Early Muscovite Period-The Moscow Kremlin in the time of Ivan Kalita.
Early Muscovite period took place between 1230-1530. During this time the Mongol empire controled most of what today is Russia. The Mongols looted most of the cities that no one could afford to build. At the beginning of the period, architecture was timber construction as no one could afford masonry and timber cheap and concentrated locally. Architects such as Pskov and Novgorod survived and escaped the mongol invasion. As a couple churches were erect in some of the small towns outside of Moscow. The churches were medieval design and example is Novgorod's Saviour on Ilyina Street built in 1374. Novgorod's style consisted of the medieval design with steep roofs, roughly carved elements and featured medieval frescoes. However most of the timber design did not survive. Since masonry construction could not be afforded, Pskov started Pskov masons for the trade to survive. However the only ones that could afford the masonry construction was the novelity but not many were built. Pskov introduced to Moscow corbel arches, church porches, bell towers, and galleries. As Moscow gained power and wealth, towards the turn of the 15th century masonry construction started to emerge. A distinctive early Muscovite architecture drew influence from Vladimir-Suzdal, and Pskov. Pskov influence during the 15th century can be seen in the Deposition Church of the Moscow Kremlin built in 1462, and as well in the Holy Spirit Church of the Holy Trinity Lavra built in 1476. During the 15th century masonry construction started to gain popularity as Moscow grainied power. Masons were able to gain back their masonry knowledge pre-Mongol era and were able to find solutions to construction problem that their predecessors couldn't solve. Muscovy style can be seen in Holy Trinity Lavra built 1423 and Savvin Monastery of Zvenigorod built 1427. Moscow's gain of power in the region can be seen in the architecture with the strong development masonry, ornamental elements in the facades, declarative domes, as seen as in Spasskaya Tower in the Kremlin. |
Middle Muscovite PeriodThe Middle Muscovite Period took place during the 1530-1630. During this time period masonry construction grainiest its popularity and architects started to experiment with the facades ornamental design. A strong Italian influence infiltrated the Moscow architecture style.
At this time Ivan the terrible was in power and he was a fan of high tented roofs. High tented roofs combined into the Muscovy architecture style. One legend about St. Basil’s has persisted throughout the centuries. It is said that when Ivan the Terrible gazed on the completed cathedral, he was overwhelmed with its beauty. To be sure Postnik Yakovlev never created anything so magnificent again, the Tsar ordered that he be blinded. |
Late Muscovite PeriodPalace inside the Kremlin
The Late Muscovite Period took place from 1630 - 1712. During this time Russia develop strong relations with Scotland and the Netherlands and gained master craftsmen from that area. At the same time Russia saw architecture influences from Mannerism and Baroque that combined with traditional Russian features. Artistic logic and basic principals of architecture saw medieval elements combined in Moscow architecture with classical reinterpretation of motifs arriving from the west such Baroque and Mannerism. |
MUSCOVITE ARCHITECTURE
The growth of Moscow dates back to the start as a small village in the medieval principality of Rus about 900 years or earlier. Moscow is a place of contrast in which eastern and western architecture styles co-exist side by side. The characteristic of the onion dome emerged out of the Kievan style that was dominant in the middle ages when Muscovy was emerging as a in important power. At the start of the period timber architecture was the dominant style with log cabins and timber design. Much of that style did not survive. As the Mongol control over Moscow dissolved there was turning point in the architecture style. New directions in Russian architecture took place at the turn of the fifth-teen century.
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Muscovite Periods
Dormition Cathedral, Moscow 1475 Iberian Gate and display of Moscow Masonry Palaces in the Kremlin