Elizabethan Baroque in the architecture of St. Petersburg: description, features and features

The Elizabethan Baroque is an architectural style that emerged during the reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Its heyday falls on the middle of the 18th century. The architect, the most outstanding representative of the style, was Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli (1700-1771). In honor of him, Elizabethan baroque is often called "Rastrelli".

Predecessor

The reign of Peter the Great made many changes in the cultural life of the country. The new capital was built up with buildings in a style that gravitated toward the European canons of architecture. This is the era of the so-called Petrine Baroque, inspired by German, Dutch and Swedish architecture. The new style almost completely departed from the Byzantine traditions, which enjoyed honor and were constantly observed in Russian architecture for many centuries. Yes, and it is called baroque conditionally. The architecture of that period practically did not know the magnificent décor originally inherent in the style.

Petrovsky and Elizabethan baroque, which came to replace it, have several significant differences. The latter absorbed the traditions of the Moscow architecture of the late XVII - early XVIII centuries, returned to the cross-domed scheme of building temples, bulbous and pear-shaped decorative coverings.

Features of style

The reign of the youngest daughter of Peter the Great was marked by the growth of authority of the state power, strengthening of the country's greatness. This trend could not but affect the architecture. The Elizabethan baroque in St. Petersburg and beyond became the embodiment of state power. Let's note some characteristic features of this style:

• An amazing variety of decorative elements;

• Plasticity and dynamism of architectural forms;

• Contrasting color combinations in exterior decoration;

• The use of pilasters and three-quarter columns;

• Entertainment and an abundance of decorative details in the interior decoration;

• Return to some of the traditions of ancient Russian architecture.

Maestro of style

His first creations Rastrelli created in Courland for the Duke of Biron. Then he became the chief architect of Anna Ioanovna and, finally, Elizabeth. In the early 40-ies of the XVIII century Rastrelli visited Moscow, where he had the opportunity to get acquainted with the samples of traditional Russian architecture. As noted by art critics, this small trip influenced the further work of the master and, as a consequence, the appearance of contemporary Petersburg.

The first building that Rastrelli built by order of the Empress, and from which his glory began, was the summer palace. Unfortunately, this building was not preserved, because it was wooden. Then, with varying degrees of involvement, he worked on several projects:

• The Grand Palace in Peterhof (1747-1752);

• St. Andrew's Cathedral in Kiev (sketched a sketch of the building in 1747);

• Reconstruction of the Tsarskoe Selo Catherine Palace (1752-1757).

The tallest building in the city

The Winter Palace became one of the last creations of Rastrelli. The building where today the Hermitage is located, and in our days shows Elizabethan baroque to all comers. Construction began in 1754. The area of the palace was 60 thousand square meters and accommodated 1500 rooms. The building was the highest among all residential buildings in the city. The Empress took care of this, issuing a decree forbidding the construction of higher houses. And this was explained not by the whim of the empress, but by the fact that Rastrelli calculated the ideal proportions of the building with respect to the average width of the Neva. However, the details of his findings are still not known and the researchers unequivocally say that this fact was nothing more than an invention. However, the decree was strictly observed.

Unforgettable beauty

The construction of the Winter Palace was completed already under Catherine II and without Rastrelli: the empress pushed him away, giving preference to Felten, Wallen-Delamot, Rinaldi and Betsky. The building has undergone several renovations and restorations, but today you can see the details planned by Rastrelli and created under his leadership. Luxurious decoration, characteristic of all the variants of the Baroque style, gives the palace a solemn appearance. The architecture of the building is distinguished by a special rhythm created by the columns, then separated by a considerable distance, then assembled into the likeness of a beam, by the risalites (projecting parts of the building to its full height), stepped corners.

The facade facing the Palace Square, Rastrelli provided an arch. At its creation, the architect was inspired when he was engaged in repairing the palace in Strelna. Repeatedly the building was repainted. Initially, the primary color was a warm ocher, individual elements (orders, decor) stood out with white lime. Today, the walls of the palace have an emerald shade. For the first time they became such at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.

Smolny Cathedral

The peak of the work of Rastrelli is the Smolny monastery. Elizabethan baroque in the architecture of this building shines with all its splendor. The Smolny Cathedral, the central element of the ensemble, was laid down on October 30, 1748. Directly supervised by the works of the architect Christian Knobel, but the author of the project of the building is Rastrelli.

The cathedral is decorated with a lot of decorative elements: lucarnes, arched (lancet) pediments, angels and vases. Initially, the architect was going to build a building on the European model - with one dome. Elizabeth did not agree with this decision and insisted on the five-headed, characteristic for the Orthodox cathedrals. However, it is the temple that owns only one, the largest dome. It rises on the drum, has a helmet shape and is crowned with an onion glaucoma. The other four domes are the bell towers.

The cathedral is visually divided into two zones. One includes the facade of the lower part, all resembling a palace. The second is the five-headed elongated upward, which is more light and its architecture corresponds to the usual image of the temple. Many of Rastrelli's contemporaries admired the Smolny Cathedral. Today it is one of the most beautiful buildings that represent the Elizabethan baroque in the architecture of St. Petersburg. It is located on Rastrelli Square in the central area of the city.

Creations of Kvasov

Over the Catherine Palace in the Tsarskoe Selo, along with Rastrelli, other architects of the Elizabethan baroque worked: Andrei Vasilievich Kvasov and Savva Ivanovich Chevakinsky. Modern art critics recognize the first author of the Savior on the Haymarket. This church was founded in 1753. Until now, it has survived only in photographs: in 1938 it was closed, and in 1961 - it was blown up. In the century before last, the authorship of the church was attributed to Rastrelli, but modern scholars disagree with this.

For the brothers Razumovsky, Kvasov created palaces in Kozel'ts, Gostilitsy and Znamenka (the authorship of the latter remains controversial). In 1748 he went to Ukraine, where he worked on projects in the style of the Ukrainian Baroque.

Savva Ivanovich Chevakinsky

In Tsarskoe Selo, according to Chevakinsky's projects, two buildings of the Catherine Palace were erected, the pavilion "Monbijou", which until now has not been preserved, houses for employees. In addition, the architect took part in the creation of the pavilion "The Hermitage".

Chevakinsky was the chief architect of the fleet. He supervised the construction of warehouses on the island of New Holland and developed a plan for building Kronstadt. Elizabeth's Baroque performed by Chevakinsky acquired special features. The architect often used bundles of three columns for decorating corners, wrought-iron balconies and brackets with a vegetable pattern.

St. Nicholas' Naval Cathedral

The main work of Chevakinsky is the Nicholas Naval Cathedral. It is located on St. Nicholas Square in St. Petersburg and is one of the most beautiful representatives of Elizabethan baroque.

Built the cathedral from 1753 to 1762. In terms of the building is a cross. The main decorative elements decorating the Cathedral of St. Nicholas are Corinthian columns, stucco moldings, a broad entablature and wrought-iron lattices on balconies. The building rises five gilded domes.

The Elizabethan Baroque, whose features are discussed in the article, ceased to be the dominant style after Elizabeth Petrovna's death. This architectural direction practically did not spread to provincial cities. However, the style was reflected not only in the work of St. Petersburg masters. Elizabethan baroque was embodied in the works of Moscow architects, primarily D. V. Ukhtomsky and I. Michurin.