Jerusalem, Bari, Petrograd: the Sites of Pilgrimage and the Russian Church Architecture in the Second Half of Nineteenth – Early Twentieth Century

Abstract

The article investigates the evolution of Russian church architecture on the sites of mass pilgrimage from Russia – in Jerusalem and Bari (Italy). The changes in churches’ appearance reflected both the artistic quest of Russian architects and transformation of Russian official ideology. The “Byzantine” style which dominated in the church architecture in 1860s and 1870s was replaced by “Russian” and later by “Neo-Russian” styles. The churches abroad served as the instrument of the official ideology representation. Their appearance and interior had also to create familiar environment for the pilgrims. Construction of the churches in “Russian” style was accompanied by the growing attention to the historical details, running sometimes to literal reproduction of historical models. In 1917 this process, as well as the pilgrimage itself, was stopped by the revolution.