Religious Architecture
Background
Russian religious buildings are characterized by their verticality, bright colors and multiple domes. The verticality provides and outlet to become closer to heaven. The bright colors symbolically have different meanings. The golden color is a symbol of celestial glory which is why the major cathedrals are crowned with golden domes. Blue domes with golden stars are characteristics of Mother of God churches. Green or silver domes are used to signify churches in honor of saints. Black domes are symbols of monkhood and are typically found on monasteries and convents. Some say that domes were created so that snow can slide down them and not accumulate on the top.
Russian religious buildings are characterized by their verticality, bright colors and multiple domes. The verticality provides and outlet to become closer to heaven. The bright colors symbolically have different meanings. The golden color is a symbol of celestial glory which is why the major cathedrals are crowned with golden domes. Blue domes with golden stars are characteristics of Mother of God churches. Green or silver domes are used to signify churches in honor of saints. Black domes are symbols of monkhood and are typically found on monasteries and convents. Some say that domes were created so that snow can slide down them and not accumulate on the top.
Byzantine Influences
Originally, religious architecture was based off Byzantine church designs. These churches were typically supported by piers, which is an upright support for a structure. Buildings had piers ranging from two to ten in multiples of two. The number of piers that each church used depended on where it was being built. During the 11th century, most of the major churches utilized eight or ten piers that supported one, three or five cupolas, or dome-like structure on top of a building. However as time progressed between the 11th and 18th century, churches and cathedrals began using less piers. Most major cathedrals used six piers while the most common arrangement used four piers. The Nereditsa Church is one of Russia's oldest churches built in 1198 where the room is supported by four piers.
Originally, religious architecture was based off Byzantine church designs. These churches were typically supported by piers, which is an upright support for a structure. Buildings had piers ranging from two to ten in multiples of two. The number of piers that each church used depended on where it was being built. During the 11th century, most of the major churches utilized eight or ten piers that supported one, three or five cupolas, or dome-like structure on top of a building. However as time progressed between the 11th and 18th century, churches and cathedrals began using less piers. Most major cathedrals used six piers while the most common arrangement used four piers. The Nereditsa Church is one of Russia's oldest churches built in 1198 where the room is supported by four piers.
Evolution of the Four Piered Churches
As time progressed, the four-piered churches began to evolve incorporating different features. Between the 12th and 16th century, gabled churches became popular in Novgorod and Pskov. The Church of the Transfiguration Savior was built in 1378 which showcases the gabled roofs. Tower churches also began becoming more prevalent which is characterized by an ascent of gables that culminated into a single elongated cylinder under a dome showcasing the verticality of the churches shown by the Pyatnytska Church. Gabled roofs are characterized by roofs with single ridges meaning there is a flat side on the roof. After the 15th century, tower churches transformed by incorporating bell towers shown by the Church of Holy Spirit.
As time progressed, the four-piered churches began to evolve incorporating different features. Between the 12th and 16th century, gabled churches became popular in Novgorod and Pskov. The Church of the Transfiguration Savior was built in 1378 which showcases the gabled roofs. Tower churches also began becoming more prevalent which is characterized by an ascent of gables that culminated into a single elongated cylinder under a dome showcasing the verticality of the churches shown by the Pyatnytska Church. Gabled roofs are characterized by roofs with single ridges meaning there is a flat side on the roof. After the 15th century, tower churches transformed by incorporating bell towers shown by the Church of Holy Spirit.
Tent-like Churches
During the 16th and 17th centuries, pitched-conical, or tent-roof, churches also became popular. Tent-roof churches marked a clear distinction from Byzantine architecture since the tent-like structures emphasized more verticality which can be described as the Russian parallel to the European Gothic spires. The first few tent churches were only capped by a single tent-roof that evolved into incorporating multiple tent-like domes. Eventually, they also incorporated the distinctive onion domes. The Church of Elijah the Prophet displays both the onion domes and the tent-like domes together.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, pitched-conical, or tent-roof, churches also became popular. Tent-roof churches marked a clear distinction from Byzantine architecture since the tent-like structures emphasized more verticality which can be described as the Russian parallel to the European Gothic spires. The first few tent churches were only capped by a single tent-roof that evolved into incorporating multiple tent-like domes. Eventually, they also incorporated the distinctive onion domes. The Church of Elijah the Prophet displays both the onion domes and the tent-like domes together.
Pierless Churches
In Moscow between the 1590s and 1640s, most churches followed the Godunov-style which was a cuboid church that was capped a pyramid of spade-shaped kokoshniki, or arches, leading to a single dome shown on the right. This eventually evolved into a ship-like church. These were also cuboid churches, but were usually five-domed with a pyramid of kokoshniki shown on the left. |
Round Churches
Rotunda churches were typically circular, semicircular, or elliptical in plan and appeared between the 12th and 17th centuries, however, they were extremely rare. The Vysokopetrovsky Monastery is very simple rotunda church. More common round churches were typically octagonal. Octagonal bell-tower churches were characterized by a succession of diminishing octagonal structures. The Church of the Intercession at Fili is a beautiful example of the octagonal bell-tower. Octagonal pillar churches, shown by the Church of the Sign in Dubrovitsy, utilized a octagonal church tower that bears no semblance to Byzantine architecture.
Rotunda churches were typically circular, semicircular, or elliptical in plan and appeared between the 12th and 17th centuries, however, they were extremely rare. The Vysokopetrovsky Monastery is very simple rotunda church. More common round churches were typically octagonal. Octagonal bell-tower churches were characterized by a succession of diminishing octagonal structures. The Church of the Intercession at Fili is a beautiful example of the octagonal bell-tower. Octagonal pillar churches, shown by the Church of the Sign in Dubrovitsy, utilized a octagonal church tower that bears no semblance to Byzantine architecture.
Church Aesthetics
One of the most common feature present in the buildings were the presence of the domes on a church. Depending on the number domes present, the meaning changes. One dome symbolizes the single God, three symbolizes the Trinity and five represents Christ and his four evangelists. The structure and layout of the churches were used to regulate the sensory perceptions of the worshipers. Typically, the architecture is planned to constitute the unifying element for the sensory experience. It controls the level of natural light, directs movement of the service through differing sizes of space, enhances church song and defines which spaces are more holy than others which distinguishes the space for clergy and the space for parishioners. All of these features are used to express a mystical feeling within the church through evenly distributed light, swirling incense smoke and resounding sounds of the worship. Additionally, the walls themselves played a role in religious architecture. They provided an expression of icons, or visual representations of holy figures, which were the most ancient and important visual aspect of worship. The wall art enhances the architecture and a greater sense of immersion with the divine.
One of the most common feature present in the buildings were the presence of the domes on a church. Depending on the number domes present, the meaning changes. One dome symbolizes the single God, three symbolizes the Trinity and five represents Christ and his four evangelists. The structure and layout of the churches were used to regulate the sensory perceptions of the worshipers. Typically, the architecture is planned to constitute the unifying element for the sensory experience. It controls the level of natural light, directs movement of the service through differing sizes of space, enhances church song and defines which spaces are more holy than others which distinguishes the space for clergy and the space for parishioners. All of these features are used to express a mystical feeling within the church through evenly distributed light, swirling incense smoke and resounding sounds of the worship. Additionally, the walls themselves played a role in religious architecture. They provided an expression of icons, or visual representations of holy figures, which were the most ancient and important visual aspect of worship. The wall art enhances the architecture and a greater sense of immersion with the divine.