Yuri Dolgoruky around 1150 in Galich.

The well-known Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, commissioned by Andrei Bogolyubsky around 1165, is considered the highest achievement of the entire Vladimir-Suzdal architectural school.

Unfortunately, due to the fact that many buildings were destroyed, it is almost impossible to say exactly what kind of non-church buildings were. However, both the historically correctly restored Golden Gates in Kyiv and the Golden Gates of Vladimir show that the trends of secular architecture completely coincided with the development of church architecture.

Third period (second half of the 13th century - beginning of the 15th century)

This period is characterized by numerous invasions from all sides. This is the "dark age" in the history of the ancient Russian state. Monumental construction was practically stopped. Since the end of the 13th century, stone architecture, primarily military architecture, has been reborn in Russia, which escaped ruin.

The stoneurban fortifications of Novgorod and Pskov, fortresses on capes or islands. Also during this period, a temple of a new type appeared - an eight-slope temple. A prominent representative of this type is the Novgorod Church of the Savior on Ilyin.

Over time, Moscow gradually turned into a major political center. This led to the development of the architecture of the Moscow principality. The Moscow school was formed by the end of the 16th century.

The rise of architecture in Moscow falls on the reign of Ivan III - the end of the 15th century. In 1475 - 1479, the Moscow Assumption Cathedral was built, the architect of which was the Italian architect Aristotle Fioravanti.

In the Trinity-Sergius Monastery in 1423 the Trinity Cathedral was erected, in 1424 in the Andronikov Monastery - the Cathedral of the Savior. Outwardly, these churches differ greatly, but despite this, the churches of the Moscow Principality have something in common - they are characterized by clarity and proportionality, harmony, and dynamism. Many architects focused on the pyramidal composition of the temple.

Architecture style

For several centuries, a common style of architecture of ancient Russia has developed:

• Pyramidal design.
• Vertical forms.
• Special national type of dome, reminiscent of the shape of an onion.
• The dome was covered with gold.
• Many domes (traditionally fixed five domes).
• The white color of the temple.

Architectural Schools

During the history of Ancient Russia, various architectural schools were created, such as Kyiv, Novgorod, Vladimir-Suzdal and Moscow architectural schools.

Byzantium, the world of Christianity greatly influenced the development of the architecture of Ancient Russia. Under this influence, building experience came to Russia, which helped shape its traditions. Russia adopted many architectural traditions, but soon developed its own style, which was clearly manifested in the most famous monuments of ancient Russian architecture.

The first stone buildings were laid during the reign of Prince Vladimir the Great. Nowhere in Europe at that time was art as developed as in Byzantium, so it had a huge impact on the art of the whole world and, of course, Ancient Russia.

Conclusion

However, we will not be able to fully understand and enjoy the architecture of Ancient Russia, because due to the numerous raids of the Mongol-Tatars and other numerous wars, most of the architectural monuments were destroyed. So now we can only see reconstructions.