Thursday 30 April 2009

UNESCO WHS week: Kizhi


Postmarked Moscow, date 5 April 2009.
Kizhy: Intercession Cathedral.
The pogost of Kizhi (i.e. the Kizhi enclosure) is located on one of the many islands in Lake Onega, in Karelia. Two 18th-century wooden churches, and an octagonal clock tower, also in wood and built in 1862, can be seen there. These unusual constructions, in which carpenters created a bold visionary architecture, perpetuate an ancient model of parish space and are in harmony with the surrounding landscape.
The UNESCO entry is far too bald for this amazing structure, which looks to me as though it has grown in place.  It is, of course, built entirely of wood, so from that point of view it is organic.  Oddly, the card says this is the Intercession Cathedral, but from what research I have done, I am fairly certain it's the Transfiguration Church with 22 domes, the Intercession Church having 9 domes.

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5 comments:

  1. Quite amazing it is like a bunch of mushrooms!

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  2. Beautiful church!

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  3. How beautiful. It gets my imagination to going--I love this phostcard. It looks like something out of a fairytale.

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  4. My Goodness. This is so beautiful. Did you go and visit the church?

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  5. By looking at the unique architecture... you just can't help but want to go there to see it yourself.

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