What were the architectural styles of Russia at the end of the 10th century?

In the past, Russians lived around the forests and built houses from local materials. The resources of wood were inexhaustible. Traditional buildings were mainly made of wood. Since the end of the 10th century, under the influence of Byzantium, stone buildings began to appear, but they were mostly used for public **** buildings. However, the traditional Russian wooden building techniques remain, mixed with stone architecture.

With simple techniques (e.g. mortise and tenon, bolts, etc.) and less labor for wooden construction, it is possible to build beautiful and functional dwellings with the flexibility to change complex shapes. The cabin church pictured here is located in Suzdalee, and one can imagine some of the characteristics of cabin architecture. Despite the religious decoration on the top, its steeply sloping roof is mainly due to snow in cold climates. The form of the hut is simple, but the wood is easy to push the layers and facilitates the addition of extra outbuildings, such as wing porches on either side. Elsewhere, you can see a more sophisticated exterior developing from this basic style, such as the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in the village of Peledki, Nogoro.

Absorption - The rise of stone buildings in 988, when Archduke Vladimir of Kiev ordered all Russians to be baptized in Christianity (Orthodox). With the introduction of Christianity, Byzantine architectural forms had a full impact on Rus, who occupied much of Eastern Europe. The building material was stone construction with elegant, generous, wide and upright shapes. The structure of such a main building was matched by many semicircular roofs at the top. The first typical Byzantine building was the Sofisky Church in Kiev (built in 1037), which imitated the design of the Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople. It had 13 domes on top. Later buildings gradually reduced the number of domes. In the early period, domes were usually large and flat, then gradually elongated and pointed upwards, but they also developed into fullness; the Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod was the first church in Russia.

The main purpose of this architectural form was to create an atmosphere of solemnity, elegance, greatness, and sublimity, based on God, and to make believers feel reverence. In that era of polytheistic beliefs, for the common man, this God was indeed above all feelings. The architectural forms of Byzantium had a profound influence. It was not until the westernization policy of Peter the Great in the early 18th century that it became the dominant form of large religious buildings.