Virtual exhibitions

From the early 1850s, interest in all things national—specifically Russian—surged in Russia. This trend was sparked by the lifting of the ban on constructing houses based on original, non-standardized designs. A special government decree issued in 1858 authorized the construction of buildings that did not merely replicate established models. Almost immediately, entire streets lined with houses ... ↓ inspired by traditional Russian architecture began to appear in cities across the country, such as Tomsk, Irkutsk, and Tambov. The new structures resembled traditional Russian *terems* and peasant cottages. The Russian style was definitively established at two industrial exhibitions held in Moscow and St. Petersburg in 1877, timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of A. S. Pushkin’s death. These exhibitions showcased numerous designs that incorporated elements of ancient Russian architecture and employed traditional folk techniques for interior decoration. The examples of furniture, household goods, and interior architectural elements (such as tiles and carvings) showcased at exhibitions began to be mass-produced at numerous manufacturing facilities. They defined the new appearance of buildings serving various purposes that were constructed across Russia over the subsequent twenty-five years.Two structures became emblematic of the Russian style: the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, completed in 1883, and the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood), built in St. Petersburg between 1882 and 1884. Buildings designed in the Russian style subsequently defined the architectural character of entire districts.  ↑