New materials regarding research in the fields of architecture and urban construction are being presented. The authors also focus on the history of the creation of little-known buildings of interest, on the development of local architectural traditions, on new attributions, and introduce recently discovered archive materials. A number of papers are dedicated to the issues of architectural and urban planning development of historical towns and cities or study the formation of architectural ensembles. The edition also includes papers that are devoted to theoretical historical-architectural problems, to biographies of architects, or analyze artistic approaches and concepts.
Issue 66
I. A. Bondarenko.
The Symbolic Meaning of the Construction “Octagon on Tetragon” in the Light of the Apocryphal Work “On All Creatures”
The paper is dedicated to the symbolism of architectural forms of early Russian constructions with a quadrangular prismatic base and octagonal top, sometimes having several tiers with tent-roofs. Its meaning can be better understood by taking into consideration an apocryphal text «On All Creatures», which was widespread at the time, as well as by looking at a number of other Medieval written sources. Analysis shows that the tetragon meant the space around the Earth, enclosed by the pillars of the heavenly firmament, while the octagons with their coverings represented the firmament itself, seen as a high canopy, carrying on top the heavenly Throne in a cloud of Glory.
Keywords
Early Russian architecture, traditions, image of the world, symbolism, language of architectural forms, octagon on tetragon.
Bondarenko Igor’ Andreevich,
Ph. D. in architecture, professor, RAASN Academician, CIRD of the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation, Scientific Research Institute of the Theory and History of Architecture and Urban Planning, branch of the Central Institute for Research and Design of the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation, director.
E-mail: niitag@yandex.ru
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