Search

ORIGIN OF FIVE-DOMED CHURCHES // ΠΡΑΞΗMΑ. Journal of Visual Semiotics. 2016. Issue 1 (7). P. 115-121

Report on the origin of five-domed churches was read in the meeting of the Society of Ancient Literature in St. Petersburg on March 13, 1881. The text of the report was published in the same year by S. Dobrodeev’s printing house. Author of the report – Prince Grigory Gagarin (1810–1893), Russian painter, art restorer, architect, obergofmeyster of court of His Imperial Majesty, the vice-president of the Academy of Arts of the Russian Empire, Major-General. In his project Holy Ascension Cathedral in Alagir (Ossetia, 1851–1853) was built. He painted the Sioni Cathedral of the Dormition in Tbilisi. He is known for another study of this kind, published in 1887: “Collection of Byzantine and ancient ornaments, collected and drawn by Prince G. G. Gagarin”; this book is a collection of ornamental details and scenes typical for the Eastern Christian architecture, painting, miniatures and mosaics. The main text of the report “Origin of five-domed churches” is reproduced below in modern spelling and punctuation without finishing chronological list of Muslim dynasties and without illustrations, occupied the 6 sheets in the original edition. Author of the study explains the origin of the common type of Russian five-domed temple through traditions of Byzantine architecture, revealing the original pattern in ancient Constantinople temple of the Holy Apostles.