Guide to architectural styles (with examples). architectural styles

Style in art is a multifaceted concept. You can talk about the style of a particular work or genre, about the individual style of an individual author, as well as the style of entire eras: Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Classicism.

Artistic style is a universal concept. It extends to all types of art of this era, manifests itself in architecture, sculpture, painting, arts and crafts, music and theatrical art.

The word "style" comes from the Greek word stylos, which was the name of a stick for writing on wax. Every era writes its own history. Possessing its figurative system, therefore, we can say that style is the handwriting of time in a given place at a given hour. Styles, like people, have several ages: infancy, maturity and old age, but for each style these periods have different durations. Thus, style is a living, changing concept.

Each style is generated by a certain era and with it develops and dies or passes into another style.

The architectural style is a combination of the main features and characteristics of the architecture of a given time, a given people. Architecture is characterized by stylistic unity.

Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Classicism, Art Nouveau, Constructivism - each of these styles is expressed in all three aspects: functional, constructive and artistic.

To give an idea of ​​a particular architectural style, it is necessary to characterize it from all three sides included in the Vitruvian formula.

Thus, functionality is expressed in the fact that new types of structures appear when they are needed. This may be due to the political structure of the country, its social structure, the level of technological progress, living conditions, religion, and traditions. In ancient Rome, grandiose public baths were built. In the Middle Ages they were no longer erected. On the other hand, the construction of castles and monasteries acquired an unprecedented scale.

The second side of architecture - constructive - is also inextricably linked with style. For example, the use of "Roman concrete" opened up the possibility of building large-span structures and vaulted ceilings for ancient Roman architects. This is how aqueducts, huge circuses (Coliseums), theaters, baths, basilicas, numerous triumphal arches appeared.

The aesthetic side of architecture in everyday life is defined by the word "beautiful".

The development and change of architectural styles are inextricably linked with history. Change of eras always entailed a change of style.

Thus, the formation of style is a very complex and lengthy process. The style in terms of duration of existence most often coincides with the historical era or with the history of a civilization or people. In the history of mankind there was no architectural style whose monuments could not be seen or even touched today.

Three sides of architecture

Architecture is a special type of human activity, the purpose of which is to create a living environment. Therefore, architecture is called the “second nature”, which a person creates around himself. Even in ancient times, the formula of architecture was found - the so-called Vitruvius formula:

Architecture = utility + strength + beauty.

Vitruvius identified three aspects of architecture: functional, technical and aesthetic, linking them into a single whole.

The functional side of the architecture speaks of the "necessity" of the building. A building is created only when it is necessary for a person. Architecture is the construction (of a residential building, places of worship and public buildings, entire cities). Therefore, for the whole purpose, the following types of architecture are distinguished:

• housing (houses, chambers, huts);
• religious (churches, cathedrals, churches);
• public (museums, railway stations, stadiums, schools, shops, theaters);
• industrial (plants, factories, dams, power plants, combines);
• landscape gardening (gazebos, pavilions, fountains, garden, park planning);
• memorial (triumphal arches, obelisks, panorama buildings, crypts);
• urban planning (architectural ensembles, city planning, roads, bridges, tunnels).

The technical side of architecture is responsible for the structure - the "skeleton" of the building, its strength, durability, stability.

Over the centuries-old history of architecture, two constructive systems have been created: post-beam and arch-vaulted.

In the rack-beam system, the racks (supports) carry the entire weight of the structure, the horizontal beams block the space between them. Due to the limited length of a stone or wooden beam, the rooms in ancient Greek buildings were small in size.

In the arched-vaulted structure, the racks also bear the weight. But the space between the uprights is covered by arches, which allows you to push the uprights over long distances. Buildings are getting bigger. The vaults put pressure on the supports so that they can overturn, break, because in addition to the vertical they generate horizontal pressure. This thrust limits the size of buildings. To prevent overturning of pillars in the Middle Ages, during the construction of huge Gothic temples, the walls were supported by external pillars and arches.

The aesthetic (artistic) side makes architecture one of the art forms. They call it frozen music. Vitruvius believed. That the building should be not only necessary and durable, but also necessarily beautiful, “pleasant, elegant, impeccable” and “pretty”. The appearance of the building and the interior design of the premises reflect the artistic tastes of the architect and society. To create an artistic image, architecture uses three means: a three-dimensional composition, the main and secondary elements of the structure.

Any building has a volume and occupies a certain place in space. Considering it from this point of view, we are talking about a three-dimensional composition, for example: the arch of the General Staff Building with its two wings was the compositional completion of Palace Square; The Peter and Paul Cathedral, thanks to the precise calculation of the architect Trezzini, became the dominant feature of St. Petersburg.

The main elements of the structure include its main volumes, their grouping, proportions. Approaching the building, we see other elements of the structure that distinguish it from others. So, we will never confuse the facades of the Winter Palace and the House of the Book, even if these buildings are not shown to us in their entirety, but only their fragments. Secondary elements help us to recognize buildings: columns, pilasters, cornices, architraves, balconies, sculpture and other decorative details. They complement and complete the main compositional volumes. The means of creating an artistic image in architecture are not only the main, but also minor details in themselves, but also their ratio.

Style classification

Each era has its own ideas about the world around it, its own vision of beauty and harmony. The historically established set of creative principles, the nature and characteristics of the expression of the most significant features of the material and spiritual culture created by society is defined as the style of a given era.

The word "style" (Latin stilus) comes from the name of an ancient writing tool: style, or stylo, - a pointed rod made of bone, metal, wood, with which they wrote (scratched) the text on a wax tablet or on birch bark. Style is determined by a change in lifestyle, the development of society; it is generated by a certain era and dies off, being replaced by a new set of stable forms. Style rarely exists in its purest form: it always coexists with the old and the new.

For over a century now, the following generally accepted classification of styles has existed:

• Egyptian style - 5000-1000 AD BC.
• antiquity - 3000 BC - 400 AD;
• Romanesque style - 10-12 centuries;
• Gothic - 12th-16th centuries;
• Renaissance (Renaissance) - 15th-16th centuries;
• baroque, rococo - 17-18 centuries;
• classicism - 18-19 centuries;
• modern - late 19th century - the beginning of the 20th century;
• rationalism - 20th century

Each style has its own characteristics. Consider several architectural styles: Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance (Renaissance), Baroque, Rococo.

Roman style

In the 11th-13th centuries, a new architectural style developed in Europe. Some of its features were borrowed from the Romans, so the style was called Romanesque. The main type of Romanesque building is the basilica. The buildings were elongated, their interior space divided by rows of columns into several naves. During the Romanesque period, arches were often used. They were used both inside buildings to cover the naves, and outside to create decorative arcature elements. In different parts of Europe, buildings of this style differed from each other in national color. Even artistic trends were formed: the Saxon and Rhenish schools in Germany, the Burgundian, Aquitaine, Provencal schools in France. In Burgundy - the central region of France - the influence of the Roman church was especially strong. In France and Italy, arches were also used in the design of facades. They were distinguished by the richness of decorative decoration; oriental motifs are clearly traced in them. In some basilicas, arcade elements rush upwards, as if moving into the Gothic style. Such is the Trinity Church in Cannes, built in 1070.

Characteristic features of the Romanesque style:

• colors: brown, red, green, white;
• lines: straight, horizontal and vertical, semicircular.
• shapes: rectangular, cylindrical;
• structures: stone, massive, thick-walled; wooden plastered with a visible skeleton;
• windows: rectangular, small, in stone houses - arched.
• doors: plank, rectangular with massive hinges, a lock and a deadbolt;
• interior elements: semicircular frieze, repeating geometric or floral ornament; halls with exposed ceiling beams and pillars in the center.

Gothick style

The Gothic style is richer and more complex than the Romanesque, and the system of Gothic plots is much broader, more harmonious and more logical: it reflected all medieval ideas about the world. “This makes a person especially acutely feel the height of the columns and walls in comparison with their size,” wrote A.G. Tsires. playing such an important role in the religious worldview of medieval Europe.

Characteristic features of the Gothic style

• colors: yellow, red, blue;
• lines: lancet forming a vault of two intersecting arcs;
• shape: rectangular building; lancet arches turning into pillars;
• constructions: frame, openwork, stone; elongated lancet arches; underlined skeleton structures;
• windows: elongated, often with multi-colored stained-glass windows; round decorative buildings on top of the building;
• doors: lancet ribbed arches of doorways; oak paneled doors;
• interior elements: a fan vault with supports or a coffered ceiling and wooden panels on the walls; complex leafy ornament; halls are high, narrow and long or wide with supports in the center.

Gothic style is most common in Spain, Germany, England, France.

Gothic in Spain

Spanish Gothic began to take shape around the 13th century. Its development proceeded unevenly due to the fragmentation of the kingdom and the influence in various historical areas of local traditions or the impact of the art of the Arabs. The style manifested itself exclusively in temple architecture. In Spain, the spread of new architectural ideas was slow. The Cistercians introduced a number of Gothic techniques: this manifested itself in the form of arches and ribs of the vault, and in the very use of lancet arches. Moorish techniques also left their mark on the interpretation of the Gothic system of the rib frame: the vault above the crossroads rests on cross-shaped arches, in the space between them an eight-pointed openwork star is placed. The influence of Arab art was most clearly manifested in the brick cathedrals built by Muslim craftsmen. The first Spanish churches to repeat the scale of French Gothic cathedrals were the cathedrals in Burgos and Toledo (begun in 1226). Spanish Gothic is characterized by free fantasy deviations from a single constructive design of the building and numerous additions to the original plan in the form of many chapels and outbuildings. The most important feature of the Spanish Gothic monuments is the continuation of the choir from east to west, from the apse to the middle of the central nave. The choir was separated by a high decorated partition, behind which was placed the main chapel, also enclosed by a wall. In the chapel, the altar was fenced off from the space behind the altar by a high, richly decorated retablo. All this turned the chapel into an independent church inside the cathedral.

Gothic in Germany

In the XII - XIV centuries. Germany was going through a period of feudal fragmentation. The centers of Gothic art here were town halls and city cathedrals. Gothic became widespread in Germany in the first half of the 13th century. German Gothic cathedrals differed from French ones. In an effort to convey as clearly as possible the desire of the human soul to heaven, the architects increased the height of the vaults, crowning them with turrets with spiers. The western facades of cathedrals with one or two high slender towers were especially decoratively decorated. However, outdoor semi-arches (flying buttresses) and rose windows were rarely used here.

Monuments of Gothic architecture in Germany are the cathedrals in Marburg, Naumburg, Freiburg, Ulm and other cities. The most famous Gothic cathedral in Germany - Cologne The construction of the cathedral began in 1248 and ended in the XIV century. The towers of the cathedral were built in the 19th century. The 46 m high building is decorated with many arches, spiers, openwork carvings, lancet arches. The magnificent sculpture of the cathedral moved from the outer walls into the inner space of the temple. It is rhythmically connected with architecture, but not with its rocky mass, but with the curves of vaults and arches. The statues themselves also have characteristic curves in the form of the letter S. The sculpture of the Cologne Cathedral is original, unique, extremely emotional, dramatic.

Gothic in England

Gothic architecture in England began to develop in the XII century. and was mainly associated with monasteries. Famous cathedrals of England: Canterbury Cathedral - the residence of the head of the English church; cathedrals in Lincoln, Wales, Salisbury.

A characteristic feature of English Gothic cathedrals is the presence of two transepts (transverse naves), one of which is shorter than the other. English cathedrals are of considerable length: they were built in an open area and had the opportunity to rush not only up, but also to the sides. English Gothic is characterized by stretched facades, various narthexes, far-reaching transepts, rectangular apses, huge (up to 135 m high) towers above the baptismal, a relatively small height of the central nave (in relation to the side ones). Erecting cathedrals more and more elongated in length, English architects supplied them with lancet arches, repeated many times in the windows, and with the same abundance of vertical wall sashes. Decorative elements played a leading role in English Gothic, for example, the use of color contrasts between different types of stone was characteristic. The famous cathedral at Salisbury, in southern England, was built in the 12th century. Hundreds of medieval masons and carpenters worked wonders to create this beautiful building. The cathedral stands on the foundation of only one meter, because under it lies a powerful natural foundation - a layer of silicon gravel. It took another 33 years to complete the main building, and the cathedral was completed in 1258. A settlement grew up around the cathedral, called New Sarum and today known to us as the city of Salisbury. Between 1285 and 1315 a tower and spire were added to the cathedral. 6500 tons of stone were used for the construction. From such a huge load, four pillars supporting the tower and spire caved in, and to redistribute the weight, buttresses and flying buttresses were used.

Gothic in France

Gothic art originated in the French province of Ile de France, the center of royal possessions. One of the masterpieces of French Gothic is Notre Dame Cathedral, the famous Parisian Notre Dame. The cathedral was built on the site of a Christian basilica. Its construction began in 1163 during the activity of Bishop Maurice de Sully, and ended in 1345 in the 14th century. Notre Dame is a grandiose three-aisled basilica that can accommodate about 9,000 people at the same time. The length of the basilica is 129, it has 5 longitudinal naves. 3 portal entrances lead to the temple, framed by arches extending into the depths; above them are niches with statues - the so-called "royal gallery", images of biblical kings and French kings, a total of 28 figures. The center of the western facade is decorated with a rose window, about 10 m in diameter, and windows under lancet arches stretched upwards above the side portals. No less famous cathedral in France is the Cathedral in Chartres. It is famous for its stained-glass windows, which occupied an area of ​​more than 2.5 thousand square meters. km. In 1194, the cathedral almost completely burned down, only the "royal portal" and the foundations of the towers were preserved. The building was later rebuilt. An example of "mature Gothic" was the famous French cathedral in Reims.

Gothic in Russia

In the Middle Ages, Gothic was practically unknown in Russia. True, a certain similarity with European Gothic can be seen in the architecture of the walls and towers of the Moscow Kremlin. Gothic architecture penetrated into Russia only in the Neo-Gothic era, that is, at the end of the 18th century.

According to Starov's project, a wonderful landscape park was created in Taitsy with various architectural structures, of which the Gothic gates, consisting of two symmetrical gatehouse pavilions connected by a lancet arch, have survived to this day.

In Pushkin, in the Alexander Park, there is a very beautiful building of the Gothic style - the Chapelle Tower. The pavilion consists of two square towers with a wide arch between them. The tower was built according to the project of the architect A. Menelas in 1825 - 1828. Previously, in the windows of Chapelle there were stained-glass windows depicting biblical scenes, and the daylight penetrating through the colored glass illuminated the interior with a ghostly shimmer, the figures of angels at the base of the vaults and the white marble statue of Christ. But, unfortunately, these sculptures have not survived to our time. The Chapelle building is monumental and has the appearance of genuine Gothic ruins.

Renaissance

The Renaissance is a return in architecture to the principles and forms of ancient, predominantly Roman art. Of particular importance in this direction is given to symmetry, proportion, geometry and the order of the components, as clearly evidenced by the surviving examples of Roman architecture. The complex proportion of medieval buildings is replaced by an orderly arrangement of columns, pilasters and lintels, asymmetrical outlines are replaced by a semicircle of an arch, a hemisphere of a dome, niches, and aedicules. An example of this style is Chambord Castle in France. 1519-1547

Characteristic features of the Renaissance style

• colors: purple, blue, yellow, brown:
• lines: semicircular;
• geometric patterns - circle, square, cross, octagon;
• shape: round or sloping roof with tower superstructures;
• arched galleries, colonnades; round, ribbed domes; high and spacious halls, bay windows;
• structures: massive and visually stable;
• windows: rectangular with a heavy cornice and frieze, round, semicircular arched, often paired and even triple;
• doors: the device of portals with a heavy cornice, frieze and columns; rectangular and semicircular arched entrance;
• interior elements: coffered ceiling; ancient sculptures; leaf ornament; wall and ceiling painting.

Baroque

Baroque (barecco) in translation from Italian - "strange", "artsy", "bizarre", and translated from Portuguese - "pearl of irregular shape". This is a dynamic, affective style, which is dual theatrical, enchanting, striving for luxury. In the picture you can see the Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg, in the style of Peter the Great Baroque. Baroque assimilates and reworks various artistic traditions, including them in the development of national styles. Baroque art is characterized by grandiosity, pomp, pathetic elation, showiness, a combination of the illusory and the real, a strong contrast of scales and rhythms, materials and textures, light and shadow.

Rococo

Rococo is characterized by the most complex carved and stucco decorations, curls, masks-heads of cupids, etc.; Reliefs and picturesque panels in fanciful frames play an important role in the decoration of the premises, as well as numerous mirrors that enhance the effect of light movement, as if penetrating the surface of the walls. The figure shows the Smolny Cathedral, built in St. Petersburg. The predominantly ornamental orientation of the Rococo style did not allow it to have a significant impact on the facades of buildings.

Characteristic features of baroque, rococo styles

• colors: muted pastel colors; red, pink, white, blue;
• lines: bizarre convex-concave asymmetric pattern;
• in the forms of a semicircle, rectangle, oval; vertical orientation of the columns; pronounced horizontal division;
• shape: vaulted, domed and rectangular: towers, balconies, bay windows;
• designs: contrasting, tense, dynamic; with an artsy facade - and at the same time massive, stable:
• windows: semi-circular and rectangular: with floral decor around the perimeter;
• doors: arched openings with columns; vegetable decor;
• interior elements: the desire for grandeur and splendor; massive front stairs; columns, pilasters, sculptures, carved ornament, interconnection of design elements.

Eclecticism

Eclecticism is an architectural direction based on the combination in one building of various forms of previous styles in different combinations. In Russia, it developed in the 1830s-1910s, changing a number of stages. New types of buildings appeared (banks, railway stations, people's houses, etc.), rational space-planning and engineering solutions. Eclecticism includes "brick style", "Russian style" and other artistic trends in architecture with elements borrowed from old styles. Eclecticism usually takes place during periods of decline in art. Elements of eclecticism are noticeable, for example, in late ancient Roman art, which combined forms borrowed from the art of Greece, Egypt, Western Asia, etc. Representatives of the Bologna school gravitated towards eclecticism, who believed that they could achieve perfection by combining the best, in their opinion, side of the creativity of the great masters of the Renaissance.

In the history of art, the most prominent place is occupied by the eclectic architecture of the mid-second half of the 19th century, which used forms of various historical styles (Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, etc.) extremely widely and often uncritically; it is characteristic, however, that this architectural and design eclecticism, with its "freedom of choice" of architectural and ornamental motifs, had a significant influence on the formation of a holistic in its essence, but nourished from a wide variety of sources, the "modern" style.

In the field of fine arts, eclecticism is most typical of salon art. Eclectic tendencies have become widespread in Western European and American culture since the mid-20th century. in connection with the formation of postmodernism and the fashion for "retrospectivism" of decoration, copying certain stylistic trends of the past (including eclecticism of the 19th century).

neogothic

Originated in England in the 40s of the 18th century. Unlike the national trends of eclecticism, Neo-Gothic was in demand all over the world: it was in this style that Catholic cathedrals were built in New York and Melbourne, Sao Paulo and Calcutta, Manila and Guangzhou, Rybinsk and Kyiv.

The most famous neo-Gothic building is the Palace of Westminster on the Thames.

The appearance of neo-Gothic in Russia is associated with the name of the architect Yuri Matveyevich (Georg Friedrich) Felten. Not far from St. Petersburg, according to his project, the neo-Gothic Chesme Palace (1774-1777) and the Chesme Church (1777-1780) were built.

Features of the Neo-Gothic style are also present in the royal residence at Tsaritsyn in Moscow. It was built by the architect Bazhenov. Samples of medieval Gothic in Russia can be seen in the Kaliningrad region (former East Prussia). A small number of buildings have survived in the Leningrad region. Most of all they can be found in Vyborg (the bank building on the market square, the market building, the church of Hyacinth (XVI century) in the old town, but most importantly - the only medieval castle in Russia (except for the Kaliningrad region), founded by the Swedes in 1293 .

Thus, from the above, we can conclude that over time the architecture has changed, leaving and improving the best that was in style decisions. The interweaving of mathematics and art creates the architectural music of European cities, and this fascinates our eyes to this day. The windows of these buildings look at us from the depths, striking and surprising with exquisite forms and strict mathematical calculations. The wind above the rooftops sounds like organ strings, turning architectural masterpieces into frozen music.

I live in an area of ​​new buildings, where the houses are monotonous and faceless, but we care about where to live, and the return to the architectural masterpieces of past centuries gives us hope that new architects will come who will create no less beautiful buildings, people will live in beautiful houses . After all, what we see around us affects our soul. We will live better if we are surrounded by the music of architecture.

Imagine that you are traveling to another country. You can’t do without a cultural program and tourist routes, otherwise what’s the point of going somewhere at all. You can, of course, lock yourself up in a hotel for the duration of your vacation and have a great time, traditionally lying in bed ..

If you prepare in advance for the trip and study the traditions of the country you are going to, then a foreign culture will become much clearer. How about learning to distinguish between architectural styles and putting one more check in the list of your self-education? In addition, you will be able to impress girls, and it will be much more effective than, for example, the ability to distinguish beers with your eyes closed.

In general, architectural styles are a rather confusing and difficult topic for a beginner, and if you do not want to study boring literature, we offer you a simplified guide to world architecture (forgive us professional architects).

1. Classicism

Classicism is a stronghold of symmetry, rigor and straightness. If you see something similar, and even with round long columns, this is classicism.

2. Empire

Empire - this is when classicism decided to become pathetic to the point of impossibility, and even strives to be higher.

3. Stalinist Empire

Of course, the leader of all peoples, Comrade Stalin, lacked pathos and solemnity in the usual Empire style, and in order to show the power of the USSR in all its glory, this style was cubed. This is how the Stalinist Empire style appeared - an architectural style that frightens with its colossality.

4. Baroque

Baroque is when a building looks like a pie with whipped cream, often decorated with gold, stone sculptures and ornate stucco that clearly says its “fi!” classicism. This architectural style spread throughout Europe, including being adopted by Russian architects.

5. Rococo

If it seemed to you that the building was designed by a woman, and there are a lot of all sorts of ruffles and bows covered with gold on it - this is rococo.

6. Ultrabaroque

If you look at the building and from the abundance of stucco and sculptures you cease to understand what is happening around, you can be sure that this is ultra-baroque. The main thing is not to lose consciousness while contemplating such beauty.

7. Russian baroque

Russian baroque is no longer a cake, it is a real cake, painted in Khokhloma.

8. Pseudo-Russian style

Pseudo-Russian style is when he tried to “mow down” under antiquity, but he overdid it and decorated everything too richly.

9. Neo-Gothic

Neo-Gothic is when you are afraid of cutting yourself on a building just by looking at it. Thin long spiers, window openings and fear of injections.

10. Gothic

If you look at the building and there is less danger of cutting yourself, and in the center it has a round window or a stained-glass window with towers on the sides - this is Gothic. On the stucco molding of such buildings in the architectural style, they often like to torment all sorts of sinners and other antisocial personalities.

11. Art Deco

Art Deco is when looking at a building, old American songs by Frank Sinatra played in your head, and imaginary cars from the 60s began to drive through the streets.

12. Modernism

Everything is simple here. Modernism in architectural style is a house from the future, but built with notes of nostalgia for the past.

13. Modern

Art Nouveau in architecture can be used to study ancient history. There are a lot of little things and elaborate details, which together represent an integral composition.

14. Constructivism

Constructivism in architectural style is when lovers of cylinders and other strict geometric shapes begin to build houses. They put some kind of trapezoid or cylinder and cut windows in it.

15. Deconstructivism

If you look at a building and see that it has been completely, completely broken, bent and wrinkled, this is deconstructivism. A real geometric hell for a perfectionist.

16. Hi-tech

High-tech architecture includes buildings where there is a lot of glass, concrete, everything is transparent, mirrored and glitters in the sun. Maximum geometricity, rigor and angularity.

17. Postmodernism

Postmodernism is when you look at a building like Malevich's Black Square and don't understand what the author wanted to say, how he was allowed to build it, and why he wasn't treated for drug addiction. However, such bizarre forms also have their advantages.

Of course, professional architects may find such a top of architectural styles blasphemous and generally offended, but make allowances for those who are not so good at history and defining styles. After all, the automotive mechanic will smile indulgently as the architect tries to figure out which way to approach the crankshaft.

World architecture developed according to the laws of church dominance. Residential civil buildings looked quite modest, while the temples were striking in their pomposity. During the Middle Ages, the church possessed significant funds that the higher clergy received from the state, in addition, donations from parishioners entered the church treasury. With this money, temples were built throughout Russia. Examples of civil architecture of that time leave much to be desired. However, since the 18th century, the situation has changed radically. Churches and cathedrals were already built without excessive luxury, but the estates of the landowners, royal country houses and even buildings in the noble hunting grounds significantly added to the sophistication and beauty. Styles of houses, architecture of buildings, streets and squares were constantly improved. Architects were considered the most respected people.

Early Gothic style

Unique examples of ancient architecture are the cathedrals that were built starting from the middle of the 12th century in the northern regions of France. The largest Gothic cathedral was built in Amiens in 1220. Later, the same Gothic cathedral was erected in the German city of Cologne, its construction was completed in 1248.

In parallel with the Gothic in the 12th - 14th centuries, the Romanesque style also developed in the architecture of the Middle Ages. Italian architects erected buildings with walls of incredible thickness, the houses were more like fortresses. Examples of Romanesque architecture are buildings resembling military fortifications. The lower tier was especially strong, fundamental, the second floor consisted of towers and turrets, round and rectangular in plan, large and small. All the towers had narrow, high windows, shaped like loopholes. The Middle Ages corresponded to its time. The warring knightly clans needed effective protection from enemy raids, and family castles with fortresses were the best suited for this purpose.

ancient architecture

In ancient times, much attention was paid to the construction of public buildings. These were grandiose structures designed to organize mass spectacles. Ancient Roman forums, designed for tens of thousands of spectators, ancient Greek agora, which were huge open areas filled daily with people, artisans and merchants. The ancient Egyptian architecture was significantly different from the Roman one, primarily in that the Egyptians never gathered in a crowd of thousands in one place. Egyptian history goes back to the 15th century BC, when architecture was conventional. The buildings were built of shell rock or red baked clay. Nothing was known about styles yet, the ancient Egyptians were not concerned with the style of their buildings, but with how to build houses higher in order to avoid flooding from the flooded Nile.

Orders

Ancient Greek architecture was for the most part focused on the construction of temple buildings, some of which have survived to this day. Gradually, several architectural styles emerged:

• The Doric order is distinguished by simple, powerful forms, even some of their heaviness. Doric columns have flutes on their surface, deep grooves running from the lower base to the capital. The horizontal tiers in the Doric order are an architrave connecting the columns at the level of the abacus; a frieze passes from above, consisting of two layers - a triglyph and a metope. All together forms an entablature, which is crowned with a gezims, a cornice with a significant outward protrusion.

• Ionic order - in comparison with the heavy Doric order, it is distinguished by lightness of proportions. The main sign of belonging to the Ionic order is the capital of the column, which has the form of a double volute, directed curls down. The Ionic order is considered an architectural feminine style, as it is refined and embellished. An order appeared in the 6th century BC, in Ionia, in the northwest coast of the Aegean Sea. A century later, it spread throughout ancient Greece. The main building in the Ionic style is the temple of the goddess Hera on the island of Samos, built in 570 BC and soon destroyed by an earthquake. And the most stylish building in the Ionic order is the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus - one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

• The Corinthian order - the latest, differed from others in its special splendor. The columns in the image and entablature resemble the signs of the Ionic order, but the abacus and capital are completely different. The Corinthian style is rich in decorativeness, there are floral ornaments in its capitals, and two rows of acanthus leaves run along the perimeter. The capital also adorns many lily volutes.

"Palladianism"

The beginning of the 18th century was marked by the emergence of a new trend in world culture - classicism. The regularity of forms, clear projections and proportions - these were the main criteria of architectural classicism. A faithful follower of the ancient style of temple architecture, the Venetian master Palladio, together with his student Scamozzi, substantiated his own theory of ancient classicism. The doctrine was called "Palladianism" and became widely used in the construction of private mansions. The style of "classicism" in architecture turned out to be technologically advanced and convenient in terms of designing and erecting buildings.

Sunset architecture "baroque"

As it turned out, the cost of buildings erected in the new style was significantly lower. The buildings were laconic, the "whipped cream" of the late Baroque was a thing of the past, classicism with its symmetrical axial compositions and noble restraint of decorative decoration gained more and more admirers. European connoisseurs of architectural masterpieces were ready to abandon both baroque and rococo in favor of chamber, with notes of academicism, strict and elegant classicism.

At the same time, several mansions were built under the leadership of the most famous of which was the Rotunda Palace, near the city of Vicenza. The style of "classicism" in architecture quickly gained popularity. Paris was literally swept by a wave of construction. Under Louis XV, entire architectural ensembles were erected, such as Place de la Concorde. And during the reign of Louis XVI, "laconic classicism" became the main trend in urban architecture. After the execution of the French king and the overthrow of the monarchy in 1793, Paris was built up chaotically and inconsistently for a long time.

Empire architectural style

At the end of the 18th century, classicism began to decline, it took a renewal of the whole culture as a whole and architecture as its constituent part.

Classicism was replaced by a new style in art and architecture called Empire, which originated and developed in France during the reign of Napoleon I. The emergence of a new direction was caused to a large extent by political reasons. The government of Napoleon Bonaparte tried to impose its own, so-called "imperial" style in architecture, when it became clear that classicism was already approaching its decline. Both the solemn and pompous Empire style and all other styles of architecture of the 19th century fit perfectly into the palace agglomerates, but the emphasis was nevertheless placed on the "royal" direction.

In Russia, the architectural empire appeared under Tsar Alexander the First, who was loyal to French culture and considered it worthy of imitation. No wonder the sovereign invited an architect from France, Auguste Montferrand, to build the famous St. Isaac's Cathedral. The style in architecture - Empire - was not uniform in its form, it was divided into St. Petersburg and Moscow and lasted until the middle of the 19th century. In addition to St. Isaac's Cathedral, built in 1858, in St. Petersburg there is another masterpiece in the "royal" style, this is Andrei Voronikhin's Kazan Cathedral, and in the Russian Empire style in architecture, this is a thirty-year period for the construction of genuine masterpieces.

Architectural sights of St. Petersburg

One of the most outstanding cities in the world in terms of architectural significance is the city of St. Petersburg, the northern capital of Russia. Thanks to the succession of Russian and Western European experience in urban planning in the 18th - 19th centuries, a unique conglomerate was created in St. Petersburg. Fifteen different architectural styles are represented in the city, the harmonious polyphony of which creates a unique picture of the reunion of several historical periods into one whole. The boundaries of the epochs are not clearly marked, "blurred", but all signs of the past are present.

The architecture of St. Petersburg includes eight areas that are dominant:

• baroque "Petrine", the beginning of the 18th century;
• mid 18th century;
• Gothic, second half of the 18th century;
• classicism, late 18th century;
• Russian Empire, early 19th century;
• Renaissance, mid 19th century;
• eclecticism, second half of the 19th century;
• modern, early 20th century;

Peter's baroque is a transformed Italian and French baroque. A somewhat pretentious style was welcomed by Peter I and his entourage. However, the time when the baroque flourished was turbulent, numerous wars devastated the treasury. The construction of new buildings was financed insufficiently, and this could not but affect their quality. The baroque style was indicated only on the facades, the main features of the architectural direction were emphasized: pediments, pilasters with volutes, spiers on the roofs. The interiors were stretched according to the enfilade principle, which significantly reduced the cost of construction. Peter's baroque dominated in St. Petersburg from 1703 to 1740, after the death of the emperor in 1725, the activity of European architects invited under the contract decreased, but work continued for another 15 years.

Having ascended the royal throne in 1741, the daughter of Peter I, Elizabeth, strove for the centralization of power, in addition, she was no stranger to luxury, splendor, magnificent festivities and balls. In the architecture of urban buildings during the reign of Elizabeth, pomp and pretentiousness began to be traced, thus the Elizabethan Baroque style itself arose. The main architect of that time was Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who created a masterpiece of architecture of world importance - the Winter Palace, located on Palace Square, which is also known as the Hermitage Museum.

List of buildings erected during the reign of the Elizabethan Baroque:

• Anichkov Palace (1741 - 1753).
• Elizabeth (1741 - 1744), not preserved.
• Great Peterhof Palace (1745 - 1762).
• Ekateringof Palace (1747 - 1750), not preserved.
• Smolny Cathedral, built in St. Petersburg (1748 - 1754).
• Vorontsov Palace, Petersburg (1749 - 1757).
• The travel palace on the Middle Rogatka (1751 - 1754) has not been preserved.
• Catherine's Palace in Tsarskoye Selo (1752 - 1758).
• Stroganov Palace, Nevsky Prospekt (1753 - 1754).
• Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Naval Cathedral (1753 - 1762).
• Shuvalov's house on Italianskaya street (1753 - 1755).
• Winter Palace (1754 - 1762).
• Yakovlev's mansion (1762 - 1766) has not been preserved.

Gothic in St. Petersburg

The city on the Neva is one of the most unique metropolitan areas in the world with such a diverse culture. Gothic architecture appeared in St. Petersburg in 1777, it was the Chesme Palace and the Chesme Church. As in the case of the "Petrine Baroque", these buildings did not fully correspond to the style. Gothic elements served as external paraphernalia - facades, numerous turrets, high spiers. The supporting structures of the buildings were carried out according to a simplified scheme. In fact, it was pseudo-Gothic, nevertheless, a large number of churches and secular buildings were built in the 19th century.

The architectural style "classicism" was developed in the period from 1760 to 1780. Petersburg at that time was already ready for change. The buildings, built in the style of classicism, organically fit into the urban landscape. Among the most notable buildings are the following:

• "Imperial Academy of Arts", built on Vasilyevsky Island in 1764-1788.
• Yusupov Palace (1771-1773).
• Hanging Gardens of the Small Hermitage (1764-1775).
• Armenian Church (1771-1776).
• Marble Palace (1768-1785)
• (1783-1789).
• Mining Institute of Empress Catherine (1806-1808).

Classicism was a harbinger of the emergence of Russian Empire in St. Petersburg. The change of direction happened imperceptibly. At that time, the Empire style of architecture was in demand in France as part of the rapid changes taking place in the country. It reflected the ambitions of Napoleon and became a symbol of new life for the French. And the Russian Empire came to replace classicism, nothing more. The architecture of St. Petersburg developed according to its own laws. French culture had a significant influence on its formation.

Architecture and photography

Residential and sacral buildings, landlord estates and temples, prisons and government houses. Any structure related to public life had to have architectural features. Some houses were built in strict accordance with the rules of building aesthetics, while the architects often managed to achieve impressive results. Masterpieces of architectural art had to be sketched, since photography did not yet exist. Photo art appeared and began to develop only in the first half of the 19th century. However, it was not immediately possible to replace the drawing with a photo. Architecture is always a rather complex image, with many shades and halftones, and the usual daguerreotype did not convey them, only a flat spot with barely noticeable contours was obtained on the plate. And the artists continued to paint.

However, years passed, photography improved, and now the moment has come when it became possible to capture any building in a photo. Architecture, according to the apt expression of the classic, is "frozen music", and many people wanted to keep this music as a memory in the form of a photograph. People posed against the backdrop of their own houses or tried to shoot near some famous building. All sorts of styles of architecture, photos of which were considered good form to have at home, became popular. In the early days of photography, most shots were either family or building shots.

Styles of architecture with examples

There are many examples of architectural styles, each of them has certain features that characterize the direction, type of affiliation and the time period in which this building was erected.

For individual, most famous styles of architecture, specific examples can be given:

• empire - "Arch of the General Staff" in St. Petersburg, on Palace Square (1819 - 1829), architect Carlo Rossi;
• classicism - "Trinity Cathedral in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra" (1776 - 1790), architect Starov. St. Petersburg;
• gothic - "Sevastyanov's House" (1863 - 1866), architect Paduchev, Yekaterinburg;
• baroque - "Stroganov Palace" in St. Petersburg, on Nevsky Prospekt, (1752 - 1754), architect Rastrelli;
• Renaissance - Cathedral "Santa Maria del Fiore" in Florence (1417 - 1436), architect Brunelleschi;
• modern - "House in St. Petersburg (1902 - 1904), architect Suzor.

Examples of architecture testify to the development of certain genres over the centuries.

Original examples of today's architecture

Today there are enough creative architects in the world who are engaged in cutting-edge projects. Other projects are purely utilitarian in nature, but there are those that can be called original. For example, in Japan balloon houses have become fashionable. Since the Land of the Rising Sun is seismic, Japanese architects began to install houses on huge balls made of especially durable material. Thus, during an earthquake, the house simply begins to sway, the vibrations of the tremors cannot do any harm to it.

There are original buildings that are the fruit of creative design ideas. In the famous Spanish city of Barcelona, ​​​​which rightfully ranks first in the world in terms of the number of original buildings, the architects have created another masterpiece. It's "upside down". The building stands on the roof and pleases tourists with its unusualness.

The Gothic style is amazing, timeless and striking in its forms. In architecture, it is considered one of the most expressive styles invented by mankind. These are not only classical medieval religious buildings and castles, but also modern residential buildings. We offer an overview of the striking examples of world architecture in the Gothic style.

Gothic style has several forms, but they are all beautiful. Gothic of France, England and Italy cannot be compared, as it is unique. France is the country where he was born and acquired his soul. Churches of the 12th century and modern religious buildings were built in it. In this style, everything is perfect - from the form to the details.

St. Stephen's Cathedral was built in 1147 and is one of the most outstanding and beautiful structures made in the Gothic style. It was considered the mother church of Austrian Catholicism and the seat of the archbishop. The cathedral has stood the test of time and survived many historical events. The roof of the unique and most recognizable building in Vienna is covered with colorful tiles. Few people know that the north tower was a mirror image of the south. In 1511, a renaissance-style apex was added to the north tower, which the people of Vienna call the "water tower apex". During the Second World War, the bells of the cathedral, which were on the south tower, disappeared without a trace. The bells of the north tower have survived and are still in operation. The oldest part of the cathedral is considered to be the Roman tower and the "giant's gate".

Mir Castle is an impressive example of Gothic architecture of the 16th century. It is located in the Grodno region and is one of the most interesting tourist sites in Belarus. The three-storey Gothic castle was built by Count Ilyinich in the 1500s, and Nikolai Radzivil, the second owner of the castle, completed its construction in the Renaissance style. In the courtyard of the castle, near the northern walls, there are Italian gardens.

Mir Castle survived the destruction during the war with Napoleon. Nikolai Svyatopolk-Mirsky purchased the castle and began its reconstruction, which was completed by his son, who hired the architect Theodor Bourget. The Mirsky family owned the castle until 1939. Today it is a national cultural monument and is revered by locals and tourists.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp, owned by the Roman Catholic Church, is located in Antwerp, Belgium. Construction on the site of the former 9th-12th century chapel began in 1352 and continued until 1521. Today, the cathedral is considered the largest and most strikingly beautiful building in the Gothic style in the Netherlands and Belgium. In 1533, a fire broke out in it, and part of the cathedral was destroyed. Since 1559 it has been the residence of the archbishop. During the hostilities from the 1800s to the 1900s, the cathedral was damaged and restored several times, but neither fire nor war could destroy this majestic building, which became immortal. The last restoration of the monument of Gothic architecture began in 1965 and ended in 1993.

The construction of another masterpiece of Gothic architecture, Cologne Cathedral, began in 1248 and lasted until 1473, but was not completed, and continued into the 19th century. The cathedral, a symbol of the Roman Catholic Church and German Gothic architecture, is located in Cologne, Germany, is the residence of the archbishop and is among the monuments listed as world cultural heritage.

It is the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe and the second tallest cathedral in the world. It has a lot of relics to look at. The cathedral was planned like the Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens. It is based on a Latin cross and high Gothic vaults. You can admire stained glass windows, a high altar, original furniture - this cathedral is a real treasure.

Burgos Cathedral, a creation of the 13th century, is located in Spain, belongs to the Roman Catholic Church and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Construction and reconstruction lasted from the 13th to the 16th century, just then the elements in the Renaissance style appeared in the cathedral. In 1984 it was added to the World Cultural Heritage List. There are many historically and culturally valuable objects in the cathedral - from the statues of the 12 apostles to the Chapel of Relics and art objects, statues of angels, knights.

Located in Prague, St. Vitus Cathedral, a magnificent monument of Gothic architecture, in reality is much more beautiful than they talk about it. It is revered not only for its beauty, but also because it is considered the main religious building in the Czech Republic. It is also the largest in the country. The cathedral houses the tombs of Roman emperors and kings of Bohemia.

Buildings are characterized monumentality, magnificent decoration of buildings, a lot of decorations, a desire for strict symmetry, an interest in the utilitarian aspects of architecture, in the creation of predominantly not temple complexes, but buildings for practical needs.

Characteristic features of the Roman architectural style, primarily round-headed arches, as well as barrel vaults, apses and decorations in the form of acanthus leaves.

Romanesque buildings are characterized by a combination of a clear architectural silhouette and concise exterior decoration - the building has always blended harmoniously into the surrounding nature, and therefore looked particularly solid and solid. This was facilitated by massive walls with narrow window openings and stepped-in-depth portals. Such walls carried a defensive purpose.

Pantheon

Temple Portun

Gothic architecture (Gothic)

Gothic originated in the northern part of France in the middle of the XII century. Gothic architecture replaced the architecture of the Romanesque era. The term emphasized the radical difference between medieval architecture and the style of Ancient Rome. The godfather of the Gothic style is considered to be the influential and powerful abbot Suger, who in 1135-44. rebuilt the basilica of the Abbey of Saint-Denis in a new style. Traditionally, it is considered that it is from this building that the Gothic era in Europe begins. Suger wrote that the high, light-filled temple is designed to symbolize the boundless light emanating from God. Soon after Saint-Denis, a new style was applied in the construction Cathedral of Notre Dame(founded in 1163) and Lansky Cathedral (founded in 1165).

york-cathedral-england

siena-cathedral-italy

Lansky Cathedral

milan-cathedral-italy

Renaissance architecture (Renaissance)

Of particular importance in this direction is given to the forms of ancient architecture: symmetry, proportion, geometry and the order of the components, as evidenced by the surviving samples. Roman architecture. The complex proportion of medieval buildings is replaced by an orderly arrangement of columns, pilasters and lintels, asymmetrical outlines are replaced by a semicircle of an arch, a hemisphere of a dome, a niche, an aedicule. The architecture becomes order again.

The space, as an architectural component, is organized in a way different from medieval notions. It was based on the logic of proportions, the shape and sequence of parts are subject to geometry, and not to intuition, which was a characteristic feature of medieval buildings.

Most often in the design of buildings there is Corinthian order with various modifications of capitals. The buildings have harmoniously spacious courtyards, surrounded on the lower and upper floors by covered galleries on arches, which are supported by columns or pilasters of antique form. The façade is given horizontal dimension through graceful interfloor cornices and the main cornice, which forms a strong ledge under the roof.

The facade is symmetrical about the vertical axis. Church facades, as a rule, are measured with pilasters, arches and entablature, topped with a pediment. The arrangement of columns and windows conveys the desire for the center.

St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome

Santa Maria del Fiore

doge-palace-italy

Santa Maria del Fiore

baroque architecture

Baroque architecture is characterized by the presence of a large number of various stucco moldings. Are used complex architectural elements. An abundance of decorative bas-reliefs and gilding of architectural decor.
The baroque is distinguished by the muted pastel colors of the façade; red, pink, white, blue.

Frauenkirche-Dresden-Germany

Monastery-in-Melk-Austria

Rococo

The architectural (more precisely, decorative) rococo style appeared in France during the regency of Philip of Orleans (1715-1723) and reached its zenith under Louis XV, moved to other European countries and dominated it until the 1780s.

In the creations of this architecture, straight lines and flat surfaces almost disappear, or at least are masked by figured finishes; none of the established orders is carried out in its pure form; the columns either lengthen or shorten and twist in a helical fashion; the cornices are placed above the cornices; high pilasters and huge caryatids prop up insignificant ledges with a cornice protruding forward; the roofs are girded along the edge with balustrades with bottle-shaped balusters and with pedestals placed at some distance from each other, on which vases or statues are placed; gables

Winter-Palace-St. Petersburg

Versailles-Palace-Paris

Classicism

The main feature of the architecture of classicism was the appeal to forms ancient architecture as a standard of harmony, simplicity, rigor, logical clarity and monumentality. The architecture of classicism as a whole is characterized by the regularity of planning and the clarity of volumetric form. The basis of the architectural language of classicism was the order, in proportions and forms close to antiquity. Classicism is characterized symmetrical-axial compositions, the restraint of decoration, the regular system of urban planning.

Palace-Childhood-and-Youth-Sevastopol

Hotel-Sevastopol-Sevastopol

Eclecticism

Eclecticism (eclecticism, historicism) in architecture is a trend in architecture that dominated Europe and Russia in the 1830s-1890s.

The forms and styles of a building in eclecticism are tied to its function. So, in Russian practice, the Russian style of K. A. Ton became the official style of temple building, but was practically not used in private buildings. Eclecticism is “multi-style” in the sense that buildings of the same period are based on different style schools, depending on the purpose of the buildings (temples, public buildings, factories, private houses) and on the customer’s funds (rich decor coexists, filling all surfaces of the building, and economical “ red-brick architecture).

Opera-Granier-France

Armory-building, Moscow

Modern

Modern architecture (art nouveau architecture) - architectural style, which became widespread in Europe in the 1890s-1910s as part of the art nouveau movement. Art Nouveau architecture is distinguished by the rejection of straight lines and angles in favor of more natural, "natural" lines, the use of new technologies (metal, glass).

Like a number of other styles, Art Nouveau architecture is also distinguished by the desire to create both aesthetically beautiful and functional buildings.

Art Nouveau architecture is diverse. This style has incorporated elements of all previous styles. Art Nouveau buildings can resemble Moorish palaces, castles, and factory buildings. However, in contrast to the eclecticism that preceded modernity, its authors refused to directly copy Renaissance and Baroque forms.

House-company-Singer-in-St. Petersburg

House-Mila-Gaudi-Barcelona

Modernism

Architectural modernism (French modernisme, from French moderne - the latest, modern; "English modern" - modern, new) is a movement in the architecture of the twentieth century, a turning point in content, associated with a decisive renewal of forms and structures, the rejection of the styles of the past. Covers the period from the early 1900s to the 70s and 80s (in Europe), when new trends emerged in architecture.

The credo of architectural modernism lies in its very name - it is the creation of a new, something that would correspond to today. That is, there is a fundamental attitude towards the novelty of architecture - both constructive and planning ideas laid down in the project, and external forms. The figurative expression "prisms of concrete and glass" well conveys the general character of the buildings of modernism. Modernism is characterized by the use of the most modern building materials and structures andlack of embellishment tendencies, a fundamental rejection of historical reminiscences in the appearance of buildings,

Guggenheim Museum New York

Bauhaus-in-Dessau

Parliament-House-Wellington-New-Zealand

Constructivism

The idea of ​​constructivism is based on the denial of historical continuity, the rejection of the decorative elements of classical styles, the use of a functional scheme as the basis of spatial composition. Constructivism is expressiveness not in decor, but in the dynamics of simple structures, verticals and horizontals of the structure, freedom of the building plan. Architects of mature constructivism used a functional method based on a scientific analysis of the features of the functioning of buildings, structures, urban complexes. Thus, ideological-artistic and utilitarian-practical tasks were considered together. Each function corresponds to the most rational space-planning structure (the form corresponds to the function).

Kharkivsky-Derzhprom

House-government-in-Minsk

High tech

Hi-tech (English hi-tech, from high technology - high tech listen)) - a style in architecture and design that originated in the bowels of late modernism in the 1970s and came into wide use in the 1980s. High-tech buildings are characterized by use high technology in the design, construction and engineering of buildings and structures. Widely used glass, plastic and metal.The use of functional elements (elevators, stairs, ventilation systems, etc.) placed outside the building.

Deconstructivism

Deconstructivist projects are characterized by visual complexity, unexpected broken and deliberately destructive forms, as well as an aggressive intrusion into the urban environment.

As an independent trend, deconstructivism was formed in the late 1980s. The theoretical background of the movement was Derrida's reasoning about the possibility of architecture that comes into conflict, "debunks" and abolishes itself.

Headquarters-Department-of-Health-Basque-Bilbao-Spain

cube-houses-rotterdam-netherlands