World architecture developed according to the laws of church dominance. Residential civil buildings looked rather modest, while the temples were astonishing. During the Middle Ages, the church possessed significant funds that the higher clergy received from the state, in addition, donations from parishioners came to the church treasury. With this money, churches were built all over Russia. Examples of civilian architecture of that time left much to be desired. However, since the 18th century, the situation has radically changed. Churches and cathedrals were already erected without excessive luxury, but the landed estates, royal country houses and even buildings in the noble hunting grounds significantly added to the sophistication and beauty. The styles of houses, the architecture of buildings, streets and squares are constantly being improved. The architects were considered the most respected people.
Early gothic style
Unique examples of ancient architecture are the cathedrals that have been built since the mid-12th century in the northern regions of France. The largest Gothic cathedral was built in Amiens, in 1220. Later, the same Gothic cathedral was erected in the German city of Cologne, its construction was completed in 1248.
In parallel with the Gothic, the Romanesque style in the architecture of the Middle Ages developed in the 12-14 centuries. Italian architects erected buildings with walls of incredible thickness, the houses were more like fortresses. Examples of Romanesque architecture are buildings resembling military defenses. The lower tier was especially strong, fundamental, the second floor consisted of towers and turrets, round and rectangular in plan, large and small. All towers had narrow, tall windows that resembled loopholes in shape. The Romanesque style in the architecture of the Middle Ages corresponded to its time. Warring knightly clans needed effective protection from enemy raids, and family castles with fortresses were the best suited for this purpose.
Ancient architecture
In ancient times, much attention was paid to the construction of public buildings. These were grandiose structures designed to organize mass shows. Ancient Roman forums, designed for tens of thousands of spectators, ancient Greek agoras, which were huge open squares, daily filled with people, artisans and merchants. Ancient Egyptian architecture was significantly different from Roman, primarily because the Egyptians never gathered in a crowd of thousands in one place. Egyptian history goes back to the 15th century BC, when architecture was conditional. The buildings were built of shell rock or red burnt clay. Nothing was known about the styles; the ancient Egyptians were not concerned about the style of their buildings, but about how to build houses higher to avoid flooding from the spilled Nile.
Warrants
Ancient Greek architecture was mainly focused on the construction of temple buildings, some of which have survived to our time. Gradually, several architectural styles became apparent:
- Doric order - differs in simple, powerful forms, even in some of their heaviness. Doric columns have flutes on their surface, deep grooves extending from the lower base to the capital. The horizontal tiers in the Doric order is an architrave connecting the columns at the abacus level, from above passes a frieze consisting of two layers - a triglyph and a metope. All together forms an entablature, which is crowned with gesims, a cornice with a significant outward protrusion.
- Ionic order - in comparison with the heavy Doric one, it is characterized by ease of proportions. The main sign of belonging to the ionic order is the capital of the column, which has the form of a double volute, directed downward by curls. The Ionian order is considered an architectural feminine style, as it is refined and complemented by ornaments. A warrant appeared in the VI century BC, in Ionia, in the northwest of the Aegean coast. A century later, spread throughout the territory of ancient Greece. The main building in the Ionic style is the temple of the goddess Hera on the island of Samos, built in 570 BC and soon destroyed by an earthquake. And the most stylish building in the ionic order is the temple of Artemis of Ephesus - one of the "Seven Wonders of the World."
- The Corinthian order - the latest, differed from others in special splendor. The columns in the image and entablature resemble the signs of an ionic order, but the abacus and the capital are completely different. The Corinthian style is rich in decorativeness, there are floral ornaments in its capitals, two rows of acanthus leaves run along the perimeter. The capital also adorns a lot of daylily volutes.
"Palladianism"
The beginning of the 18th century was marked by the emergence of a new direction in world culture - classicism. Regularity of forms, clear projections and proportions - these were the main criteria of architectural classicism. A faithful follower of the ancient style of temple architecture, the Venetian master Palladio, together with a student of Scamozzi, substantiated his own theory of ancient classicism. The doctrine was called "palladianism" and began to be widely used in the construction of private mansions. The "classicism" style in architecture turned out to be technological and convenient from the point of view of design and construction of buildings.
Baroque architecture sunset
As it turned out, the cost of buildings erected in the new style was significantly lower. The constructions were laconic, the “whipped cream” of the late Baroque became a thing of the past, classicism with its symmetrical-axial compositions and noble restraint of the decoration was gaining more and more admirers. European connoisseurs of architectural masterpieces were ready to abandon both Baroque and Rococo in favor of the chamber, with notes of academicity, strict and elegant classicism.
At the same time, several mansions were built under the leadership of Andrea Palladio, the most famous of which was the Rotonda Palace, near the city of Vicenza. The "classicism" style in architecture quickly gained popularity. Paris literally swept the wave of construction. Under Louis XV, entire architectural ensembles were erected, such as Place de la Concorde. And during the reign of Louis XVI, "laconic classicism" became the main focus in urban architecture. After the execution of the French king and the overthrow of the monarchy in 1793, Paris was built up chaotically and inconsistently for a long time.
Empire style architectural style
At the end of the 18th century, classicism began to decline, it took an update of the whole culture as a whole and architecture as its constituent part.
Classicism was replaced by a new style in art and architecture called empire, which was born and developed in France during the reign of Napoleon I. The emergence of a new direction was largely due to political reasons. The government of Napoleon Bonaparte tried to instill its own, so-called "imperial" style in architecture, when it became clear that classicism was nearing sunset. Both the solemn and pompous empire, and all other styles of architecture of the 19th century, fit perfectly into the palace agglomerates, but the emphasis was still placed on the "royal" direction.
In Russia, an architectural empire appeared under Tsar Alexander the First, who was loyal to French culture and considered it worthy of imitation. No wonder the sovereign invited an architect from France, Auguste Montferrand, to erect the famous St. Isaac's Cathedral. The style in architecture - Empire style - was not uniform in its form, it was divided into St. Petersburg and Moscow and existed until the middle of the 19th century. In addition to the St. Isaac's Cathedral, built in 1858, in St. Petersburg there is another masterpiece in the "royal" style, this is the Kazan Cathedral of Andrei Voronikhin, and in Moscow the "Triumphal Gate". Russian style in architecture Empire style is a thirty-year period of the construction of genuine masterpieces.
Architectural attractions of St. Petersburg
One of the most outstanding cities in the world in architectural significance is the city of St. Petersburg, the northern capital of Russia. Due to the continuity of the Russian and Western European experience in urban development in the 18th-19th centuries, a unique conglomerate was created in St. Petersburg. The city features fifteen different architectural styles, the harmonious polyphony of which creates a unique picture of the reunion of several historical periods into a single whole. The boundaries of the eras are not clearly marked, “blurred”, but all signs of the past are present.
The architecture of St. Petersburg includes eight areas that are dominant:
- Baroque "Petrovsky", the beginning of the 18th century;
- Baroque "Elizabethan", mid-18th century;
- Gothic, the second half of the 18th century;
- classicism, the end of the 18th century;
- Russian Empire, the beginning of the 19th century;
- Renaissance, mid-19th century;
- eclecticism, the second half of the 19th century;
- Art Nouveau, beginning of the 20th century;
Peter's Baroque is a transformed Italian and French Baroque. A somewhat artsy style was welcomed by Peter I and his entourage. However, the time during which Baroque flourished was hectic, numerous wars devastated the treasury. The construction of new buildings was not adequately funded, and this could not but affect their quality. Baroque style was indicated only on the facades, the main signs of the architectural direction were emphasized: pediments, pilasters with volutes, spiers on the roofs. The interior was extended according to the principle of enfilade, this significantly reduced the cost of construction. Peter's Baroque dominated St. Petersburg from 1703 to 1740, after the death of the emperor in 1725, the activity of contracted European architects decreased, but work continued for another 15 years.
The daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth, who ascended the royal throne in 1741, strove to centralize power, and besides, she was not alien to luxury, grand dress, magnificent festivities and balls. In the architecture of urban buildings during the reign of Elizabeth, pomposity and pretentiousness began to be traced, thus the "Elizabethan Baroque" style arose in itself. The main architect of that time was Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who created a masterpiece of architecture of world significance - the Winter Palace, located on Palace Square, which is also known as the Hermitage Museum.
List of architectural structures erected during the reign of Elizabethan Baroque:
- Anichkov Palace (1741 - 1753).
- The Summer Palace of Elizabeth (1741 - 1744) was not preserved.
- Grand Peterhof Palace (1745 - 1762).
- Ekaterinhof Palace (1747 - 1750), was not preserved.
- Smolny Cathedral, erected in St. Petersburg (1748 - 1754).
- Vorontsov Palace, Petersburg (1749 - 1757).
- The track palace on the Central Slingshot (1751 - 1754) was not preserved.
- Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo (1752 - 1758).
- Stroganov Palace, Nevsky Prospect (1753 - 1754).
- St. Nicholas Epiphany Cathedral (1753 - 1762).
- Shuvalov's house on Italian street (1753 - 1755).
- Winter Palace (1754 - 1762).
- The Yakovlev Mansion (1762 - 1766) was not preserved.
Gothic in St. Petersburg
The city on the Neva is one of the most unique megacities in the world in which the culture is so diverse. Gothic architecture appeared in St. Petersburg in 1777, it was the Chesme Palace and the Chesme Church. As in the case of the "Peter's Baroque", these buildings did not fully meet the style. Gothic elements served as external attributes - facades, lancet arches, numerous turrets, high spiers. Bearing structures of buildings were carried out according to a simplified scheme. In fact, it was pseudo-Gothic; nevertheless, in the 19th century a large number of churches and secular buildings were built.
The architectural style of "classicism" was developed in the period from 1760 to 1780. Petersburg at that time was already ready for change. The buildings, built in the style of classicism, organically fit into the urban landscape. Among the most notable buildings are the following:
- "Imperial Academy of Arts", built on Vasilyevsky Island in 1764-1788.
- Yusupov Palace (1771-1773).
- Hanging Gardens of the Small Hermitage (1764-1775).
- Armenian Church (1771-1776).
- Marble Palace (1768-1785)
- Tauride Palace (1783-1789).
- Mining Institute of Empress Catherine (1806-1808).
Classicism was a harbinger of the appearance of a Russian Empire in St. Petersburg. The change of direction occurred unnoticed. At that time, the Empire style architectural style was in demand in France as part of the turbulent changes taking place in the country. He reflected the ambitions of Napoleon and became a symbol of new life for the French. And the Russian Empire replaced the classicism, nothing more. The architecture of St. Petersburg developed according to its own laws. A significant influence on its formation had a French culture.
Architecture and photography
Residential and sacred buildings, manor houses and temples, prisons and public houses. Any structure related to public life should have architectural features. Some houses were built in strict accordance with the rules of building aesthetics, while architects often managed to achieve impressive results. Masterpieces of architectural art had to be sketched, because then there was no photograph. Photo art appeared and began to develop only in the first half of the 19th century. However, it was not immediately possible to replace the drawing in the photo. Architecture is always a rather complex image, with many shades and midtones, and the usual daguerreotype did not convey them, only a flat spot with hardly noticeable contours was obtained on the plate. And the artists continued to paint.
However, the years passed, the photo was improved, and now the moment came when it became possible to capture any building in the photo. Architecture, as the classic aptly put it, is "frozen music", and many wanted to keep this music as a memory. People posed against the backdrop of their own houses or tried to take off near some famous building. All sorts of styles of architecture, photos of which having a home was considered a good form, became popular. At the dawn of the development of photography, most of the pictures were either family or with images of buildings.
Architecture Styles with Examples
There are many examples of architectural styles, each of which has certain characteristics that characterize the direction, type of affiliation and time period in which this structure was erected.
For some of the most famous styles of architecture, specific examples can be given:
- Empire - "Arch of the General Staff" in St. Petersburg, on Palace Square (1819 - 1829), architect Carlo Rossi;
- classicism - "Trinity Cathedral in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra" (1776 - 1790), architect Starov. St. Petersburg;
- Gothic - "House of Sevastyanov" (1863 - 1866), architect Paduchev, Yekaterinburg;
- Baroque - "Stroganov Palace" in St. Petersburg, on Nevsky Prospekt, (1752 - 1754), architect Rastrelli;
- Renaissance - Cathedral "Santa Maria del Fiore" in Florence (1417 - 1436), architect Brunelleschi;
- Art Nouveau - " Singer Company House " in St. Petersburg (1902 - 1904), architect Suzor.
Examples of architecture testify to the development of various genres over the centuries.
Original examples of today's architecture
Today in the world there are enough creative architects who are engaged in ultramodern projects. Other projects are purely utilitarian in nature, but there are those that can be called original. For example, in Japan, balloon houses have come into fashion. Since the Land of the Rising Sun is seismic hazard, Japanese architects began to set houses on huge balls made of especially durable material. Thus, during an earthquake, the house just begins to swing, the vibrations of tremors can not do him any harm.
There are original buildings that are the result of creative design ideas. In the famous Spanish city of Barcelona, which rightfully ranks first in the world in the number of original buildings, architects created another masterpiece. This is an upside down house . The building is on the roof and its unusual pleases tourists.