Architecture of 18th Century Rural Churches in the Middle Volga Region

Abstract

The subject of this paper seems to be important due to the ever-increasing interest in architectural traditions of Russia’s regions. The goal of the study is to reveal features of the architecture of Orthodox churches of the 18th century in the Middle Volga region. The key approach I chose for this study was historical architectural analysis and integration of data from archives and field surveys. Descriptions and analyses of the region’s lesser-known little known specimen of religious architecture are introduced for the scientific use based on the author’s own in situ investigations. The article attempts to analyze a wide range of issues related to the formation of the architecture of rural Orthodox churches in the Middle Volga region in the 18th century. The layout, composition and stylistic features of the architecture of the Orthodox churches of the region are considered. The features of the regional cult architecture of the Middle Volga region have been revealed. Many archival materials from Russia’s central and regional repositories are considered and published at for the first time. The presented study results the can be used as a basis for further research in the field of religious architecture of the Middle Volga.KeywordsArchitectural solutions and concepts in church buildingRural churchesWooden and stone churchesEarly classicismStyle of mature classicism