Russian architecture

Russian architecture follows a tradition whose roots were established in the Eastern Slavic state of Kievan Rus'. After the fall of Kiev, Russian architectural history continued in the principalities of Vladimir-Suzdal, and Novgorod, and the succeeding states of Tsardom of Moscow, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the modern Russian Federation.

Medieval Rus' (988–1230)
Architecture of Kievan Rus

The medieval state of Kievan Rus' was the predecessor of modern states of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine and their respective cultures, including architecture.

The great churches of Kievan Rus', built after the adoption of Christianity in 988, were the first examples of monumental architecture in the East Slavic lands. The architectural style of the Kievan state which quickly established itself was strongly influenced by the Byzantine. Early Eastern Orthodox churches were mainly made of wood with the simplest form of church becoming known as a cell church. Major cathedrals often featured scores of small domes, which led some art historians to take this as an indication of what the pagan Slavic temples should have looked like.

Saint Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod (1044-52), on the other hand, expressed a new style that exerted a strong influence on Russian church architecture. Its austere thick walls, small narrow windows, and helmeted cupolas have much in common with the Romanesque architecture of Western Europe. Even further departure from Byzantine models is evident in succeeding cathedrals of Novgorod: St Nicholas's (1113), St Anthony's (1117-19), and St George's (1119).

Secular architecture of Kievan Rus' has scarcely survived. Up to the twentieth century, only the Golden Gates of Vladimir, despite much eighteenth-century restoration, could be regarded as an authentic monument of the pre-Mongolian period. In the 1940s, the archaeologist Nikolai Voronin discovered the well-preserved remains of Andrei Bogolyubsky's palace in Bogolyubovo, dating from 1158-65.

The city of Novgorod preserved their architecture during the invasion of the Mongols. The first churches were commissioned by the princes but after the thirteenth century merchants, street guilds, and communities would then start commissioning cathedrals. The citizens of Novgorod in the 13th century were known for their shrewdness, diligence, and prosperity. They undertook colonization from the Baltic to the White Sea. The architecture in Novgorod did not start to bloom until the turn of the twelfth century. The Novgorod Sophia was modeled after the first Sancta Sophia, it looks very similar but is just smaller in the width of the building. The cells inside the Novgorod Sophia are smaller and contribute to the more insistent verticality which became one of the characteristics for Novgorod architecture. The biggest difference is noticed in the exterior of the Sophia which has only five main domes. Because of the rapid development of architecture in Northern Russia, we see the bulbous, or the onion domes instead of the cupolas. The main supervision of the construction was from the people of Kiev who went up to look over the building process along with some brick that was imported from Kiev. The main materials that were used in building this Sophia were fieldstone and undressed block of limestone. It is said that the interiors were painted in frescos that have now vanished. However the doors were made out of bronze.

St. George’s cathedral of the Yuryev was commissioned in 1119 by Prince Vsevolod Mstislavovich . The architect was Master Peter which is one of the few architects that have been recorded for this time in Russia. The exterior is detailed by narrow windows and double recessed niches which proceed in a rhythm across the façade. The walls on the inside reach a height of 20 meters. The pillars are placed very close together which exaggerates the height of the vaulted ceilings. The inside was covered in frescos from the prince’s workshops, including some of the rarest paintings from Russian art at this time.

Church of the Transfiguration of the savior was built in memorial to Illya. During the raid of the Mongols Illya saved this city so this church was constructed for him. The church was constructed in 1374 During this time the city-state of Novgorod had created a counter part from the princes and subdivided their city into a series of streets where this church still exist. We can now see that the series of windows in the churches are becoming more detailed and the niches are getting deeper and now have a pitched roof still using the dome that is seen in the cathedrals that are much larger than this church.

This church that closely resembles the church of the transfiguration on Elijah street is The church of Saints Peter and Paul in Kozhevniki. It was constructed in 1406 the only big difference are the materials used. The detail is focused on the west and south facades. There are new ornamental motifs in the brick these are a new detail that was used during this time. Brick was also used for pilaster strips which delineate the façade. It would have been plastered but it under went restoration after it was ruined in World War II. Its apse is pointing towards the river which gives a beautiful sight for ships approaching from the Baltic sea. The shingled roof looks very similar to a bochka which was the style roof that was used during the time that this church was built. The walls would have been built from local quarry stone which would contrast with the red bricks. The ground plan of the church has an almost square shape with four pillars it has one apse and one dome.