Architectural and Stylistic Analysis of Cult Sites in Small Historical Town Yuryevets at the Turn of the 18–19th Centuries. Part 2

Abstract

The study of religious building architecture in the small historical town Yuryevets is conditioned by a threat of disappearance of its original appearance.

Purpose: Analysis of the adaptation of the capital's architectural tendency to local conditions in the temple architecture of the small historical town Yurievets at the turn of the 18–19th centuries, revealing the role of state standardization in the formation of a unified image of Russian cities.

Methodology/approach: According to the architectural and stylistic analyses of religious buildings, they are classified by architectural styles. The analysis of architectural solutions of objects built with a focus on the canons of "exemplary" architecture, allows identifying generally accepted stylistic principles.

Research findings: The development stages are shown for masonry construction in Yuryevets. The influence of provincial architects (N.I. Metlin, P.I. Fursov) on the synthesis of classicism with regional peculiarities is shown. Architectural styles of the key objects are analyzed, namely the combination of Baroque elements with the conciseness of classicism, the dominance of symmetry and functionality. It is proved that temples are visual dominants, subordinated to the principles of ordered layout.

Value: Classicism in the Yurievets architecture is an instrument of imperial cultural unification, suppressing local diversity in favor of standardization. Architectural solutions reflect the ideology of centralization, while preserving regional identity through the adaptation of capital’s projects. It is shown that preserved objects require restoration, as they are carriers of historical memory and unique synthesis of styles.