In Russia, the construction of wood has long been commonplace, and in the regions where the forest has been ruled for centuries, ancient architects reached truly incredible heights in this skill. Numerous evidences of their amazing talent have survived to this day: beautiful, harmonious structures, skillfully carved details, fine carvings - but carpenters worked mainly with an ax, completely not intended to create exquisite lace, which sometimes adorned wooden buildings of antiquity.
Beach of wooden buildings
By far not all examples of medieval architecture have survived. A huge number of wooden churches died during the fires - the fire devoured entire cities, sparing nothing. The ancient annals mention the constructed or destroyed grandiose buildings dating back to the 1st century AD. After reviewing the records, we learn that in 1183 almost the whole of Vladimir (including 32 churches) burned down. In 1369, the same fate befell Pskov, in 1636 - the Arkhangelsk monastery.
However, the scourge of wooden buildings is not only the element: wood, with all its advantages, is short-lived material. A residential building can stand for about one century, a cult (with proper care) - 3-4.
Endangered Heritage
There are only three buildings that were built in the XIII-XIV century (and even not all researchers are sure of this). So, the period up to the 16th century dates to the Church of the Resurrection of St. Lazarus - a small, ancient wooden church erected in the Murom monastery. Kizhi, a reserve on the island of the same name, in 1960 became its final refuge. Carefully restored according to the project of architect Opoolnikov, it is part of the museum exposition of the Russian Zaonezhie sector.
The other two, Riznolozhenskaya and Georgievskaya, are the pride of the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery and the Leningrad region, respectively.
The vast majority of the surviving monuments of wooden architecture were created no earlier than the XVIII century, less often XVI-XVII.
When the scientific world became interested in this type of architecture, many of its samples were hopelessly lost. Having realized it, the researchers realized that it was necessary first of all to fix what was preserved. “For now, you just need to travel, take pictures, sketch ... these incomparable things disappearing every year,” wrote the famous art critic, artist and enlightener Academician I. Grabar in the 1920s. And they traveled, and took pictures, and sketched, making attempts to preserve the beauty that was flowing literally through their fingers, and they managed to save something, and restore something from the preserved documents.
Over time, society and the state realized what a priceless architectural monument a Russian wooden church is. Kizhi (one of the islands of Lake Onega) became a proof of this recognition, turning into an open-air museum-reserve. Today he shows his visitors amazing miracles created by masters of the past.
Northern beauty
The North of Russia is especially famous for its wooden buildings - here the architects showed such amazing talent, ingenuity and a sense of beauty that travelers were only amazed. They spoke especially often and enthusiastically about the Kizhi graveyard, which had become so famous by the beginning of the twentieth century that even Emperor Nicholas II bought a painting with his image (“In the Far North”, artist - Slutleit).
The climate in these places is inhospitable. Summer is short, winter is frosty. In the cold season, except by helicopter, there is no way to get there: Kizhi is a harsh island, but is it really just that? Nearby patches of land demonstrate an equally sharp character: impassable thickets, deep rivers. Despite this, people settled here a very long time ago, thousands of years ago. The name of the island itself comes from the Karelian “kizhat” (in translation - “game”). Researchers associate this place with ancient pagan festivals that took place here in bygone times.
Nature reserve
In the early 60s of the last century on the island of Kizhi (Karelia) a reserve began to emerge, which opened in 1966. From that moment, the wooden churches of Kizhi Island began to multiply: many preserved wooden buildings from different parts of Karelia were brought here.
The nearest settlement is Petrozavodsk (68 km), but you can also get from St. Petersburg, on a comfortable modern ship (since Kizhi is an island, you can only get there by water).
Uncomplicated marina welcomes those who wish to join the beautiful. It offers a wonderful view: in front of travelers in all its glory appears the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord - perhaps the most famous local church in many images. Kizhi proudly carries on its banks a building that stands out against a bright sky, which fascinates travelers with its peculiar beauty.
Legends and everyday life of the island
According to one legend, a brilliant carpenter named Nestor chopped it with one ax, which, after completion of construction, threw it far into the lake so that no one could repeat his work. Not otherwise, this instrument was magical - the wooden construction is surprisingly good.
An outstanding work of ancient Russian architecture, the Transfiguration Church in Kizhi was built in 1714. Today this remarkable work of art belongs to valuable monuments not only in Russia: UNESCO recognized the architectural ensemble of Kizhi Pogost as a world heritage.
Reconstructions of the structure are carried out regularly. Since the church has practically no foundation (its semblance is summed up only at one corner of the building), during the repair work it is just as carefully lifted as possible with the help of modern technology.
The most famous church of the island
The building looks grandiose: the 37-meter Transfiguration Church in Kizhi high and proudly lifts its domes, which, silvery sparkling, stepwise climb to heaven. In the 19th century, they were finished with iron, but later restorers returned the temple to its original appearance. The plowshares (wooden plates, to which the wooden domes of the past owe their charming “scaly” appearance) were, as expected, made of aspen (its wood acquires a unique silver glow under the influence of wind, sun and water).
The Transfiguration Church in Kizhi belongs to a variety of octal tier churches - octagonal log cabins mounted on top of each other are the cornerstone of the structure. In this case, they are supplemented by four tines facing the North, South, West and East. Many mistakenly claim that the most famous church (Kizhi) was built without nails. This is true only for the log house itself, traditional for carpenters of those times. But nails (of course, not iron) were used to create domes, which did not lose a bit from this.
The construction was forced: a lightning bolt took over the old wooden church that stood on this site - Kizhi did not escape the most common danger that constantly threatens the structures of the past. And the forerunner of this remarkable building was the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin
in the Vologda Region: a very recognizable cascade of domes (this church, unfortunately, has not survived to the present day - as a result of criminal, unforgivable negligence, it was also destroyed by fire, but already in 1963).
Church of the Intercession and the bell tower
The Pokrovskaya church also belongs to the ensemble of the churchyard: Kizhi, as already mentioned, is an example of the traditional cult construction of the past. This winter (heated) temple was built (according to other sources, restored) in 1764, replacing a dilapidated building that had fallen into disrepair.
It is smaller and more modest than its magnificent neighbor: 10 meters lower and carries only nine domes - the largest of all, the central one, is surrounded by eight smaller ones.
Temples of similar shapes are quite common among the monuments of wooden architecture of Northern Russia, but the Intercession Church of the Kizhi Pogost ensemble compares favorably with elongated, graceful lines. The silhouette of the church is somewhat asymmetrical, and the original domes mounted on wooden octahedrons give the whole building a charming airiness that can win hearts. Truly magnificent Kizhi is an island where beauty is not only unique, but also multifaceted.
Another element of the composition is a tent (by the type of roof) bell tower. The building that reached us was built in 1863 instead of a dilapidated building of the same purpose. Later it was subjected to alterations, during which its upper part, as well as some decorative elements, changed.
All three buildings in ancient times were surrounded by a skillfully made fence, which to this day has not been preserved. They restored it much later, relying on the local traditions of carpentry.
Wonder island
Kizhi Pogost, of course, is the center of the exposition, but on the island you can see other amazing buildings (89 objects in total). Each wooden church is beautiful in its own way. Kizhi is the best place to be convinced of this. The oldest of them, mentioned above, dates from the XIV century and is a charming building of simple, uncomplicated outlines. The temple is crowned with only one dome (and if not for it , it would be problematic to guess that this is a religious building ). In addition to churches, the museum has many chapels perched in picturesque places as naturally as if they grew here directly from the earth.
Human genius and nature
It should be noted that the ancient Russian wooden church always harmoniously fits into the surrounding space. They say that local masters had the coveted guide to action, which prescribed to build in such a way "as beauty and measure be prompted." I must say that they succeeded perfectly. Structures erected and decorated with the most simple tools are touched with serious force.
You should definitely come here. Even the highest quality photos will not be able to convey the charm of this place. Kizhi, whose wooden churches have become famous throughout the world, belong to those corners of Russia that are worth seeing with your own eyes. Wandering under a brooding northern sky, admire the splendor of nature, feel the breath of ancient times, which are surrounded by the islands and waters of Lake Onega. Such an excursion is not only interesting - it enriches spiritually. Here you can even hear the notorious “homon of centuries” and touch the genius of nameless artists who managed to create amazing beauty that did not obscure but complemented nature.