Architectural monuments. Architectural monuments that no one liked

The tenth and final volume of the publication “Architectural Monuments of Moscow” was published in 2015. This issue entirely dedicated to the process of formation and...

For a long time, golden-domed Moscow played a huge role in the history of the great Russian power. And later this wonderful city became the capital of our homeland. Emperors with their families, representatives of aristocratic dynasties, bishops and patriarchs, famous musicians, masters of painting and the most talented writers lived in Moscow. That is why, from time immemorial, cultural, political, financial, spiritual and, of course, secular activities were concentrated in the white stone, which could not but affect the process of formation of the architectural appearance of the city.

Today in the Russian capital you can see a huge number of amazing beautiful buildings, which, thanks to their considerable age and the talent of famous architects, are truly our priceless heritage! Unique and inimitable architectural monuments in Moscow are a source of pride and admiration. Their fame has already spread throughout the world!

The list of the capital's historical and architectural monuments is truly huge. First of all, the attention of tourists is attracted by the recently opened, which can rightfully be called one of best jewelry Moscow. In addition, one cannot ignore the buildings of the Central Department Store and Bolshoi Theater, etc. Each of these unique buildings has its own interesting history and its own incredibly interesting past.

If you have no more than a couple of hours to explore Moscow monuments, then do not rush to get upset. Do you want to take a photo against the backdrop of magnificent architecture? Then just take a walk along the streets of old Moscow. For example, incredibly interesting ancient buildings are concentrated on the streets that are part of the Boulevard Ring. Mostly here are historical buildings erected during the 17th-20th centuries.

Architectural monuments are objects that were created, usually in honor of significant event or important person. The age of some is estimated at tens of years, while others remember the Egyptian pharaohs. This review contains the most famous monuments architecture about which the history of mankind can be written.

1. Kaaba (Masjid al-Haram)


The Kaaba (Masjid al-Haram) is a cube-shaped building located in Mecca

The Kaaba (Masjid al-Haram) is a cube-shaped building located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is considered the holiest site in Islam, as well as the oldest and most famous cultural monument in the world.


Muslim shrine of Kaba.

The Koran says that the Kaaba was built by Abraham (Ibrahim on Arabic) and his son Ismail, after the latter settled in Arabia. A mosque, Masjid al-Haram, was built around this building. All Muslims around the world face the Kaaba during prayers, no matter where they are.


Pilgrims at Kaba.

One of the five fundamental laws of Islam requires that every Muslim perform the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, at least once in his life. In this case, you need to walk around the Kaaba seven times counterclockwise (when viewed from above).

2. Taj Mahal


White marble mausoleum located in Agra, India.

The Taj Mahal ("Crown of Palaces") is a white marble mausoleum located in the city of Agra, India. It was built by the king of the Mughal Empire, Shah Jahan, in memory of his third wife Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is widely known as the "pearl of Muslim art in India and one of the world's recognized masterpieces world heritage." The area of ​​the Taj Mahal is about 221 hectares (38 hectares are occupied by the mausoleum itself and 183 hectares of protected forest around it).

3. Egyptian pyramids


Egyptian pyramids.

A total of 138 pyramids have been discovered in Egypt. Most of them were built as tombs for pharaohs and their wives during the Old and Middle Kingdoms. These are some of the oldest famous cultural monuments.


View of Egyptian pyramids above.

The earliest known Egyptian pyramids were found at Saqqara, northwest of Memphis. And the oldest of them is the Pyramid of Djoser, built in 2630 - 2611 BC. e., during the third dynasty. This pyramid and its surrounding complex were designed by the architect Imhotep and are generally considered to be the world's oldest monumental brick-faced structures.

4. The Great Wall of China


The great Wall of China.

Great Chinese Wall is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, rammed earth, wood and other materials built along the historical northern borders of China to protect the country from invasions by various warlike peoples.


Sculptures on the Great Wall of China.

Several walls were built as early as the 7th century BC, and were later expanded to form what is today known as the Great Wall. Particularly famous is the part of the wall built between 220-206 BC. the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (very little remains of her).

By the way, in the Celestial Empire there are still many beautiful and interesting places China, which are worth seeing with your own eyes.

5. Angkor Thom (Greater Angkor)


Capital of the Khmer Empire

Angkor Thom is a walled royal city with an area of ​​3 square kilometers that was last capital Khmer Empire. After Jayavarman VII recaptured Yashodharapura (the previous capital) from Champa invaders in 1181, he built a new imperial capital on the site of the destroyed city. He started with existing surviving structures such as Bapuon and Fimeanacas and built a majestic walled city around them, adding an outer wall with a moat and some of the greatest temples Angkor. There are five entrances (gates) to the city, one for each cardinal direction and a Victory Gate leading to the Royal Palace area. Each gate is topped with four giant faces.

6. Acropolis of Athens


Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis of Athens, also called "Cecropia" in Athens, is the most important site of the city and one of the most recognizable monuments in the world. It is the main landmark of ancient Greek culture, and also a symbol of the city of Athens itself, since it represents the apogee artistic development in the 5th century BC.

7. National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall


Chiang Kai-shek Memorial

The National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is famous monument and a local landmark erected in memory of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, former president Republic of China. It is located in the Chinese city of Taipei. The monument, surrounded by a park, was built in the eastern part of Memorial Square. To the north of it is National Theater, and to the south is the National Concert Hall.

8. Potala Palace


Potala Palace

The Potala Palace is located in the city of Lhasa in Tibet. It is named after Mount Potalaka, the mythical abode of Chenrezig or Avalokiteshvara. The Potala Palace was the main residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala, India, during the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959.

Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, the fifth Great Dalai Lama, began construction of the Potala Palace in 1645 after one of his spiritual advisors, Konchog Chopel, noted that the site between the Drepung and Sera monasteries and the old city of Lhasa was an ideal location for the government. The Potala was eventually built on the remains of an earlier fortress called the White or Red Palace, built by King Songtsen Gampo of Tibet in 637. Today the Potala Palace is a museum.

9. Statue of Liberty


Statue of Liberty in the USA.

The Statue of Liberty was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States of America, and it is universal symbol freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886, and was designated a National Monument in 1924.

10. Sultan Ahmed Mosque


Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a historical mosque in Istanbul, largest city Turkey and capital Ottoman Empire from 1453 to 1923. It is also popularly known as the Blue Mosque due to the blue tiles that line its walls.


Mosque interior.

The mosque was built from 1609 to 1616 during the reign of Ahmed I. Although it is still used as a mosque, the site has also become a popular tourist attraction.

Architectural monuments of Russia, ranging from majestic palaces and cathedrals with a thousand-year history to modern buildings, amaze tourists with their originality and brightness. It is a rare city in the Russian Federation that cannot boast of a rich castle, a quaint house or an unusual bridge. However, there are masterpieces that you simply cannot help but admire!

Intercession Cathedral

Ancient architectural monuments of Russia are, first of all, luxurious churches. The Intercession Cathedral managed to become famous throughout the world due to its uniqueness and unusualness. The structure looks like an ensemble formed by nine pillar-shaped churches (independent). All of them are located on the same basement (base), united by internal and external galleries.

The cathedral, included in the list of the largest Russian historical and architectural museums, is located in the “heart” of the capital - on the territory of Red Square. The majestic church was erected by order of Ivan the Terrible in the mid-16th century, today it is known as St. Basil's Cathedral. The richness of the appearance was the result of the creators playing with two materials: white stone and brick. The variety of decor that distinguishes many famous architectural monuments of Russia is achieved thanks to several types of brick processing profiles used in different combinations.

Saint Isaac's Cathedral

Even guests of St. Petersburg who find themselves on the territory of the “second capital” while passing through should definitely visit Saint Isaac's Cathedral. The grandiose building in its present appearance was erected in 1818-1858, based on a project developed by the architect Auguste Montferrand. However, like many other architectural monuments of Russia of the 19th century, the cathedral has more long story, which begins with a small church founded in the early 18th century. The temple is one of the largest domed buildings on the planet; the diameter of the dome is 21.8 meters; over 100 kg of gold were spent on its creation.

Tourists are attracted not only by the intricate dome painting depicting biblical scenes, but also by the rich interior decoration of the cathedral - valuable types of marble, malachite, lapis lazuli, and gilding. The high colonnade is one of the main reasons for the popularity of the temple. Using the narrow one, you can find yourself at an altitude of 43 meters and enjoy the unique views of St. Petersburg.

Unusual bridges

Architectural monuments of Russia include original bridges built not only in past centuries, but also in our days. The whole world knows about the existence in Volgograd. The building earned its nickname in 2010, when swaying occurred as a result of wind load. Despite the significant (about a meter) road surface and supports retained their integrity. The safety of the bridge was achieved using special shock absorbers.

You can admire the Krasnoyarsk Communal Bridge, one of the symbols of Siberia, not only when visiting the city, but also by looking at a banknote (10 rubles). The building was erected during the reign of Khrushchev, for a long period it was considered the longest Asian bridge, its length is 2300 meters. The unique technology that the builders resorted to is interesting: the abandonment of safety supports.

Manezhnaya Square

Manezhnaya Square, which cannot be ignored when listing the architectural monuments of Russia, is considered the first bright masterpiece of the famous Tsereteli in Moscow, is located adjacent to Historical Museum and the Manege, built in 1817, was “framed” by dense urban development until the 30s of the last century. The area was vacated in 1932 due to the construction of the metro.

Grandiose construction on the square began only in the early 90s. Was created " Okhotny Ryad", which became the first Moscow shopping complex located underground. Also, under the leadership of Tsereteli, a dazzling cascade of fountains with huge horses, lighting and cozy benches was released. From this moment on, Manezhnaya Square is perceived as a continuation of the Alexander Garden.

Winter Palace

The Hermitage is rightly considered one of the most magnificent colorful examples of the dawn of the magnificent Baroque; many noteworthy architectural monuments of Russia of those times belong to this direction. The palace building, which left other buildings of the northern capital far behind due to its beauty and size, was created by the architect Rastrelli and was planned as the residence of the Russian tsars.

The building, which overshadowed other architectural monuments of Russia of the 18th century, occupies a huge area, in currently includes the Hermitage Theatre, Old, New and Small Hermitage. In fact, construction lasted from 1764 to 1852. Each façade is different from the others, as the creators took into account the features of the area. Winter Palace It has the shape of a rectangle, has an internal (front) courtyard, and corner projections.

Kolomna Palace

Many Russian architectural monuments of the 17th century not only survived reconstruction, but were also restored almost from scratch. This list also includes the Kolomna Palace, which looked like an intricate system of wooden cages (rooms) connected by passages. Its creators were Russian architects Petrov and Mikhailov, who attracted the most outstanding metropolitan masters of that time to their work.

The building, thanks to its luxurious exotic decor (gilded leather, ceiling and wall biblical paintings, wood carvings) delighted foreign guests, stood for a century and was destroyed in 1767. The surviving model made it possible to restore a luxurious building in Moscow.

Novodvinskaya fortress

During the era of Peter the Great, many interesting monuments architecture of Russia. The list includes one that became a source of pride for Russian soldiers and instilled fear in foreigners. Having survived many bloody battles, the building has partially survived.

In the northern zone of Russia, this is the first building that became a bastion-type fortress. Architectural style- Dutch, examples of similar structures are found in Europe and America. The fortress has a square structure and includes four bastions, the distance between which is approximately 120 meters.

Annunciation Cathedral

One of the most interesting buildings in Voronezh is the Annunciation Cathedral, created by the architect Shevelev. The temple belongs to the Russian-Byzantine movement, its history is connected with the year the city was founded - 1586. Initially, the building was wooden and was rebuilt many times. The destruction of the cathedral occurred during the Great Patriotic War.

Like other architectural monuments of Russia, photos of which are given above, the church was restored (in 1998). Now the cathedral is located in a different place, belongs to a slightly different style, and the interior decoration has been modified. As before, the temple fascinates with its dimensions, not getting lost even against the backdrop of giant modern skyscrapers. Its height is 85 meters.

Of course, these are not all the bright architectural monuments of Russia that are worth visiting at least once.