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Architecture of Russia
The architecture of Russia refers to the architecture of modern Russia as well as historical states, including Kievan Rus', the Russian principalities, the Tsardom of Russia, and the Russian Empire.
The vernacular architecture stems from wooden construction traditions, and monumental masonry construction started to appear during the Kievan period. After the Mongol invasions, the Russian architectural trajectory continued in succeeding feudal Russian states, including Novgorod, Vladimir-Suzdal, Pskov, and Moscow, until they were united into a centralized state at the dawn of the modern era.
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 Kievan Rus' and succeeding principalities' churches, the Muscovite style, baroque, neoclassical, eclecticism, art nouveau, as well as the signature styles of the Soviet period.
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.
Under the reign of Vladimir the Great in 988 AD, 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 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 interior, 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, 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 style of ecclesiastical architecture in Kievan Rus' 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.
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Architecture of Russia AI simulator
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Architecture of Russia
The architecture of Russia refers to the architecture of modern Russia as well as historical states, including Kievan Rus', the Russian principalities, the Tsardom of Russia, and the Russian Empire.
The vernacular architecture stems from wooden construction traditions, and monumental masonry construction started to appear during the Kievan period. After the Mongol invasions, the Russian architectural trajectory continued in succeeding feudal Russian states, including Novgorod, Vladimir-Suzdal, Pskov, and Moscow, until they were united into a centralized state at the dawn of the modern era.
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 Kievan Rus' and succeeding principalities' churches, the Muscovite style, baroque, neoclassical, eclecticism, art nouveau, as well as the signature styles of the Soviet period.
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.
Under the reign of Vladimir the Great in 988 AD, 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 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 interior, 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, 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 style of ecclesiastical architecture in Kievan Rus' 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.