Find the false sentences using the information from the text. Correct the false sentences.

1. Early Russian architecture was derived from the Byzantine architecture.

2. Early Russian towns were built on defensive sites.

3. In Russia, stone has always been the most natural building material.

4. Russian churches and cathedrals were rich decorated with carved decorations.

5. Masonry architecture was not developed in medieval Russia.

6. Wooden architecture predominates in Southern Russia.

7. The builders of the most Vladimir Churches used cut stones instead of brick.

Fill in the gaps with the words given below:

a. wooden; b. bell towers; c.  creation; d.   domes; e. embroideries; f. from afar; g. log-cabins.

 

1. Low white walls with towers, churches with brilliant ¹_______ and ²______were visible ³_____.

2. Russian ⁴ ______ were decorated with carved decorations.

3. There are some remaining examples of ancient ⁵ ______ architecture in Rostov.

4. Vladimir and Suzdal builders widely used stone ⁶______.

5. The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl is one of the best-known ⁷ ______of early Russian architecture.

Answer the following questions.

1. Where did Russia borrow its early architecture from?

2. What has always been the most natural building material in Russia?

3. Did wooden and masonry architecture develop side by side in medieval Russia?

4. What do the best examples of wooden Russian architecture show?

5. How is one of the most famous Russian churches in the northern style called?

6. Can you describe the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl?

7. What material did builders of Vladimir and Suzdal churches use?

Find in the text and put down key words that can be used to speak about early Russian architecture.

Read the texts about architectural landmarks of Moscow and answer the questions.

Stalin High-risers

Seven high-risers were built in the central part of Moscow the late 1940s - in the early 1950s. Later they derived their sonorous name ‘Seven sisters’. Their construction was associated with Stalin's idea to decorate the capital after the Victory in World War II and to demonstrate the power of Russia, on the threshold of the 800th anniversary of Moscow.

It was initially planned to build eight skyscrapers, but construction of the eighth building was stopped right after Stalin's death. Later, Hotel Russia was erected on the basement of uncompleted project. Eight buildings were aimed to epitomize Moscow’s age and to surround the Palace of Soviets that never reached the stage of construction.

For the history of Russia and Moscow, ‘Seven sisters’ became a symbol of monumental architecture of Stalin’s epoch, they are often named ‘a top of a Stalin empire style’ in a city architecture. Similar skyscrapers were built at the same time in Kiev, Warsaw and Riga. All of them were aimed to symbolise power and high aspirations of the Soviet state.

Certain symbolism was inherent to each separate building: the Moscow State University building symbolised power of the Soviet science, a building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - authority of the USSR, the building in Kotelnichesky street became a symbol theatrical and motion picture arts etc. Symbols of these high-risers have not lost the value today, as well as the status of their tenants has not changed: it still indicates belonging to high society.

The main building of Moscow State University, the highest of all skyscrapers, is located in the distance from the other high-risers, behind the Vorobyevy Hills. Over 240 meters high, it used to be the highest building in Moscow for quite a long period of time. Leningradskaya Hotel of 136 meters high is the lowest and the oldest out of ‘Seven sisters’. It was built in 1947 by the day of the 800th anniversary of Moscow.

The 29-storied Ukraine hotel is 170 meters high. It was built after Stalin’s death in 1953-1957 and is now known as Radisson Royal.

The building of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Russia was built in 1948-1953, and its height is 172 meters. The Ministry building is distinguished by the rich interior coating made of natural marble and granite. The coating also has wooden panels of oak and Karelian birch. The national emblem of the USSR established at height of 114 meters is another important distinctive feature of this high-riser. Also, this building does not have the star on its spike.

The rest of Stalin’s high-risers are residential. The 32-storied building on Kotelnicheskaya Street was built in 1938-1952. Today it has 700 apartments, a few shops, a cinema, etc.

The high-riser at the Red gates subway station is a little bit lower. It is called Red Gates Administrative Building, its right wing hosts one of the station’s lobbies. Another high-riser is a building on Kudrinskaya square, formerly known as a ‘high-riser at Vosstaniye square’. It consists of the central 22-storied, 156 meter high building and 18-storied side ones with 452 apartments. The side buildings form a harmonic connection with the surrounding structures.. It is necessary to notice that all seven high-risers were conceived as independent buildings with the closed household infrastructure: that is, they include cinemas, restaurants, shops, post and bank branches, and many other things.

Stalin high-risers are the present reflection of history of Russia in the middle of the 20th century, showcasing the greatness and indestructibility of the USSR. Today, all ‘Seven sisters’ can be seen only from Vorobyovy mountains. But it is much more interesting to stand in front of their facades when you can feel all their power and monumentalism.

Questions

1. Why did Stalin decide to build seven high risers?

2. How many skyscrapers were planned to build?

3. Why wasn’t the plan fulfilled?

4. What style of architecture do Seven Sisters symbolize?

5. What was special about each building?

6. What building is the highest?

7. What building was built after Stailin’s death?

8. What infrastructure were the buildings supposed to have?

9. Where can we see all high risers?

10. Why is it advisable to show 7 Sisters to tourists?

Melnikov House

At Krivoarbatsky Lane, in the central part of Moscow, there is a unique house built in 1927-1929, which became an architectural monument of the Soviet Avant-garde, famous throughout the world. This is a house and workshop of the famous Russian architect Konstantin Melnikov.

The idea of building of his own house appeared when he studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. But the real development of the project Melnikov began only in the early 1920s. The main condition was a connection of the house with a creative studio to live and work in one place.

One of the first projects was the construction of a classical square building. Then he made the drafts where the house was a truncated pyramid. In 1922, Melnikov drafted round, oval and egg-shaped plans. But the final version appeared after his club project, lost in the competition. By that project, the building consisted of five intersecting cylinders, and for his home-studio he left only two cylinders.

After some amendments to the project and official permission for the construction, in 1927 Melnikov began to build his own unique creation, which should house his family and the architectural workshop. It is worth noting the fact of the uniqueness of the construction of the house: while over the Soviet Union there were commune-houses, where one apartment housed 3-4 families, one person was allowed to build a private house in the heart of the capital. But it has a logical explanation: the house was endorsed as an experimental, one-of-a-kind project and Melnikov was one of the most recognized architects of the Soviet Union and he built it at his own expense.

source: academic.ru

The project was approved on June 19, 1927 and soon the construction began. Melnikov did not change the general structure of the house, but only finished the interior of the building. For example, in the course of solving some engineering problems concerning the construction of walls and floors he used original ideas, which were later patented as an invention in the technical architecture.

The architect worked out a unique system of brickwork. The towers, top to bottom, were a honeycomb lattice made of brickwork. 60 of more than 200 cells were glazed with windows (of three different frame designs), the rest filled with clay and scrap. Such kind of brickwork was not only economical, but also resulted in uniformly distributed wall load, as evidenced by the absence of any supporting pillars and lintels. Finally, the idea of a round building is very economical: he succeeded to obtain a large area of the premises with a smaller length of exterior walls.

Methods of honeycomb construction of the house echoed with the ideas of another famous architect Vladimir Shukhov (Shukhov Tower), who collaborated with Melnikov. Shukhov’s lattice structure was used not only in the brickwork, but also in the construction of floors. Floors consisted of wooden boards placed edgewise and intersected at right angles. It resulted in the absence of supporting columns or beams.

The house was a three-story building, the entrance to which was in the southern two-story cylinder. On the first floor there were a vestibule, kitchen, dining room, working rooms for his wife and children. The second floor in one cylinder featured a living room, and in another one a bedroom. The third floor consisted of a workshop of the architect and an outdoor terrace on the roof of the southern two-story cylinder.

During the 30-50s of the twentieth century the Melnikov House was repeatedly criticized. It has been criticized most recently, considering it obsolete and suitable for demolition. During the bombing of Moscow in the years of the Great Patriotic War, the building was not damaged except the windows broken out. But for 80 years, the building became dilapidated, and its technical condition is unsatisfactory: the walls are cracked, the floors sagged, the foundation sinks into the ground.

Recently, the Melnikov House-Studio was included in the list of endangered architectural sites. It is planned a large-scale reconstruction of the building to restore the original appearance, preserving the engineering and architectural ideas of Melnikov. However, there is a legal issue of ownership. In addition, it is still a dwelling house, nowadays Melnikov's granddaughter lives in it.

Now it is planned to establish a museum in this beautiful house of Russian avant-garde. Melnikov before his death also offered to turn his work into an architectural museum, but the Soviet Union of Architects refused him that time. However, this house was always a place of pilgrimage for many people: here came ordinary and outstanding people of art and culture. In 1933, the famous Russian artist and historian Igor Grabar, visiting the Melnikov House, said: "I do not envy, but leaving this house, I caught myself feeling jealous: I would like to live here”.

Questions

1. How did the idea of the building appear?

2. What are the main architectural features of the building?

3. Why was it allowed to build this house?

4. What are the unique things of the house?

5. How many floors are in the house? What is situated on the first and the second floor?

6. Was the house damaged during the II WW?

7. How is the house preserved? What is planned to do with the house?

8. Is it worth visiting the house with your tourists? Why?

Project Work

16. Find information about other architectural landmarks in Moscow which you would like to show to your tourists. Prepare a presentation about them. (Igumnov House, Perlov Tea Shop, Leningradsky Station etc.)

 

 

MODULE 4 MOSCOW KREMLIN

· Unit 1 The historical background · Unit 2 Inside the Kremlin · Unit 3 The Cathedral of the Annunciation

· Unit 4 The Cathedral of the Assumption · Unit 5 Archangel Michael Cathedral · Unit 6 The Grand Kremlin Palace · The Armoury Chamber