Architectural Styles (entry)

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ARCHITECTURAL STYLES, recognizable systems of architectural compositional techniques, forms and decor, whose differences are caused by social and cultural environment, aesthetic preferences and the type of architectural culture of a particular epoch. A unified periodization and denomination system for St. Petersburg architectural epochs according to stylistic features has not been established yet. Among the main architectural styles are Baroque, subdivided into early or Petrine Baroque (1710-20s) and high, or Rastrelli Baroque (1730-50s). In the Neoclassical style that replaced Baroque, certain subperiods can also be distinguished: early (1760s-70s), strict (1770s-90s) and high (1800s-30s) classicism. Sometimes the two first periods are called Catherine Classicism, and the latter - Alexandrine Classicism (or Empire style); Pavline Classicism stands apart (second half of the 1790s). Since the late 18th century features of early Eclecticism developed (Gothic or Chinese in the palaces ensembles). Since the 1830s up to the 19th century late Neoclassicism (Nicholas Classicism) was prevalent. Concurrently in the 1830s-1910s the Historicism proliferated in Petersburg architecture (Eclecticism, Historicism, Architecture of choice), oriented on the formal arsenal of previous architectural styles (Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance) and the latest European styles. National architectural styles, originating from pre-Petrine Rus and Byzantium architecture (Russian or Russo-Byzantine style of the mid-19th century, Byzantine and Russian styles of the last quarter of the 19th century), as well as Brick style are also subsumed into Historicism. In the 1900s-10s, the predominant architectural style was Art Nouveau, subdivided into the early, "romantic", employing images of different epochs - from Gothic to the Renaissance and Neoclassicism and folk architecture (including Scandinavian - the so-called Northern Art Nouveau) and rationalistic with geometrized shapes and penury of decoration. Since the early 20th century among the retrospective architectural styles are neo-Baroque, Neoclassicism and neo-Russian styles, that differed from Eclecticism by the large scale of constructions and effective plastic arts. In the 1920s-30s, Constructivism, a vanguard architectural style with laconic geometric forms, conventionalizing the constructions, flourished. In the late 1930s - 1950s in Leningrad architecture a stylised Classicism (Stalin's Empire style) predominated, less frequently was the Petrine Baroque. In the 1960s-80s the "functional" utilitarian trend, whose forms were determined by industrial construction, prevailed. Since the 1990s neo-Modernism (neo-Historicism) - a free interpretation of various architectural styles has been developing.

References: Пунин А. Л. Архитектура Петербурга середины XIX века. Л., 1990; Грабарь И. Э. Петербургская архитектура в XVIII и XIX веках. СПб., 1994; История русской архитектуры: Учеб. для вузов / В. И. Пилявский, Т. А. Славина, А. А. Тиц и др. 2-е изд., перераб. и доп. СПб., 1994. С. 328-421; Иконников А. В. Историзм в архитектуре. М., 1997.

T. A. Slavina. Alexander I, Emperor
Catherine II, Empress
Nicholas I, Emperor
Paul (Pavel) I, Emperor
Peter I, Emperor
Pilyavsky Vladimir Ivanovich
Rastrelli Francesco de
Пунин А. Л. Архитектура Петербурга середины XIX века. Л., 1990
Иконников А. В. Историзм в архитектуре. М., 1997
Грабарь И. Э. Петербургская архитектура в XVIII и XIX веках. СПб., 1994
История русской архитектуры: Учеб. для вузов / В. И. Пилявский, Т. А. Славина, А. А. Тиц и др. 2-е изд., перераб. и доп. СПб., 1994 Baroque
Neoclassicism
Historical style (Eclecticism)
Art Nouveau
Neoclassicism
Constructivism
"Brick Style"
Russian Style