The Orthodox Church Part One

Back to Orthodox Church
	The Orthodox Church: history, doctrine, art, and architecture

	Part One: Novgorod
Click Image for Full View	View of Novgorod Kremlin from Volkhov River, St. Sophia at left.
Click Image for Full View	Wall of Novgorod Kremlin Photo by William P. Tishler, 1999
Click Image for Full View	Cathedral of St. Sophia in Novgorod. Built 1045-1062 under Prince Vladimir, son of Yaroslav the Wise. Dedicated to St. Sophia, or "Holy Wisdom," to recall the great churches of the same name in Constantinople and Kiev. Windows are smaller and narrower than the St. Sophia in Kiev, which shows the influence of the cold and damp local climate (cf. Hamilton 39-43). Photo by William P. Tishler, 1999
Click Image for Full View	St. Sophia from South. Notice that the central gold cupola does not match the others. The earliest Russian churches have helmet-style domes, with the more bulbous onion domes coming into practice in Novgorod (and subsequently, the rest of Russia) in the mid-twelfth century. The central dome on this cathedral dates from the twelfth century, while the side domes, replaced at a later date, are typical for the 15th and 16th centuries (cf. Hamilton 42-43).
Click Image for Full View	St. Sophia from West
Click Image for Full View	Bronze Madeburg Doors on western facade of St. Sophia. Dating from the 12th century, the doors portray scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
Click Image for Full View	Close-up of Bronze Doors
Click Image for Full View	The bell tower adjoining St. Sophia dates from the 15th century. Separate bell towers are a borrowing from Novgorod's sister city, Pskov, where the early churches were too small to support belfries. Musical instruments are not allowed in Russian Orthodox church services, and bells play a very important role in calling the faithful to worship before the service, during the actual service, and at its conclusion.
Click Image for Full View	View of the Sophia Side of Novgorod, where the Kremlin and Cathedral of St. Sophia are found. Photo by William P. Tishler, 1999
Click Image for Full View	View of the Commercial Quarter of Novgorod. The River Volkhov separates the two halves of the ancient city. Trade was very important for Novgorod, which was located in an area that was agriculturally marginal, but well-suited as the easternmost base of the Hanseatic League. Hamilton writes: "For centuries Novgorod had been active as a trading centre; her political institutions and her social customs were based upon an independent, commercial, and reasonable democratic way of life" (Art and Architecture of Russia 130). Photo by William P. Tishler, 1999
Click Image for Full View	According to Hamilton, "Visual appearance was very much a part of Novgorod architecture: the rough surfaces, uneven lines, and frequent departures from the vertical lend many of the smaller churches the effect of having been moulded like potter's clay, of having been 'hand-made'" (Art and Architecture of Russia 39) Photo by William P. Tishler, 1999
Click Image for Full View	St. Ivan's Church, in the Commercial Quarter, dates from the 12th century. This little church shows the development away from Byzantine architecture and toward a more Russian style. Although the helmet-like cupola is Byzantine, the church uses a polygonal form and a sloping roofline. Photo by William P. Tishler, 1999
Click Image for Full View	The Church of the Transfiguration (1374) is also a merchant church. The pitched roof is another northern design innovation, for getting rid of ice and snow. The material wealth of Novgorod's merchant-patrons is seen in the applied ornament of devotional crosses on the exterior (cf. Hamilton 47).
Click Image for Full View	Apse, Church of Transfiguration
Click Image for Full View	Detail of dome, Church of Transfiguration
Click Image for Full View	Wall of the Yuriev (St. George) Monastery Photo by William P. Tishler, 1999
Click Image for Full View	Cathedral of St. George (1119-1130), with bell tower in background. Built by "Master Peter," a Russian architect.
Click Image for Full View	Cathedral of St. George (1119-1130), in the Yuriev Monastery. The height and almost cubical appearance of this building demonstrates further development in Russian church architecture. Whereas St. Sophia has the traditional Byzantine breadth, the movement in Russia, especially in the North, will be toward greater height. Another trend was toward greater simplicity (cf. Hamilton 43-44).
Click Image for Full View	Interior of Cathedral of St. George. Notice the dramatic lighting caused by the narrow, tall windows characteristic of northern churches. Photo by William P. Tishler, 1999
Click Image for Full View	Fresco in dome of Cathedral of St. George. These frescoes are not contemporary with the rest of the structure, but date from the 19th century. The central fresco is in the prescribed framework of Byzantine decoration: Christ Pantocrator ["Ruler of All"] in the main dome, surrounded by saints.
Next >