Suzdal

The road takes us on and on, and then suddenly, in the distance, from the top of Poklonnaya Hill, we can see Suzdal spread out before us, one of the richest treasures of Russian national culture. Our first view is a vague silhouette, spiky with many belfries and churches which now vanish from sight, now reappear as the road climbs upwards again.

Protected Suzdal

Suzdal is situated on the river Kamenka which falls into the river Nerl a few kilometers away. In olden days this land was known as the Suzdal opolye. Settlers were attracted by the rich, fertile land, suitable for agriculture. The first written reference to Suzdal occurs in the chronicle in the entry for the year 1024 and mentions one of the earliest peasant uprisings in the history of Russia.

Initially, in the 11th century, Suzdal was the name given to several small settlements situated quite close to one another. The increasing external danger, together with the peasant uprisings, made it necessary for the feudal lords and rich people to build fortifications. A rampart and a stockade were put up round the central settlement. In 1096 Suzdal was mentioned in the chronicle as a 'town'. The central fortified part was formed by the Suzdal Kremlin whose ramparts have remained in excellent condition to this day.

It is not known exactly when the whole fortress was built but it must have been at the beginning of the 12th century, since that was when Vladimir Monomakh raised the first stone building here -- the brick Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and the adjacent prince's courtyard. The cathedral quickly fell into decay and was demolished. In 1222-25, a new whitestone building went up in its place.

Excavations at the foot of the south wall of the present cathedral have brought to light some fascinating remains of the Monomakh's first building. The original cathedral was built of fine brick, or 'plinfa'. A fragment of the frescoes also survived on the lower part of the wall. However, the new cathedral did not remain intact either. In l445 the upper part collapsed. By 1530 the top of the cathedral had been rebuilt with brick and had acquired the five domes characteristic of those times.

Bell tower, the Cathedral of the Nativity. 1635-36

After the Cathedral of the Dormition in Vladimir, it is clear from the external form of the Suzdal Kremlin's central Cathedral of the Nativity that this is a building of the same type. It is a large city cathedral considerably lengthened by extensions to the altar part. There have been additions to the main entrances on three sides, thus giving the cathedral its cruciform plan. It is built of irregular slabs of porous tufa. Only the architectural details are of white stone and they stand out in contrast with the soft, uneven background of the wall.

The architects combined the Vladimir style, refined and detailed decorative finish, with a simple, rough texture of wall surface reminiscent of the Novgorod churches. Flatness of ornamentation predominates in the carvings. In aiming for a decorative effect on the facades, the builders tried to free themselves from the influence of the structure.

Attention should be paid to the west, and, in particular, the south, or Korsunsky Gates of the Cathedral of the Nativity. They are an extremely rare example of Russian 13th-century applied art. The gates are covered with an exquisite pattern which was engraved on copper sheets etched with acid and then gilded. The cathedral gates testify to the technical skill and superior artistic standards of the ancient Russian craftsmen.

The central Kremlin ensemble is completed by the Archbishop's Chamber's, an architectural complex which grew up during the l5th-18th centuries. As research has shown, the oldest part is in the south-east corner -- the Archbishop's Chambers, dating back to the end of tile 15th century. A private church with a Refectory was built in 1559 to the west of the chambers. At the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century the old buildings were incorporated into the new and more spacious Archbishop's Chambers.

Architectural ensemble at Kideksha. 12th-18th cc.

A magnificent monument of civic architecture, the Archbishop's Chambers were neglected for a long time. Now, after restoration, they have become a museum with an extremely rare collection. The exhibition gives the visitor a detailed picture of the social, economic, and political history of Suzdal, its architecture and the various stages of restoration work in the town. In the Ancient Russian Art Section of the museum there are rare examples of casting, chasing, engraving, and ivory carving. In the development of the jeweler’s art, 15th-century Suzdal was on a par with such important Russian art centers as Novgorod, Moscow and Tver. No less famous were the works of the Suzdal embroideresses.

The pride of the museum is a collection of old icons. Inheriting and developing further the Byzantine and Kievan traditions and drawing on the experience of the Novgorod artists, the 13th-century Suzdal craftsmen created their own local school. In the 14th -- 15th centuries, what came to be called the Vladimir-Suzdal school of ancient Russian painting reached its pinnacle. The best works of this period are notable for elegance, lyrical outline, soft coloring, unity of tone and, most important of all, inspiration. It was these qualities of Suzdal painting that were subsequently adopted as a basis by the Moscow school which emerged in the 14th century.