Vilna baroque is an offshoot of the architectural style baroque, characteristic of the territory of the former ON. The name is conditional, the term “late baroque“. This style found its greatest popularity in the religious architecture of the second half of the 18th century. It is believed that most of the architects of this style came from the university Vilnius (The old name of the city is Vilnia, hence the Vilna Baroque).
The ancestor and one of the brightest representatives is often called Johann Christoph Glaubitz. Most of his works are located in the capital of Lithuania, but the trace of the architect is also in Belarus.
Examples of Vilna Baroque in Belarus
Perhaps one of the main examples of this style in the territory Belarus is St. Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk.
The temple was significantly rebuilt in the middle of the 18th century, under the leadership of Glaubitz.
Church in Dyatlovo - This is a vivid example of Vilna Baroque architecture. The temple was built in the first half of the 17th century, but acquired its baroque appearance later.
After a strong fire in 1741, the Dyatlov church was significantly rebuilt according to the project of the architect Alexander Osikevich.
In the Vitebsk region, in addition to the cathedral in Polotsk, another example of late baroque has been preserved - Church of the Intercession in Tolochin.
The temple was completed as a Uniate temple in 1796, since 1804 - an Orthodox monastery and church.
One of the most unusual examples of Vilna baroque architecture is Church of Saints Peter and Paul in the village of Boruny. The main feature of this monastery complex is the lack of symmetry of the main facade.
The church was rebuilt by 1757 by architect Alexander Osikevich.
The next example of Vilna Baroque from our list is located in the village cornflowers, Shchuchinsky district.
Church of St. John the Baptist, built in 1769 by Dominican monks.
В 1735 year, the most striking representative of the architectural style of the late Baroque Glaubitz completed the renovation Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in Glubokoye.
Examples of architecture with striking features and peculiarities of the Vilnius Baroque can be found in Minsk. In the Upper City is Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spiritand right behind him former church of St. Joseph.
In the Mogilev region, an example of late baroque architecture can be safely considered Church of the Virgin Mary in Mstislavl. Johann Glaubitz also had a hand in the work on the reconstruction of this temple.
But the work of Glaubitz in Belarus does not end there. The only one Temple of the Order of Malta, and today the church of St. Alexander Nevsky is also an example of the Vilna master.
Another architect of the Vilna school also took part in the reconstruction of the temple - I. Fontan III. The church is dated 1746 year.
There are several examples of this architecture in the Minsk region. Built in Ivyanets Church of St. Michael the Archangel.
In Nesvizh, a unique gate-tower of the Benedictine monastery.
Lida church in the very center of the city, also refers to the architecture of the Vilna baroque. The work on the temple is attributed to the same Johann Glaubitz.
Of course, there are other examples of late baroque architecture in Belarus: the temple in Zhirovichi, the church in Luzhki and more controversial options like the church in Volno.
Features and features of the Vilna baroque
Having talked about examples on the territory of Belarus and Lithuania, of course, it is worth focusing in more detail on the peculiarities of the style. It must be remembered that the Vilna baroque was widespread in the middle of the 18th century. This style is often referred to as "Uniate BaroqueAnd there is a clear reason for that. In the 18th century, the Uniate church was stronger than ever, so many churches were built or reconstructed in accordance with the canons of the Uniates.
The Vilna Baroque style was formed at the junction Byzantine и Western European arts. The architecture of religious buildings of that time required a certain synthesis between Catholicism and Orthodoxy (the same Uniatism).
The features of the Vilna Baroque include:
- refinement and vertical proportions
- sculptural plasticity of facades and interior decoration
- picturesque buildings
- the style of the temples is characterized by multi-tiered openwork towers
- architecture shows freedom and more lightness, which is in harmony with the monumentality of forms
See the article on architectural styles gothic, modern, rococo on the territory of Belarus.