«Architecton: proceedings of higher education» № 36 December 2011
History of architecture
 | Yamshanov Igor V. PhD student, Saint-Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Research supervisor: Professor V.S.Goryunov, Doctor of Architecture Saint-Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Saint-Petersburg, Russia |
NEOGOTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE DURING THE MODERN PERIOD
It is during the Modern period that the largest number of Neogothic buildings were constructed in the Russian empire. The best known architects of that period, who made a considerable contribution to Neogothic tradition, are Bogdanovich, Kitner, Chagin, Shene, Shekhtel, Shreter, etc.
At the turn of the 20th century, the Neogothic style, developing in the context of Modernist stylistics, followed two main directions. The first was represented, first of all, by the construction of Protestant and Catholic temples across the Russian empire and consisted in pure reproduction of medieval architectural forms.
Typologically, Neogothic buildings of the turn of the 20th century were rather varied, being represented, in particular, by Catholic and Lutheran churches and chapels, commercial apartment houses, castles, cottages, summer residences, public buildings (shops and hotels); and industrial
The architecture of the turn of the 20th century experienced transformation of Gothic forms. That second direction in the development of the Neogothic style manifested itself in the emergence of buildings fancifully combining Neogothic and modernist features. This direction was represented mainly by the architecture of commercial apartment houses.
By way of summarising, it should be noted that dynamic development of the Neogothic style in the Russian empire came to an end at the same time as did the modernist style, but Gothic forms did not disappear even during the period after 1917.
Key words: Neogothic style, modernist style, Catholic churches, Lutheran churches, commercial apartment houses, private residences, manor houses