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Sergey Zagraevsky

 

Jury Dolgoruky and ancient Russian white stone architecture

 

 

Published in Russian: Çàãðàåâñêèé Ñ.Â. Þðèé Äîëãîðóêèé è äðåâíåðóññêîå áåëîêàìåííîå çîä÷åñòâî. M.: Àëåâ-Â, 2001. ISBN 5-94025-014-9

 

Introduction

Chapter I. White stone and brick

Chapter II. Galich, Caucasus and Volga Bulgaria

Chapter III. Suzdal masters and Romanesque

Chapter IV. “The limit of reliability”

Chapter V. Sculpture decoration

Conclusion

Applications, notes

 

Conclusion

 

Attention!

The following text was translated from Russian original by the computer program

and has not yet been edited.

So it can be used only for general introduction.

     RUSSIAN VERSION

 

 

About Yury Dolgoruky was spoken and written about a lot. His views on very controversial personality and very ambiguous historical role as ambiguous. This is also the founder of Moscow with grandiose statue on Tverskaya, and treacherous greedy, pulled greedy hands from Suzdal to Kiev, and cruel despot, gained universal hatred, and even... a fighter for independence of the Suzdal region (the latter, unfortunately, is not a joke, but a very serious statement of one of the modern school courses "the history of Motherland"480).

Perhaps, we should not condemn nor justify Yuri. But in its historical portrait make one additional feature: it Dolgoruky has made a decisive breakthrough in the "Europeanization" of Vladimir-Suzdal region, and possibly the entire Russian land.

Not afraid to say that in importance to culture and politics of Russia (unfortunately, the load on the economy) construction Dolgoruky four or five white stone churches are quite comparable with the founding of St. Petersburg.

Perhaps this "breakthrough" Dolgoruky was in the other fields of cultural activity. It is unlikely, as Peter I, shaved their beards boyars and dressed them in European dress. But if Yuri was spending huge funds on the "romanization" of architecture, we have the right to prevent and some other of his actions "in the style of Peter I. Even training craftsmen in Europe, which we discussed in paragraph 10 sec. 3, means a lot.

And the descendants of George, Andrew Bogolyubsky, Vsevolod the Big Nest, Yuri and Konstantin Vsevolodovich - walking down the road, beaten Dolgoruky. And after the precedent set in the middle of the XII century, the "Europeanization" was given to them much easier.

Of course, if this "Europeanization" was an end in itself, it is unlikely that it justifies the huge expenditures on the construction of a truly Golden temples. But if it was one of the actions aimed at the rise of the Suzdal region, then the policy is clear, logical and reasonable. Because, ultimately, it has allowed the Vladimir-Suzdal not lose their national culture and independence during the Mongol yoke, to defend independence and be reborn under a new name - Moscow.

Therefore, historical merit Dolgoruky is not only that he founded a small fortress that after three hundred years, was the capital of the centralized Russian state. Yuri laid and political, and cultural base for the centre of such a state was Suzdal region. As the capital of the "all Russia" could be Moscow, Tver, Vladimir, Rostov or Pereslavl - in geopolitical terms it is not important.

What is the price given is the rise of Suzdal land is another question. We admire the Foundation of St. Petersburg, rarely thinking about the fact that at this time in the rest of Russia has stopped construction of a stone, and of the thousands of people who, "to life by appealing these wilds barren, death has found there myself."

And Yuri Dolgoruky, probably, were other, more bloodless and economical way to accomplish his political objectives. But hardly we have the right of XXI century strictly to judge people XII century.

APPLICATION NOTES

 

Applications, notes

 .

© Sergey Zagraevsky

 

Introduction

Chapter I. White stone and brick

Chapter II. Galich, Caucasus and Volga Bulgaria

Chapter III. Suzdal masters and Romanesque

Chapter IV. “The limit of reliability”

Chapter V. Sculpture decoration

Conclusion

Applications, notes

 

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