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The architecture of
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
refers to the architecture of modern Russia as well as the architecture of both the original Kievan Rus’ state, the
Russian principalities The following is a list of tribes who lived on the territories of contemporary Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. The tribes were later replaced or consolidated by Slavs, starting with the formation of Kievan Rus', including the semi-autonomous pr ...
, and Imperial Russia. Due to the geographical size of modern and imperial Russia, it typically refers to architecture built in European Russia, as well as European influenced architecture in the conquered territories of the Empire. The vernacular architecture stems from wooden construction traditions, and monumental masonry construction started to appear during the Kievan Rus’ era in what is now modern
Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...
. After the Mongol invasion of Rus, the Russian architectural trajectory continued in the principalities of Novgorod,
Vladimir-Suzdal Vladimir-Suzdal (russian: Владимирско-Су́здальская, ''Vladimirsko-Suzdal'skaya''), also Vladimir-Suzdalian Rus', formally known as the Grand Duchy of Vladimir (1157–1331) (russian: Владимиро-Су́здальс ...
, Pskov, Muscovy, and the succeeding states of the Tsardom of Russia. Much of the early standing architectural tradition in Russia stems from foreign influences and styles. Among the characteristic styles present in Russian architecture are the Byzantine revival style of the Kievan Rus’ and succeeding principalities’ churches, the Muscovite style, baroque, neoclassical, eclecticism, art nouveau, as well as the signature styles of the Soviet period.


Pre-Christian Architecture

Russian architecture is a mix of Eastern Roman and Pagan architecture. Some characteristics taken from the Slavic pagan temples are the exterior galleries and the plurality of towers.


Early Medieval Architecture and the Kievan Rus


Kiev

Under the reign of Vladimir the Great in 988 AD, the Kievan Rus converted to Orthodox Christianity from their previous pagan religions, and the monumental architecture that followed was mainly ecclesiastical in type. According to legend, the conversion to Orthodox Christianity rather than to another religion was due to the beauty of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. The architecture style that dominated in this time blended Slavic and Byzantine styles, with predominant churches built in brick and stone with byzantine art forms, initially built by imported Greek and Byzantine masters but adopted by local craftsmen and slightly modified. Findings from twentieth century excavations on the Church of the Tithe, the foundations of the original plan of the church shows evidence of a Byzantine " inscribed cross" plan. This inscribed cross typology borrowed from Byzantine architecture served as the main prototype for the pan of these Kievan masonry churches. As the Byzantine prototype was adapted, it began to take its own style. Differing from the Byzantine churches they were based on, the masonry churches in the Kievan Rus had more pronounced silhouettes, were bulkier, and had smaller windows, providing a more mysterious interior. Large-scale architectural work paused after the death of Vladimir, but resumed c. 1030 under Iaroslav. Under his reign, the cathedral dedicated to St. Sophia, also known as the cathedral of Hagia Sofia, in which the Metropolitan was to be seated for the following 200 years. Excavations have found that the original plan of the church also prescribed to the inscribed-cross typology (the church has been extensively modified since its construction due to it falling into ruin during Mongol rule). A multitude of domes is also present in the church, although it is not clear its stylistic origins (while wooden churches have complex roof designs, a clear derivation has not been established). Inside the church, several of the medieval Kievan mosaics created by Greek masters survive and show a provincial Byzantine style. The construction of the church itself is a form of stone and brick masonry called opus mixtum, which means alternating rows of stone and flat brick, or plinthos, meaning crushed brick in lime mortar. The exterior was not as ornate as the enterior, relying instead on the mass of the building and sported a pink colour, later covered up with white stucco. It is, however, the only structure from this period that mostly maintains its original interior, and thus can be used as an example for the interiors of these early Kievan churches. Meanwhile, in other urban centers across the medieval Rus, masonry church construction also started to appear. As monastery's and urban center's wealth increased, wooden churches started to be replaced by masonry ones. As more churches were constructed, slight modifications were made to the base inscribed cross typology, as well as created a greater emphasis on verticality. Due to the scale of the churches being constructed, interior mosaics and frescos continued being made by imported Byzantine and Greek masters rather than local craftsmen, and thus continued using the Byzantine style. Local contribution to construction, however, meant that modifications were still made, resulting in the Kievan Rus style of ecclesiastical architecture which drew from influences from Bulgaria, Georgia, and Armenia for these modifications to the Byzantine prototype. Many of these churches suffered severe neglect following Mongol invasion, and thus were largely modified in the centuries following.


Novgorod

Following the conversion of the Kievan Rus to christianity under Vladimir's reign, Bishop Joachim of Kherson commissioned Novgorod's first masonry Church (not extant) as well as the original wooden church of St. Sophia. The Byzantine style of churches, which was imported from Kiev, was adapted to a distinctive Novgorodian style through the ecclesiastical constructions commissioned by the princes in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Novgorod's medieval architecture owes its distinctive style to the adaptation of Byzantine and Kievan styles to its local conditions. As there was not a nearby source of surface stone and its brickmaking capabilities was limited in the area, construction of Novgorodian masonry churches were made using a method of masonry using rough-hewn local stone such as limestone with a crushed brick and lime cement, resulting in a pink surface similar to that used in contemporary Kievan churches but with a coarser surface texture. Unlike the cathedral in Kiev, the Novgorodian St Sophia only has five main domes rather than 13 like in Kiev (representing Christ and the twelve apostles). During the twelfth century, the central dome was redone externally to be converted into an onion dome. These onion domes are a distinct feature of Russian architecture. Most likely adopted for its aesthetic qualities, the unique shape of the domes also provide the advantage of preventing the accumulation of snow. While the churches constructed in the twelfth century didn’t rival the Cathedral of St Sophia in scale or complexity, the princes continued their show of power in their architectural projects. The Cathedral of St George of Yuriev Monastery was commissioned in 1119 by Prince Vsevolod of Pskov and is another example of one of these princely churches. The architect was known as Master Peter, one of the few architects who have been recorded at this time in Russia. The exterior is characterized by narrow windows and double-recessed niches, which proceed in a rhythm across the façade; the interior walls reach a height of . Its pillars are closely spaced, emphasizing the height of the vaulted ceilings. The interior was covered in frescoes from the prince’s workshops, including some of the rarest Russian paintings of the time. Three more churches show the style of the princely churches created during this time: the Cathedral of St Nicholas in Iaroslav Court (1113), the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin at Antoniev Monastery (1117-1119), and the Church of John the Baptist in Petriatin Courty (1127-30). Several characteristics are present in the churches, and they draw a more simplistic form of that of the Cathedral of St Sophia. After the Mongols invaded, Novgorod suffered less than its counterpart Kiev. Construction of masonry churches, however, stalled for several years. After relations with the new Mongol overlords stabilized in the mid to late fourteenth century, there was a revival in architectural style and innovation in Novgorod and a resurgence in masonry church construction. The first of these churches was the Church of St Nicholas at Lipno (1292), located in the southeast of Novgorod. While small in size (10mx10m) it had several features which were novel and used in the masonry churches constructed after. The church was badly damaged during World War II. The following churches of Novgorod (such as the Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyina Street, built in 1374), are steep-roofed and roughly carved; and several contain medieval frescoes. The secular architecture of
Kievan Rus' Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas o ...
has rarely survived. Until the 20th century only the Golden Gates of Vladimir, despite much 18th-century restoration, could be regarded as an authentic monument of the pre-Mongol period. During the 1940s, archaeologist Nikolai Voronin discovered the well-preserved remains of
Andrei Bogolyubsky Andrew I (died 28 June 1174), his Russian name in full, Andrey Yuryevich Bogolyubsky "Andrew made Vladimir the centre of the grand principality and placed a series of his relatives on the now secondary princely throne of Kiev. Later he also com ...
's palace in
Bogolyubovo Bogolyubovo (russian: Боголюбово, translated as "God-loving") is the name of several rural localities in Russia: * Bogolyubovo, Perm Krai, a village in Kochyovsky District of Perm Krai * Bogolyubovo, Smolensk Oblast, a '' selo'' in Bogdan ...
(dating from 1158 to 1165).


Pskov

Pskov, while being less prosperous than Novgorod, also hosted a revival of masonry church construction in the fifteenth century. Part of this can be attributed to its location in the north, which was not invaded by the Mongols. Pskov also adopted a secular masonry style, although resources were mainly allocated towards ecclesiastical construction. Basic material for construction of these churches was local flagstone, with plinthos brick, and a thin layer of stucco to protect the layers underneath. Both the cement ground and limestone whitewash used in the wall covering contained impurities that would result in the typical light yellow and pink tones of the church exteriors. Few of the churches built in this period still exist, but several developments are present in the ones that remain. One of these include the use of wood planks as the preferred roofing material, which contributed to a typically planar roof structure as opposed to the trefoil type which became commonplace in Novgorod. After its surrender to Moscow, Pskov fared far better than Novgorod, declaring acceptance of Muscovite rule in 1510.


Gallery

File:VNovgorog SaintSophiaCathedral VN130.jpg, Saint Sophia Cathedral in Veliky Novgorod (1045–1050) File:Murom Transfiguration monastery Transfiguration Cathedral IMG 9783 1725.jpg,
Transfiguration monastery The Transfiguration Monastery ( bg, Преображенски манастир, ''Preobrazhenski manastir'') or the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration of God (манастир "Свето Преображение Господне", ''manasti ...
in Murom (1096) File:Николо-Дворищенский собор.jpg, Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Veliky Novgorod (1113–1136) File:Георгиевский собор.jpg, St. George's Cathedral of Yuriev Monastery near Veliky Novgorod (1119) File:Собор Рождества Пресвятой Богородицы в Антониевом монастыре (1117-1119) в Великом Новгороде.jpg, Katholikon of the Antoniev Monastery (1122) File:Иоанно-Предтеченский собор 2.jpg, Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (built in 1199–1139, first mentioned in 1243) File:Smolensk StPeter&PaulOnGorodyanka2.jpg, St. Peter and St. Paul's Church in Smolensk (1146) File:Ba-spas-2001-june.jpg, Transfiguration Cathedral in
Pereslavl-Zalessky Pereslavl-Zalessky ( rus, Переславль-Залесский, p=pʲɪrʲɪˈslavlʲ zɐˈlʲɛskʲɪj, lit. ''Pereslavl beyond the woods''), also known as Pereyaslavl-Zalessky, is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located on the main Mos ...
(1152) File:Kideksha Boris&GlebChurch 192 5654.jpg, Kideksha Church (1152) File:Собор Успения Пресвятой Богородицы XII века постройки.jpg, Assumption Cathedral, Staraya Ladoga (1154–1159) File:Палаты князя Боголюбского.jpg, Remains of the Bogolyubov castle (left) and The Temple of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin (right) (1158) File:Владимир - Золотые ворота.jpg, Golden Gate in Vladimir (1158–1164) File:Church_of_the_Protection_of_the_Theotokos_on_the_Nerl_05.jpg, Church of the Intercession on the Nerl (1165) File:Свирская Церковь.jpg, St. Michael the Archangel Church in Smolensk (1180–1197) File:Владимир Успенский собор 2008.JPG, Dormition Cathedral in Vladimir (1186–1189) File:Dmitrovsky sobor6000.jpg,
Cathedral of Saint Demetrius The Cathedral of Saint Demetrius ( Russian Дмитриевский собор) is a cathedral in the ancient Russian city of Vladimir. It was finished in 1197 during the reign of the Grand Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest of Vladimir-Suzdal to the h ...
in Vladimir (1194–1197) File:DSC07770-2.jpg, St. George's Church, Staraya Ladoga (1180–1200) File:Собор Рождества Пресвятой Богородицы (1528-1530).jpg,
Cathedral of the Nativity, Suzdal The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Suzdal, Russia, is a World Heritage Site. It is one of the eight White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal and one of the most complex monuments of Russian medieval architecture. It was originally cons ...
(1222–1225)


Muscovite Period


Origins of Moscow

Pre-Mongolian Moscow is sparse in the historical record, with the first mention of it being in a letter from Iurii Dolgorukii to his ally Prince Sviatoslav of Chernigov in 1147. In 1156 Iurii Dolgorukii built a wooden fortification on an earthen rampart protecting a cluster of workshops and trading rows. The Kremlin currently stands in place of these original fortifications, and a department store in the location of these original buildings. Following this construction, there are few references to Moscow. In 1176 there is a chronicle that notes that the town was burned during a raid by a neighboring principality, and in January 1238 it was overrun by the Mongol armies of Batu on their way to Vladimir. The Mongol's looting of the territory was so thorough, however, that capitals did not have the resources to construct stone churches for decades. During Mongol rule, Moscow slowly grew. The population increased due to refugee immigration from surrounded, more exposed territories, and collaboration between the Muscovite princes and the Mongol horde meant it was safer than many surrounding capitals. Thus, Moscow grew from being a small town to being a larger capital city with more resources to dedicate towards architectural projects.


Muscovite Style

Few examples of early Muscovite stone churches remain in Moscow, and early examples are found more in the surrounding towns. One such place is the small village of Kamenskoe, whose small limestone church is dated to the latter half of the fourteenth century. It is of a simpler style than other churches commissioned in the same period, and has only been partially restored since its construction. The cornice is presumed to have originally culminated in decorative point zakomary. The interior shows features of Balkan architecture, showing a Serbian influence prevalent in Muscovite and Rus architecture of this period, such as piers attatched to interior corners (rather than being free-standing). Larger examples of these early Muscovite churches appear in
Zvenigorod Zvenigorod (russian: Звени́город) is an old town in Moscow Oblast, Russia. Population: History The town's name is based either on a personal name (cf. Zvenislav, Zvenimir) or on a hydronym (cf. the Zvinech, Zvinyaka, Zveniga Rivers) ...
, about 60km west of Moscow. Records place Zvenigorod under the Muscovite domain in the fourteenth century, and by the end of it Iurii endowed it with a monastery to be under the direction of the monk Savva. It is the Savvino-Storozhevskii Monastery, and the town center was developed alongside its construction. The cathedrals built in this monastery show a depart from the pre-Mongolian stone churches built by Vladimir. It is of a simpler design, with repeating motifs and a departure from the styles of ornamentation. The style is marked by pointed forms (as opposed to zakomary and rounded arches) and a tendency to ornamentalism. The Zvenigorod cathedrals would serve as the prototypes for many of the churches that followed in the fifteenth century. Muscovite masonry continued to develop in the fifteenth and early sixteenth century, with the production of brick being more apparent in the mid-fifteenth century. In 1474 Ivan III imported builders from Pskov to Moscow (Pskov had been saved from ruin by the Mongol horde, and thus had more advanced construction knowledge than Moscow), and they adapted the stone-slab method of construction from Pskov to the brick masonry of the churches that followed as well as incorporating several features characteristic of churches in Pskov, such as corbel arches, church porches, exterior galleries, and bell towers. The brick construction as well as a new Muscovite tendency towards bold architectural ornament is featured in the Church of the Holy Spirit (1476) which has an frieze created by glazed ceramic tiles, deriving from the ornamental stripes of Novgorod, Pskov, and Suzdalia. Other churches built by the Pskov builders during this period show more influence from Pskov's style, such as ornamental brickwork in the façade of the
Church of the Deposition of the Robe The Church of the Deposition of the Robe (russian: Церковь Ризоположения) is a church which stands on Cathedral Square in the Moscow Kremlin. It was begun in 1484 by masters from Pskov, most likely by the same group of archit ...
(1484-5). Apart from churches, many other structures date from Ivan III's reign. These include fortifications ( Kitai-gorod, the Kremlin (its current towers were built later), Ivangorod), towers ( Ivan the Great Bell Tower) and palaces (the Palace of Facets and the Uglich Palace). In the 16th century, the key development was the introduction of the tented roof in brick architecture. It is believed that this Russian derivation is a continuation of the manner of wood construction being taken in masonry form, and is a form that completely deviates from the accepted Orthodox forms. The first tent-like brick church is the Ascension church in Kolomenskoe (1531), designed to commemorate the birth of Ivan the Terrible. Its design gives rise to speculation; it is likely that this style (never found in other Orthodox countries) symbolized the ambition of the nascent Russian state and the liberation of Russian art from Byzantine canons after the Fall of Constantinople to the Turks. The style of church was also known as “Tower Churches”. After the Time of Troubles the church and state were bankrupt, unable to finance any construction works; an initiative was taken by rich merchants in Yaroslavl, on the
Volga The Volga (; russian: Во́лга, a=Ru-Волга.ogg, p=ˈvoɫɡə) is the longest river in Europe. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has a length of , and a catch ...
. During the 17th century, they built many large cathedral-type churches with five onion-like domes, surrounding them with tents of bell towers and aisles. At first the churches' composition was sharply asymmetrical, with different parts balancing each other on the "scale-beam" principle (e.g., the Church of Elijah the Prophet, 1647–50). Subsequently, the Yaroslavl churches were strictly symmetrical, with domes taller than the building itself, and amply decorated with
polychrome Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery or sculpture in multiple colors. Ancient Egypt Colossal statu ...
tiles (e.g., the Church of John the Chrysostom on the Volga, 1649–54). A zenith of Volga architecture was reached in the Church of St John the Baptist (built 1671–87) – the largest in Yaroslavl, with 15 domes and more than 500 frescoes. The brick exterior of the church, from the cupolas down to the tall porches, was elaborately carved and decorated with tiles. The 17th-century Moscow churches are also profusely decorated, but are much smaller in size. Earlier in the century, the Muscovites still favoured tent-like constructions. One of the favoured churches was Assumption Church in Uglich (1627): it had three graceful tents in a row, reminiscent of three burning candles. This composition was employed in the Hodegetria Church of Vyazma (1638) and the Nativity Church at Putinki, Moscow (1652). Assuming that such constructions ran counter to the traditional Byzantine type, the
Patriarch Nikon Nikon ( ru , Ни́кон, Old Russian: ''Нїконъ''), born Nikita Minin (''Никита Минин''; 7 May 1605 – 17 August 1681) was the seventh Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus' of the Russian Orthodox Church, serving officially fro ...
declared them un-canonical. He encouraged building elaborate ecclesiastical residences (such as the Rostov Kremlin on the Nero Lake, which featured five tall churches, many towers, palaces, and chambers). Nikon designed his new residence at the
New Jerusalem Monastery The Resurrection Monastery (russian: Воскресенский монастырь, ''Voskresensky Monastery'') or New Jerusalem Monastery (russian: Новоиерусалимский монастырь, ''Novoiyerusalimsky Monastery'') is a major ...
, which was dominated by a rotunda-like cathedral, the first of its type in Russia. Since the tents were banned, the Muscovite architects had to replace them with successive rows of corbel arches ( kokoshniks), and this decorative element was to become a hallmark of the 17th-century Moscow style. An early example of this style is the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square (1633–36). By the end of the century, more than 100 churches in the style were erected in Moscow. More examples are the Muscovite churches of the Holy Trinity at Nikitniki (1653), St Nicholas at Khamovniki (1682), and Holy Trinity at Ostankino (1692). One of the most representatives of the style was the Church of St Nicholas (the "Grand Cross") in the Kitai-gorod, which was demolished under Stalinist rule.


Italian Influence

The first Italian architects arrived in Moscow in 1475. A Russian envoy to Italy during Ivan III's reign, Semion Tolbuzin, managed to recruit the Bolognese architect
Aristotele Fioravanti Ridolfo "Aristotele" Fioravanti (c. 1415 or 1420 in Bologna – c. 1486 in Tsardom of Russia) was an Italian Renaissance architect and engineer, active in Muscovy from 1475, where he designed the Dormition Cathedral, Moscow during 1475–1479. H ...
(1420-85), as well as his son and an assistant. Fioravanti had previous work in northern Italy, as well as working alongside Antonio Averlino Filarete for the Sforza family in Milan. In Moscow, he oversaw the dismantling of the remaining walls of the Dormition Cathedral, and the rebuilding of them. The foundations of these new walls were the deepest in Moscow constructed until then, and rather than using a rubble infill, and the walls were constructed of a solid bond masonry, resulting in walls thinner than what was typical in Muscovite masonry construction. In addition to introducing new construction techniques, he also founded a brickworks which created stronger bricks than those previously used in Moscow. Fioravanti also introduced the Italian Renaissance rationalism in the structural harmony of the plan according to geometric rules, resulting in the abandonment of the cross-inscribed church which had been the base plan of Moscovite and Rus churches for centuries. This new structural harmony is present in the new plan for the Cathedral of the Dormition. The design of the cathedral was overseen by the Russian clergy to intervene if it was deemed too “latinate” for the orthodox taste. The walls of the Kremlin are also a derivation of a then-outdated style of Italian fortification engineering. The walls were redone between 1485 and 1516 using brick, replacing the original limestone walls that had fallen into disrepair. Several additions to the Kremlin were constructed by Pietro Antonio Solari, another Italian, such as the four entrance towers, the Arsenal tower, and the Kremlin wall facing the Red Square. Another Italian architect, Aleviso Novi, built the cathedral of St Michael in the Kremlin (1505-09). He incorporated several Italianate details in the facade and decoration of the cathedral, but maintained the traditional plan prototype. The
Cathedral of the Archangel Michael The Cathedral of the Archangel (russian: Архангельский собор, Arkhangel'skiy sobor) is a Russian Orthodox church (building), church dedicated to the Archangel Michael. It is located in Cathedral Square, Moscow, Cathedral Square of ...
(1505) was one of the final churches commissioned by Ivan III. It was designed by the architect
Aleviz Novyi Aloisio the New, known in Russian as ''Aleviz Novyi'' or ''Aleviz Fryazin'', was an Italian Renaissance architect invited by Ivan III to work in Moscow.Dariusz Kolodziejczyk, ''The Crimean Khanate and Poland-Lithuania: International Diplomacy on t ...
. It is possible he is also the architect “Alvise Lamberti da Montagnana” who was noted as a student of the Venetian architect Mauro Codussi. The Cathedral of the Archangel Michael is more Venetian in style, as opposed to the Lombard style of Fioravanti.


Gallery

File:Георгиевский собор в Юрьеве-Польском (1230-1234).jpg, Saint George Cathedral, Yuryev-Polsky (1230–1234) File:Ilyina Transfiguration church, Novgorod.JPG,
Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyina Street The Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior (russian: Церковь Спаса Преображения на Ильине улице) is a former Russian Orthodox Church that stands on Ilyina (Elijah) Street in Veliky Novgorod just east of the ...
in Veliky Novgorod (1374) File:Ансамбль Саввино-Сторожевского монастыря с разных сторон 2 Саввинская слобода, Звенигород, Московская область.jpg, Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery (15th century) File:EpiscopalPalace(Suzdal)2.JPG, Episcopal palace in
Suzdal Suzdal ( rus, Суздаль, p=ˈsuzdəlʲ) is a town that serves as the administrative center of Suzdalsky District in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, which is located on the Kamenka River, north of the city of Vladimir. Vladimir is the a ...
(15th century) File:The Trinity Cathedral.jpg, Trinity Cathedral of the
Trinity Lavra The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius (russian: Тро́ице-Се́ргиева ла́вра) is the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery is situated in the town of Sergiyev ...
(1422–1423) File:Andronikov monastery (Fall, 2012) by shakko 02.JPG, Saviour's Cathedral of
Andronikov Monastery Andronikov Monastery of the Saviour (russian: Андро́ников монасты́рь, Спа́со-Андро́ников монасты́рь, or ) is a former monastery on the left bank of the Yauza River in Moscow, consecrated to the Hol ...
(1420–1425) File:Dormition (Kremlin).JPG, The Cathedral of the Dormition (1475–1479), Moscow File:Углич. Палаты царевича Дмитрия 03.jpg, Tsarevich Dmitry palace in Uglich (1482) File:Московский Кремль. Грановитая палата.jpg, Palace of Facets in Moscow Kremlin (1487–1492) File:Старый английский двор 1.jpg, Old English Court - headquarters of English Muscovy Company (1490–1510) File:0 4707b 6549aa91 spasskaya.jpg, Spasskaya Tower in Moscow Kremlin (1491) File:Clocher d'Ivan le Grand.jpg, Ivan The Great Bell Tower (1505–1508) File:Moscow, New Kremlin in Izmailovo, inside (2).jpg, Reconstructed example of Russian wooden architecture in Moscow which was typical for Russian architecture during 16th and 17th centuries. Typical architectural elements of Russian wooden architecture were at those times the curved large cube roof and its patterns. File:Kolomenskoe Ascension Church and the bell tower of the George Church.jpg, Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoe (1532) File:Moscow - Entrance of Red Square.jpg,
Iberian Gate and Chapel Resurrection Gate ( rus, Воскресенские ворота ''Voskresenskie vorota'', also called Иверские ворота ''Iverskie vorota'', or Iberian Gate) is the only existing gate of the Kitai-gorod in Moscow. It connects the nort ...
in
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
(1535) File:Moscow ZnamenskyMonRomanovChambers D49.jpg, 17th-century Romanov boyar residence File:Moscou-Kremlin-Теремной дворец.jpg, Terem Palace in the Moscow Kremlin, (1560/1635–36) File:Voznesenskaya Gate Church with its Belfry.jpg, Church of the Ascension of Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery (1590) File:The Monastery of St. Nil on Stolobnyi Island in Lake Seliger in Tver Province (Gorskii 03973).jpg, Nilov Monastery (1594) File:Церковь Троицы Живоначальной в Никитниках.jpg, Trinity Church in Kitay-gorod (1626) File:Церковь Рождества Пресвятой Богородицы в Путинках, фото 2..jpg, Nativity Church at Putinki (1649–1652) File:SavMon TsarPalace4.JPG, Palace of Alexis I in Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery (1652–1654) File:Kreml-12apostel.jpg, Palace of the Patriarch of Moscow, with the
Church of the Twelve Apostles The Patriarchal Chambers and the Church of the Twelve Apostles () 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. Now it ...
(1653) File:Moscow AverkiyKirillov'sPalace2.jpg, Remains of the Averky Kirillov's Palace (1657) File:20140531-IMG 7721-2.jpg, Сathedral of the Resurrection,
New Jerusalem Monastery The Resurrection Monastery (russian: Воскресенский монастырь, ''Voskresensky Monastery'') or New Jerusalem Monastery (russian: Новоиерусалимский монастырь, ''Novoiyerusalimsky Monastery'') is a major ...
(1656–1685) File:Moscow StNicholasChurch Bersenevka1.jpg, St. Nicholas Church in Bersenevka (1657) File:Kolomenskoe Wooden Palace (Morning).jpg, Kolomenskoye, summer residence of the Tsars (1667–1668) File:Russie - Moscou - Novodevichy 4.jpg, Novodevichy Convent, Moscow, 17th century File:Pogankini palati.jpg, Palace of the wealthy merchant family Pogankin in Pskov (1671–1679) File:Yaroslavl StJohnBaptistChurch 7945.jpg, St. John the Baptist Church (1671—1687) File:MoskauNikolaus-Kirche-in-Khamovniki.jpg, Church of St. Nicholas in Khamovniki (1679–1682) File:Yar mitro.jpg, Metropolitan Palace in Yaroslavl (1680th–1690th) File:Dubrovitsy church of Sign.JPG, Znamenskaya Church (1690–1704) File:Крутицкое подворье. Стена-переход между соборной церковью Успения и дворцом Крутицких митрополитов (вид с запада).jpg, Krutitsy (1693–94) File:Nizhny Novgorod Pushnikov's Chamber.JPG, Pushkikov's palace in Nizhny Novgorod (1698) File:Menshikov tower (1).jpg,
Menshikov tower Menshikov Tower (russian: Меншикова башня), also known as the Church of Archangel Gabriel, is a Baroque Russian Orthodox Church in Basmanny District of Moscow, within the Boulevard Ring. The church was initially built in 1707 to orde ...
(1707) File:Kizhi churches.jpg, The wooden churches of remote Kizhi Pogost, 1711–1714


Imperial Russia


Baroque


Naryshkin Baroque

Naryshkin Baroque, also known as Muscovite Baroque or Moscow Baroque, emerged in Moscow towards the end of the 17th century. The first of these structures were built on the Boyarin Naryshkin estate, hence the name Naryshkin Baroque. A characteristic of the Naryshkin Baroque is the combination of influences from western Europe with traditional Russian forms, and is mainly present in ecclesiastical architecture with a few secular examples. Naryshkin Baroque shows an evolution from previous, seemingly "Baroque" examples, which might seem baroque in decoration, but still maintained the traditional structural form. There are several components characteristic to these newer structures, such as a focus on a balance of symmetry, carved limestone cornices, attached columns, and a more classical style. Some of these churches are tower-like, showing a return to the Russian preference for a vertical silhouette, with cubic and octagonal floors placed atop each other (the Saviour Church at Ubory, 1697); others have a ladder-like composition, with a bell tower rising above the church itself (the Intercession Church at Fili, 1695). The decoration characteristic in this style would also tend to be extreme in quantity (e.g., the Trinity Church at Lykovo, 1696). One of the most impressive of the Naryshkin Baroque structures was the multi-domed Assumption Church on the Pokrovka Street in Moscow (built 1696–99, demolished 1929). Its architect was also responsible for the "red and white" reconstruction of several Moscow monastic structures, notably the Novodevichy Convent and the Donskoy Monastery.


Petrine Baroque and St. Petersburg

Petrine Baroque is called thus due to Peter the Great's preference of this style. The style of Petrine Baroque reflects the preference for the more modest styles of Scandinavian and Dutch Baroque By Peter. Construction in this style is most apparent in
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
, which was founded by Peter the Great in 1703 as the new capital. The three radiating streets of the urban plan were based off Versailles, and the city was also crossed by tree-bordered canals inspired by those in
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...
. To make way for this new Petrine baroque capital, Peter forbade masonry construction in other parts of the country in 1714 to ensure a more stable supply of both materials and labour for construction in the city. Forty thousand peasants would be conscripted for the construction of the city, as well as Swedish prisoners of war. One of the main architects during the early development of the city was Domenico Trezzini, an Italian-swiss architect that worked closely with Peter to design the new city. Trezzini initially started by supervising the construction of the Kronshlot bastion, where he demonstrated his skill as an engineer, and was then comissioned to rebuild the fortifications in Narva, and the design of the Peter-Paul fortress would remain one of his main duties. Trezzini would then go on to design the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, which showed a complete departure to the Russian ecclesiastical architecture of the six centuries prior. Instead of the inscribed cross typology that had been in use, he designed a basilical structure with a tower, rather than the modest dome, as the main focal point. Instead of the small windows, large windows amply illuminated the interior of the cathedral, another departure from the typical Russian church prototype. Trezzini would also design the architecture of the Alexander Nevskii Monastery, in a style that was distinctly secular and more closely resembled the administrative buildings and Palaces such as the Twelve Colleges on Vasilevskii Island (also designed by Trezzini). Among his other contributions were the design of model houses to be built throughout the city, and combined the plans of the city with the architectural views that would result. Trezzini would also design the original, more modest, Winter Palace in the city for Peter which would then be engulfed into the larger Winter Palace constructed later. Many of these original Petrine palaces built in St Petersburg would either be demolished or incorporated into larger structures in the decades that followed. More examples of these palaces are found in the countryside around St Petersburg, and include the Summer Palace (1711-1714, designed by Trezzini),
Menshikov Palace The Menshikov Palace (russian: Меншиковский дворец) is a Petrine Baroque edifice in Saint Petersburg, situated on Universitetskaya Embankment of the Bolshaya Neva on Vasilyevsky Island.It is not to be confused with the Menshi ...
(1710-1720s, designed by Giovanni Mario Fontana and Gottfried Johann Shädel). These country palaces also serve as more untouched examples of this early Petrine palace architecture. Another significant architect was the French architect
Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Le Blond Jean-Baptiste Alexandre Le Blond (1679 – 10 March 1719) was a French architect and garden designer who became the chief architect of Saint Petersburg in 1716. Career in France He was the son of Jean Le Blond, painter in ordinary to the king, a ...
, who had been a student of the landscape architect André Le Nôtre (landscape architect of the Palace gardens of Versailles) and in June 1716 Peter hired him as "General-architect" of Saint Petersburg. He would design the original main palace, Peterhof, which would then be expanded by later architects and rulers. One main difference with Petrine Baroque that departed from previous Russian architectural construction was that there was also large scale secular development, not just ecclesiastical construction. This reflected Peter the Great's ideals, and the development of his new capital city. Large projects for the military, civil administration, and palace architecture was undertook, and the same imported architects were central figures in their construction.


Late Baroque

After Peter the Great's death and the ascension of Empress Anna to the throne, baroque construction in Saint Petersburg continued, this time under the employ of the Italian architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. He had moved to St Petersburg in his youth with his father, the sculptor Carlo Rastrelli, in 1715, but their career stalled under a rivalry between Carlo Rastrelli and the architect Le Blonde. In 1730 they moved to Moscow, where the capital had been temporarily relocated, and either Francesco or his father were appointed court architect (it is unclear which Rastrelli it was) and were commissioned to design two wooden palaces (neither remain). They were the Winter Annenhof and the Summer Annenhof. Both served as precursors to his later work in St Petersburg once the capital was moved back. He would then go on to work on the Winter Palace in St Petersburg, becoming the most imposing residence in the city once it was finished in 1735. It would host two twin facades, one facing the Neva River and another facing the square, imposing and whose symmetry would only be broken twice by projecting bays. In plan the palace would be an elongated rectangle, enclosing a central court. After Empress Anna’s death in 1740 and Empress Elizabeth's ascension, there would be a brief lull in new commissions for Rastrelli, but as he remained the only architect capable of large-scale royal commissions his rank as Chief Architect was reinstated a few years later. He would continue to transition in style from a late baroque to a rococo style, apparent in his design of the Summer Palace in the Summer Garden, and signaled a further break from the more modest Petrine baroque. Rococo decorative elements would be present in his future designs such as in Peterhof and Tsarskoe Selo, and some historians have argued the connection between the polychromatism of his designs (which hosted more colour than his European counterparts) with the polychromatism present in much of the Russian architectural tradition that had preceded the importation of the baroque style. Several of Rastrelli’s projects were re-designed under Catherine the Great, but many rooms still retain the original designs.


Neoclassicism

The Neoclassical in Russia not only draws influence from the Neoclassical style prevalent in France and England, but also drew from as much as it rejected the Baroque that had become prevalent in Russia over the 17th and early 18th century. The Russian neoclassical style drew its inspiration from the works of Palladio, Vignola, Vitruvius, and other writers on the classical orders, something that had started during the early 18th century, but had not been as apparent over the period of time where the baroque style was most prevalent. While a departure from the baroque into the neoclassical style was already in place before Catherine the Great's reign, it flourished under her rule. She had a great passion for architecture, evident in her letters to her advisor on cultural matters, and remarked on her dislike of the baroque extravaganza of Elizabeth's preferred style, thinking it as disorderly and lacking in rationality. The neoclassical under Catherine was especially French in style, partly because of the two main architects in the time, Vallin de la Mothe (French and trained in France and Italy) and
Alexander Kokorinov Alexander Filippovich Kokorinov (russian: Александр Филиппович Кокоринов) (10 July 1726 – 21 March 1772) was a Russian architect and educator of Siberian origin, one of the founders, the first builder, director (1761) ...
(studied with Korobov and Ukhtomskii in Moscow) who had francophile sympathies. In comparison to the extravagance of the Winter Palace, de la Mothe and Kokorinov's design for the
Academy of Arts An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, f ...
was an example of classical simplicity. The building’s facade and its five part division drew from the model established by
Le Vau Louis Le Vau (1612 – 11 October 1670) was a French Baroque architect, who worked for Louis XIV of France. He was an architect that helped develop the French Classical style in the 17th Century.''Encyclopedia of World Biography''"Louis Le Vau", ...
, Perrault, and Le Brun on the Louvre, while using modest pilasters to define the middle sections. The exterior also lacks the bichromatic scheme of the earlier styles present in St Petersburg, instead using colours that mimicked simple a simple stone facade. The rest of the facade also lacks in decoration, instead being a showcase of neoclassical rationalism and uses the first example of “proper” entablature in Russian architecture. Vallin de la Mothe would go on to design the
Small Hermitage The State Hermitage Museum ( rus, Государственный Эрмитаж, r=Gosudarstvennyj Ermitaž, p=ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)ɨj ɪrmʲɪˈtaʂ, links=no) is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is the largest ...
(1764-1775) to house Catherine the Great’s art collection, furthering the use of simplicity in neoclassicism with detached, austere columns and a muting of the vivid colours of the rest of St Petersburg’s colours. After Catherine, the imperial building tradition would continue under
Alexander I Alexander I may refer to: * Alexander I of Macedon, king of Macedon 495–454 BC * Alexander I of Epirus (370–331 BC), king of Epirus * Pope Alexander I (died 115), early bishop of Rome * Pope Alexander I of Alexandria (died 320s), patriarch of A ...
, who favoured the neoclassical Empire style of architecture, as was popular during the period, and continued the French influence in the architecure of the time. The architect Andrei Nikiforovich Voronikhin was a pupil of Wailly in Paris and would design the Virgin of Kazan cathedral in St Petersburg (1801-1811) and boasted a domed center flanked by quadrant colonnade. The Greek revival style is also apparent in his design for the Academy of Mines (1806-1811) which has a decastyle portico of Paestum Doric columns. Another architect, the frenchman Thomas de Thomom would design the Grand Bolshoi theatre (1802-1805, destroyed 1813) and modeled it after the Theatre-Francais in Paris. More buildings included the New Admiralty Building (1806-1823, designed by the Russian born, French trained architect Adrian Dmitrievich Zakharov), the
New Michael Palace The New Michael Palace (Ново-Михайловский дворец, ''Novo-Mikhailovsky Dvorets'') was the third Saint Petersburg palace designed by Andrei Stackenschneider for Nicholas I's children. It was built between 1857 and 1862 on th ...
(1819-1825, designed by Karl Ivanovich Rossi, today the Russian Museum), and St Isaac’s Cathedral (1817-1857, designed by Auguste Ricard de Montferrand).


Historicism and Eclecticism

In the 1830s Nicholas I eased regulation in architecture, opening the trade to several incarnations of early eclecticism. Konstantin Ton's pseudo-Russian designs became the preferred choice in church construction (
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour ( rus, Храм Христа́ Спаси́теля, r=Khram Khristá Spasítelya, p=xram xrʲɪˈsta spɐˈsʲitʲɪlʲə) is a Russian Orthodox cathedral in Moscow, Russia, on the northern bank of the Moskv ...
, 1832–1883), while his public buildings followed
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...
tradition, exemplified in the
Great Kremlin Palace The Grand Kremlin Palace (russian: Большой Кремлёвский дворец - ) was built from 1837 to 1849 in Moscow, Russia, on the site of the estate of the Grand Princes, which had been established in the 14th century on Borovits ...
(1838–49) and the Kremlin Armoury (1844–1851). The subsequent reigns of Alexander II and Alexander III promoted a Russian
Byzantine Revival Neo-Byzantine architecture (also referred to as Byzantine Revival) was a revival movement, most frequently seen in religious, institutional and public buildings. It incorporates elements of the Byzantine style associated with Eastern and Ortho ...
in church architecture, while civil construction followed the same variety of eclecticism common in all European countries; this featured ever-growing national revival trends, vernacular and imaginary. Between 1895 and 1905 architecture was briefly dominated by Russian Art Nouveau, most active in Moscow ( Lev Kekushev, Fyodor Schechtel and William Walcot). While it remained a popular choice until the outbreak of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, in 1905–1914 it gave way to the Russian neoclassical revival – merging the Empire style and Palladian tradition with contemporary construction technology.


Gallery

File:Admiralty_SPB.jpg, Admiralty building (1704–1706) File:RUS-2016-Aerial-SPB-Peter and Paul Fortress 02.jpg, Peter and Paul Fortress (1706–1740) File:Grand Cascade in Peterhof 01.jpg, Peterhof Palace (1714–1755) File:Мост у Константиновского дворца.jpg,
Konstantin palace The first name Konstantin () is a derivation from the Latin name '' Constantinus'' ( Constantine) in some European languages, such as Russian and German. As a Christian given name, it refers to the memory of the Roman emperor Constantine the Gr ...
(1715–1720) File:Екатерининский дворец и парк.jpg,
Catherine Palace The Catherine Palace (russian: Екатерининский дворец, ) is a Rococo palace in Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin), 30 km south of St. Petersburg, Russia. It was the summer residence of the Russian tsars. The Palace is part of th ...
in Tsarskoye Selo (1752–1757) File:Winter Palace Panorama 2.jpg, Winter Palace (1762–1796) File:Casa Pashkov, Moscú, Rusia, 2016-10-03, DD 36-37 HDR.jpg,
Pashkov House The Pashkov House (russian: Пашко́в дом) is a neoclassical mansion that stands on a hill overlooking the western wall of the Moscow Kremlin, near the crossing of the Mokhovaya and Vozdvizhenka streets. Its design has been attribute ...
(1784–1786) File:RUS-2016-Aerial-SPB-St Michael's Castle 02.jpg, Saint Michael's Castle (1797–1801) File:SP KazanskyCathedral 2370.jpg, Kazan Cathedral (1801–1811) File:Ансамбль Дворцовой площади (2).jpg,
General Staff Building The General Staff Building (russian: Здание Главного штаба, ''Zdanie Glavnogo Shtaba'') is an edifice with a 580 m long bow-shaped facade, situated on Palace Square in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in front of the Winter Palace. ...
(1819–1828) File:Saint Isaac's Cathedral in SPB.jpeg,
Saint Isaac's Cathedral Saint Isaac's Cathedral or Isaakievskiy Sobor (russian: Исаа́киевский Собо́р) is a large architectural landmark cathedral that currently functions as a museum with occasional church services in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is ...
(1819–1858) File:Teatro Bolshói, Moscú, Rusia, 2016-10-03, DD 42-43 HDR.jpg, Bolshoi Theatre (1821–1825) File:Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg,
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour ( rus, Храм Христа́ Спаси́теля, r=Khram Khristá Spasítelya, p=xram xrʲɪˈsta spɐˈsʲitʲɪlʲə) is a Russian Orthodox cathedral in Moscow, Russia, on the northern bank of the Moskv ...
(1860–1883) File:Państwowe Muzeum Historyczne w Moskwie 01.JPG, State Historical Museum (1875–1881) File:GUM Store - Moscow, Russia - panoramio.jpg, GUM department store (1890–1893) File:Eliseevs' House SPB 01.jpg,
Eliseyev Emporium Elisseeff Emporium in St. Petersburg is a large retail and entertainment complex, including a famous food hall, constructed in 1902–1903 for the Elisseeff Brothers. Located at 56 Nevsky Prospekt, the complex consists of three buildings, althou ...
(1902–1903) File:Moscow 05-2012 TretyakovGallery.jpg, Tretyakov gallery (1902–1904) File:Singer House SPB 01.jpg,
Singer House Singer House (russian: Дом компании «Зингер»), also widely known as the House of the Book (russian: Дом книги), is a historic building in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It is located at the intersection of Nevsky Prospekt a ...
(1902–1904)


Soviet Period


Post-Revolution

In the first year of Soviet rule all architects refusing to emigrate (and the new generation) denounced any classical heritage in their work and began to propagate
formalism Formalism may refer to: * Form (disambiguation) * Formal (disambiguation) * Legal formalism, legal positivist view that the substantive justice of a law is a question for the legislature rather than the judiciary * Formalism (linguistics) * Scien ...
, the most influential of all Revivalist themes. Great plans were drawn for large, technically advanced cities. The most ambitious of all was the Monument to the Third International, planned in 1919 by
Vladimir Tatlin Vladimir Yevgrafovich Tatlin ( – 31 May 1953) was a Russian and Soviet painter, architect and stage-designer. Tatlin achieved fame as the architect who designed The Monument to the Third International, more commonly known as Tatlin's Tower, wh ...
(1885–1953), а 400- meter spiral, wound around a tilted central axis with rotating glass chambers. Impossible in real life, the Tatlin Tower inspired a generation of Constructivist architects in Russia and abroad. The Shukhov Tower, rising above Moscow, was completed in 1922. According to the initial plans, the hyperboloid tower by
Vladimir Shukhov Vladimir Grigoryevich Shukhov (russian: link=no, Влади́мир Григо́рьевич Шу́хов; – 2 February 1939) was a Russian Empire and Soviet engineer-polymath, scientist and architect renowned for his pioneering works on new ...
with a height of had an estimated mass of , while the Eiffel Tower in Paris (with a height of ) weighs . Residents of apartment buildings were sealed, they were hooked by new tenants. The so-called '' kommunalka'' became the most common type of accommodation for the residents of large cities. In each communal apartment one room belonged to one family, while bathroom, toilet and kitchen were shared. Such a scheme was widespread until the mid-1950s, and in some cities there are more communal apartments. At the same time with the 1930s for senior people began to build houses with separate bedroom apartments, where one family was given the whole apartment. An example of such a house called House on the Embankment (''Dom na naberezhnoi'') in Moscow, built in 1927–1931, respectively. An important priority during the post-revolutionary period was the mass reconstruction of cities. In 1918
Alexey Shchusev Alexey Victorovich Shchusev (academic spelling), german: Schtschussew, french: Chtchoussev, pl, Szchusiew. (russian: Алексе́й Ви́кторович Щу́сев; – 24 May 1949) was a Russian and Soviet architect who was successf ...
(1873–1949) and Ivan Zholtovsky founded the Mossovet Architectural Workshop, where the complex planning of Moscow's reconstruction as a new Soviet capital took place. The workshop employed young architects who later emerged as avant-garde leaders. At the same time architectural education, concentrated in the Vkhutemas, was divided between revivalists and modernists. In 1919, Petrograd saw a similar planning and educational setup, headed by experienced revivalist Ivan Fomin (1872–1936). Other cities followed suit and the results of the work carried out there were to make dramatic changes in traditional Russian city layout. The first large-scale development templates (''generalny plan'') were drawn there. The city was planned as a series of new wide avenues, massive public structures and the improvement of workers' housing with heat and plumbing. The first apartment building of this period was completed in 1923, followed by a surge of public-housing construction in 1925–1929. In Petrograd from 1917 to 1919 the first example of the new style was built on the
Field of Mars The term Field of Mars ( la, Campus Martius) goes back to antiquity, and designates an area, inside or near a city, used as a parade or exercise ground by the military. Notable examples of places which were used for these purposes include: * Campus ...
– a monument, "Strugglers of the Revolution", designed by Lev Rudnev (1886–1956). This complex consisted of a series of simple, expressive granite monoliths and became the focal point for further development in Soviet sculptural and memorial architecture. The most famous construction of this time, however, was Lenin's Mausoleum by Alexey Shchusev. Originally it was a temporary wooden structure, topped by a pyramid, with two wings (for entry and exit). In 1930 it was replaced with the present building, built of stone. The combination of dark red and black labradorite enhanced its slender, precise construction. The rapid development of technological processes and materials also influenced constructivist elements in structure design. During the erection of the Volkhov Hydroelectric Station (1918–26, architects O.Munts and V.Pokrovsky), the traditional outline on the window arches is still used (despite concrete being used in construction). The Dnieper Hydroelectric Station (1927–32), built by a collective of architects headed by
Viktor Vesnin Viktor Aleksandrovich Vesnin (russian: Виктор Александрович Веснин; April 9, 1882 – September 17, 1950), was a Russian Empire and Soviet architect. His early works (1909–1915) follow the canon of Neoclassicist Revival; ...
(1882–1950), has an innovative design featuring a curved dam with a rhythmic pattern of foundations. Creative unions played a large role in the architectural life of 1920s Russia. One of these was the Association of New Architects ( ASNOVA), formed in 1923, which promoted the idea of synthesising architecture and other creative arts to give buildings an almost sculptural feeling. These buildings were to serve as visual points for the orientation of a human in space. Members of ASNOVA also designed Moscow's first skyscrapers, none of which were realised at the time (1923–1926). Another innovation from post-revolutionary Russia was a new type of public building: the Workers' Club and the Palace of Culture. These became a new focus for architects, who used the visual expression of large elements combined with industrial motifs. The most famous of these was the Zuev Workers' Club (1927–29) in Moscow by Ilya Golosov (1883–1945), whose composition relied on the dynamic contrast of simple shapes, planes, complete walls and glazed surfaces. Symbolic expression in construction was a feature in works designed by Konstantin Melnikov (1890–1974), notably the Rusakov Workers' Club (1927–1929) in Moscow. Visually, the building resembles part of a gear; each of the three cantilevered concrete "teeth" is a balcony of the main auditorium, which could be used individually or combined into a large theatre hall. The sharpness of its composition and the "transition" of internal space (called by Melnikov a "tensed muscle") made it one of the most important examples of Soviet architecture. File:Шуховская башня ночью.JPG, Shukhov Tower in
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
File:Moscow SakharovaStreet37 1505.jpg, Tsentrosoyuz building File:Moscow ClubKauchuk h42b.jpg, Kauchuk Factory Club File:Bus melnikov.JPG, Bakhmetevsky Bus Garage File:Moscow IzvestiaBuilding 0623.jpg, ''Izvestia'' building File:Мавзолей Ленина 01.jpg, Lenin's mausoleum File:Moscow DinamoBuilding 6255.jpg, Dinamo Building File:Zuev Workers' Club - Moscow (1928).jpg, Zuev Workers' Club File:Power Station of the Red Banner Textile Factory SPB.jpg, Red Banner Textile Factory File:Melnikov House photo by Arssenev.jpg,
Melnikov House Konstantin Stepanovich Melnikov (Russian: Константин Степанович Мельников;  – November 28, 1974) was a Russian architect and painter. His architectural work, compressed into a single decade (1923–33), placed ...
(1927–1929) File:Moscow RusakovClub 0820.jpg, Rusakov Workers' Club (1927) File:КрасныеКУБЫ - panoramio.jpg,
Svoboda Factory Club Svoboda Factory Club (Russian:Клуб фабрики "Свобода"), conceived as ''Chemists Trade Union Club'' (Клуб Химиков), also known as ''Maxim Gorky Palace of Culture'' (Дворец культуры имени Горько� ...
File:Moscow DorkhimzavodClub 5213.jpg, Dorkhimzavod Club File:Moscow HouseOnEmbankment 6495.jpg, House on the Embankment in Moscow File:Iset Hotel.jpg, Hotel Iset in Ekaterinburg File:Moscow Narkomzem 1234.jpg,
NarKomZem The People's Commissariat for Agriculture, abbreviated as ''Narkomzem'' was established in the USSR in 1929. Its headquarters building was located at Orlikov Pereulok, 1, Moscow, designed by Aleksey Shchusev in 1928. ''Narkomzem'' was reformed as ...
File:Главпочтамт Екатеринбурга.jpg, Central Post Office in Ekaterinburg File:Драмматичекий театр М.Горького.JPG, Maxim Gorky Theatre in
Rostov-na-Donu Rostov-on-Don ( rus, Ростов-на-Дону, r=Rostov-na-Donu, p=rɐˈstof nə dɐˈnu) is a port city and the administrative centre of Rostov Oblast and the Southern Federal District of Russia. It lies in the southeastern part of the East E ...


Post-War

Stalinist architecture put a premium on conservative monumentalism. During the 1930s there was rapid urbanisation as a result of Stalin's policies, and there was an international competition to build the Palace of the Soviets in Moscow at that time. After 1945, the focus was on both rebuilding structures destroyed in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
and erecting new ones: seven high-rise buildings were built at symbolic points in the Moscow area. The construction of Moscow University (1948–1953), by Lev Rudnev and associates, is particularly notable for its use of space. Another example is the Exhibition Centre in Moscow, built for the second All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (''VSKhV'') in 1954. This featured a series of pavilions, each decorated in representative style. Other well-known examples are the stations of the
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
and Saint Petersburg Metros built during the 1940s and 1950s, famous for their extravagant design and vivid decoration. In general, Stalinist architecture changed the appearance of many post-war cities; much survives to this day in central avenues and public buildings. Following Stalin's death in 1953, social and political changes rocked the country; construction priorities and architecture were also affected. In 1955 Nikita Khrushchev, faced with the slow pace of housing construction, called for drastic measures to accelerate the process. This involved developing new mass-production technology and removing "decorative extras" from buildings. On special plants that were built in every major city had launched production of special concrete blocks ready openings for doors and windows of which were built houses. These prefabricated blocks were brought from the factory ready-made and installed on the steel frame of a house. Houses built in this way were called block houses. All projects such houses have become standardized and have been summarized in several series (for example II-32 series), which were built houses. Projects for a buyout built schools, kindergartens and hospitals were also typical. This put an effective end to Stalinist architecture; however, the transition was slow. Most projects in the planning state or under construction by 1955 were directly affected; the result, at times, was entire areas becoming esthetically asymmetrical. A well-known example occurred in the postwar reconstruction of the Ukrainian capital, Kiev (now
Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Ky ...
), in which the planned Kreschatik avenue and its central square ( Ploschad Kalinina) were to form a single rich space enclosed by Stalinist architecture. As the buildings enclosing the latter were in completion, the architects were forced to alter their plans and the area was left unfinished until the early 1980s. In particular Hotel Ukrayina, which was to crown the square with a look similar to one of Moscow's "Seven Sisters", was left as a solid shape without a top spire or any rich external decoration. Nevertheless, as the buildings became more square and simple they brought with them a new style fueled by the Space Age: functionality. The State Kremlin Palace is an hommage to an earlier attempt to bridge rapidly changing styles dictated by the state. The Ostankino Tower, by Nikolai Nikitin, symbolizes technological advances and the future. In addition to simpler buildings, the 1960s are remembered for massive housing plans. A typical project was developed using concrete panels to make a simple, five-story house. These ''Pyatietazhki'' became the dominant housing construction. Although rapidly built, their quality was poor compared with earlier housing; their monotonous appearance contributed to the grey and dull stereotype characteristic of socialist cities. As the 1970s began,
Leonid Brezhnev Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev; uk, links= no, Леонід Ілліч Брежнєв, . (19 December 1906– 10 November 1982) was a Soviet politician who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1964 and 1 ...
allowed architects more freedom; soon, housing of varied design was built. Blocks of flats were taller and more decorated; large mosaics on their sides became a feature. In nearly all cases, these were built not as standalone construction but as part of large estates (french: housing massif) which soon became a central feature of socialist cities. In contrast to the houses built in the 1950s–1960s, which had up to 5 floors, new residential buildings were higher and could have up to nine or more floors, although the house with fewer floors continued to be built. Each complex includes an extensive area with a yard for walks, a playground with swings, a sandbox for the games and sites for parking vehicles, which are often supplemented by garages for cars, lined up separately from the residential buildings. This principle remains today. Public buildings were built with a variety of themes. Some (like the
White House of Russia The White House ( rus, Белый дом, r=Bely dom, p=ˈbʲɛlɨj ˈdom; officially The House of the Government of the Russian Federation, rus, Дом Правительства Российской Федерации, r=Dom pravitelstva Ross ...
) made direct connections to earlier 1950s architecture, with a white marble-faced exterior and large
bas-relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term '' relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that th ...
s on the wings. File:МГУ. Вид на главное здание..jpg, Moscow State University main building File:"Главный павильон ВДНХ".JPG,
All-Russia Exhibition Centre Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy (russian: Выставка достижений народного хозяйства, ''Vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva'', abbreviated as VDNKh or VDNH, russian: ВДНХ, ) is a perman ...
File:House of Soviets SPB.jpg, House of Soviets File:Zemlyanoy Val 46 03.JPG, House of the MGB workers File:Kosmodamianskaya 4-22 05.JPG, Guest House On Kosmodamianskaya Naberezhnaya File:Moscow SmolenskayaEmbankment5d13 K01.jpg, General's House at Smolenskaya embankment File:Gates of Minsk (2016).jpg, Minsk Gate File:Hotel Rossija.jpg, Rossiya Hotel File:Ras-praesidium-2013-dsc08095.jpg, Presidium Building of Russian Academy of Science File:Moscow Frunzenskaya Embankment at Pushkinsky Bridge 08-2016.jpg, Main Building of the Ministry of Defense File:Novosibirsk KrasnyPr Opera Theatre 07-2016.jpg, Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre File:Ленинградский проспект, 27.jpg, Openwork house File:Ostankino Tower, 2015.JPG, Ostankino Tower File:Krasnopresnenskaya 2 01.JPG, Moscow White House File:Sovetsky City District, Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia - panoramio (121).jpg, Typical Khrushchyovka in Nizhny Novgorod File:Dov 8.jpg, Unusual round-shaped plattenbau in Moscow File:New Arbat Ave.jpg, Book houses at New Arbat File:Ped institut.jpg, Housing the university, built in the early 1970s, in Ulyanovsk ( Ulyanovsk State Pedagogical University)


Post-Soviet and Present Day

As the Soviet Union fell apart, many of its projects were put on hold and some cancelled altogether. However, for the first time there was no longer any control over what theme a building should have or how high it should be. As a result, with generally improving financial conditions architecture grew at a high rate. For the first time modern methods of skyscraper construction were implemented, this resulted in an ambitious Moscow International Business Center. In other cases, architects returned to successful designs of Stalinist architecture, which resulted in buildings like the
Triumph Palace Triumph Palace (russian: Триу́мф-Пала́с, transliterated as ''Triumf Palas'') is the tallest apartment building in Moscow and all of Europe. It is sometimes called the Eighth Sister because it is similar in appearance to the Seven S ...
in Moscow. New Classical Architecture is also appearing more consistently throughout modern Russia, with a large complex being proposed for
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
. File:Москва, Большая Дорогомиловская улица - panoramio.jpg, Moscow International Business Center File:Ekaterinburg-city.jpg, Yekaterinburg-City File:СПб-Плаза.jpg, Saint Petersburg Plaza File:Saint Petersburg Lakhta center 10.jpg, Lakhta Center File:Moscow 05-2017 img42 Triumph Palace.jpg,
Triumph Palace Triumph Palace (russian: Триу́мф-Пала́с, transliterated as ''Triumf Palas'') is the tallest apartment building in Moscow and all of Europe. It is sometimes called the Eighth Sister because it is similar in appearance to the Seven S ...
File:Moscow bus and tram 5291 20101107 0479 (11585871626).jpg, Sokolinaya Gora File:Алые паруса, общий вид - panoramio.jpg, Scarlet Sails File:Oruzheiny Complex Tower1.jpg, Oruzheiny Complex File:Mariinsky Theatre Saint Petersburg Russia 05.jpg,
Mariinsky Theatre Second Stage The Mariinsky Theater Second Stage is the second part of a theatre complex which is made up of the original 1860 Mariinsky Theatre and the 2007 Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall. The Second Stage has been completed and a gala concert celebrating the o ...
File:Spb 06-2017 img40 Krestovsky Stadium (cropped).jpg, Gazprom Arena (UFO) File:Novosibirsk Technopark, 2 October 2014.jpg, Technopark in
Akademgorodok Akademgorodok ( rus, Академгородок, p=ɐkəˌdʲemɡərɐˈdok, "Academic Town") is a part of the Sovetsky District of the city of Novosibirsk, Russia, located south of the city center and about west of Koltsovo. It is the edu ...
File:Sochi adler aerial view 2018 23.jpg, Fisht Olympic Stadium File:White Square Office Center Moscow1.jpg, White Square File:Moscow HouseOnMosfilmofskaya.jpg, House on Mosfilmovskaya File:Moscow Dubrovka Dominion Tower 08-2016.jpg, Dominion Tower File:Moscow, new building of the Fomenko Theatre (397).jpg, Fomenko theatre File:Kazan. Agriculturers palace P8111917 2200.jpg, Agricultural palace File:Zaryadye26.jpg, Zaryadye Park


See also

* Russian Revival architecture *
List of tallest buildings in Russia The first skyscrapers in Russia were built during the Stalinist Era in the Soviet Union. These skyscrapers are known as the Seven Sisters, which were built in the Stalinist architectural style. The first skyscraper to be constructed in Russia w ...
*
List of Russian architects This is a list of architects of the Russian Federation, Soviet Union, Russian Empire, Tsardom of Russia and Grand Duchy of Moscow, both ethnic Russians and people of other ethnicities. This list also includes those who were born in the ///Tsardom o ...
* Latvian Academy of Sciences *
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Warsaw The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral ( pl, Sobór św. Aleksandra Newskiego, russian: Александро-Невский собор) was a Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Saxon Square built in Warsaw, Poland, then a part of the Russian Empire. The cath ...
*
Warsaw Palace of Culture and Science Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officiall ...
* Russian Church, Sofia


References


Bibliography

* "Architecture: Kievan Rus and Russia" in ''Encyclopædia Britannica (Macropedia) vol. 13,'' 15th ed., 2003, p. 921. *
William Craft Brumfield __NOTOC__ William Craft Brumfield (born June 28, 1944) is a contemporary American historian of Russian architecture, a preservationist and an architectural photographer. Brumfield is currently Professor of Slavic studies at Tulane University. ...
, ''Landmarks of Russian Architecture: A Photographic Survey.'' Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach, 1997 * John Fleming, Hugh Honour, Nikolaus Pevsner. "Russian Architecture" in ''The Penguin Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture'', 5th ed.,
966 Year 966 ( CMLXVI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * 23 June - Byzantine-Arab War: A prisoner exchange occurs at the border betwee ...
1998, pp. 493–498, London: Penguin. .
Russian art and architecture
in The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2001–05.
''Encyclopædia Britannica''Western architecture retrieved 12 August 2005


* ttp://www.groveart.com/shared/views/article.html?section=art.074586.3.3.2&authstatuscode=200 Grove Art Online articles on Russian architecture Oxford University Press 2005 retrieved 12 August* ''Russian Life'' July/August 2000 Volume 43 Issue 4 "Faithful Reproduction" an interview with Russian architecture expert William Brumfield on the rebuilding of Christ the Saviour Cathedral * David Watkin, ''A History of Western Architecture'' 6th ed., 2015, London, Laurence King Publishing . * Francis D.K. Ching, Mark Jarzombek, Vikramaditya Prakash, ''A Global History of Architecture'' 3rd ed., 2017, Hoboken, New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. . * Arthur Voyce, "National Elements in Russian Architecture", ''Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians'' May 1957, No 2, pp.6-16 *
William Craft Brumfield __NOTOC__ William Craft Brumfield (born June 28, 1944) is a contemporary American historian of Russian architecture, a preservationist and an architectural photographer. Brumfield is currently Professor of Slavic studies at Tulane University. ...
, ''A History of Russian Architecture'', 2004 (Originally published 1998), University of Washington Press . *
William Craft Brumfield __NOTOC__ William Craft Brumfield (born June 28, 1944) is a contemporary American historian of Russian architecture, a preservationist and an architectural photographer. Brumfield is currently Professor of Slavic studies at Tulane University. ...
, "The Development of Medieval Church Architecture in the Vologda Region of the Russian North" ''Architectural History'', Vol. 40, 1997, pp.64-80


Further reading

*
Fletcher, Banister Sir Banister Flight Fletcher (15 February 1866 – 17 August 1953) was an English architect and architectural historian, as was his father, also named Banister Fletcher. They wrote the standard textbook ''A History of Architecture'', ...
; Cruickshank, Dan
''Sir Banister Fletcher's a History of Architecture''
Architectural Press, 20th edition, 1996 (first published 1896)bISBN 0-7506-2267-9. Cf. Part Two, Chapter 12. *
William Craft Brumfield __NOTOC__ William Craft Brumfield (born June 28, 1944) is a contemporary American historian of Russian architecture, a preservationist and an architectural photographer. Brumfield is currently Professor of Slavic studies at Tulane University. ...
, ''A History of Russian Architecture.'' Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 9932004.


External links


The William C. Brumfield Collection, part of ''Meeting of Frontiers: Siberia, Alaska, and the American West''

Russian Architecture
*
Russian photosite of Orthodox architecture
*
Russian society of architects
*

* ttp://www.doit.house/russian-wooden-church.shtml Russian wooden churches

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russian Architecture Architecture in Russia, Architectural history Russian art