The early Christians did not feel the need to build a temple. It seemed impossible to them to fit into a simple building such an all-encompassing being as God. The words of Octavius ​​Minucius Felix are indicative: “What temple shall I build for him, when this whole world, created by his power, cannot accommodate him?.. How shall I imprison such a great being in one small building?..” 42 The rationale for such a view was present in the Scripture itself: “Thus says the Lord: heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; where will you build a house for me, and where is the place of my rest?” (Isaiah 66:1).

After the Edict of Milan, the Church faces the task of converting to Christianity a large number of people. However, an adequate architectural form that satisfies the high spiritual demands of the new religion did not yet exist. The ancient temple, having a superbly designed external appearance, "revealed outside." In addition, the worshipers were not inside the building, but outside, in front of it. All this served as "a symbol of nationwideness, understood as polis sociability, openness ...". The interior of the building was only a "casket" in which a statue of a deity and treasures were placed. 43 When creating proper Christian architecture, the exterior of the temple acquires a different meaning. The severity and restraint of appearance are likened to a righteous Christian, who contains within himself the fullness of spiritual being. The emphasis is transferred to the internal appearance of the building, which is associated with the extreme value of the inner life of every believer. Not public openness, but spiritual depths - that's what becomes important. Therefore, it is the interior that should inform the worshiper, according to S. S. Averintsev, of a certain "spiritual mood and give the illusion of being in the incorporeal world of the revealed and revealed meaning." 44 The method of revealing this meaning will become the subject of creative search for artists when creating a new type of temple.

Initially, the type of public building of the Roman Empire, such as the basilica, was mainly used for the church. But even here, still within the framework of the old, there is a departure from the bodily, plastically expressive beauty of antiquity and a striving towards the beauty of the materialized materiality of the stone used in construction. Further searches lead to the fact that the wall acquires lightness and “weightlessness”, as if it is not subject to the force of gravity, the matter is transformed and enlightened by the spirit. It is necessary to indicate some specific manifestations of the spiritualistic meaning introduced into the architecture, for the time being on the example of the basilica. Firstly, this is a new character of rhythm and new columns. The movement of space towards the altar is determined by the uniform rhythm of the colonnades. But unlike antiquity, this rhythm organizes space, and not plastically expressive architectural forms. Space is something incorporeal and therefore represents spirituality. Thus, the rhythmic movement of space acquires a spiritual character, while becoming much more important than the sensually perceived beauty of materialized forms. 45 The columns themselves no longer demonstrate their physicality: they are made smooth, polished, without flutes. "The brilliance of their hard surface" does not allow "space to interact with them, forcing it to neutrally bend around the supports." 46 The masses of supports are thus not involved in the general spiritual movement. In general, there is a loss of ancient tectonic principles; the masses are lost, giving way to space, they are trying to limit and push them to the periphery of perception. Secondly, in basilicas, the use of arches resting on columns is becoming more frequent. These arcades gradually take the place of the classical horizontal entablature. This method construction brought from Syria. Here, in basilicas, powerful pillars connected to each other by arched spans were often used instead of internal colonnades. As further development architecture, the columns carrying the arches become thinner and more strongly stretched upwards in comparison with the ancient ones. This eliminates the excessive massiveness of the architectural material. The semicircles of arches, rising above the columns, seem to remove the "law of gravity". “Weightlessness” is communicated to the stone, it is up to to some extent decomposes. The soft arched bend is the opposite of the “bodily logic of the right angle” formed by the elements of the order. Therefore, now in the basilica "the place of firm standing on the ground is replaced by a quiet soaring in space." 47 Such a spiritual soaring acquires its final form in those Byzantine domed churches in which the central-domed architecture was combined with the basilica.

Now we should consider the symbolism of the architectural forms of domed temples, which played a significant role in the spiritual reorientation of art, which began in catacomb painting. AI Komech considers it possible to trace the development of religious architecture in the 5th-6th centuries, based on the widespread in the 3rd-4th centuries. an analogy that likens the world created by God to a temple. This idea was gradually assimilated by people during the 4th-6th centuries, determining the specifics of artistic creations and public tastes. Basil the Great speaks of such a likening in his “Conversations on the Six Days”: “Shouldn’t we surround ... this great and full of diversity Artistic temple of God’s creation ... shall we not consider the decoration of the universe?”. 48 From here soon grows the desire for a symbolic convergence of the architectural image of the temple with the image of the Universe. Actually, dome representations are caused by the interpretation of the sky. Here is what Basil the Great writes about this: “The sky, according to the word of the Prophet, was set like a kamara (Is. 40, .22) ...”. 49 This refers to the following words of Isaiah: "... He stretched out the heavens like a thin cloth, and pitched them like a tent for habitation" (Is. 40:22). Also in Theophilus, with reference to the authority of the same prophet, we find a similar understanding of the sky, compared with a roof, a vault. All this, in the words of Basil the Great, concerns the "outline of the sky." 50 That is, we can say that the symbolism of the dome in temple architecture, apparently, is associated with the interpretation of the sky "as a vault.

Art critics note the "hanging" nature of the composition of the domed temples, when its movement goes from top to bottom. Indicative in this respect is the description of the process of divine creation by Theophilus, cited by A. I. Komech. Theophilus believes that God, unlike a person who is below and therefore begins to build a house from its foundation, creates the world differently: as it is said in the Bible, the sky was created first. Proceeding from the perception of the Universe as the "Artistic temple of God's creation", it becomes clear a kind of transfer of the principles of divine creativity to human creativity in the construction of religious buildings. 51

Largely due to such a seemingly suspended composition, there is a feeling of a certain incorporeality of the architectural material, the lightness of the interior of the building, so that even a large dome seems weightless, floating in the air, as if suspended from the sky. Particularly expressive is the soaring of the dome in the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Constantinople. 52 After all, here the effect of weightlessness is also enhanced by the streams of light streaming from 40 windows at the base of the dome. These streams practically dissolve in the eyes of the beholder the thin walls between the windows. In such incorporeality, again, one can see an analogy with the understanding of the universe created by God. Basil the Great says: “... regarding the essence of the sky, what was said by Isaiah is enough for us, who ... gave us a sufficient understanding of its nature: He who established the sky like smoke (Is. 51, 6), that is, for the creation of the sky, who realized the subtle nature , not hard, not rough. 53 The earth itself, despite its heaviness and materiality, does not have massive supports: “... on what does this huge and unrestrained load of the earth rest? - ... in the hands of God the ends of the earth (Ps. 94, 4). 54

Thus, from the assimilation of the universe to a temple, the opposite analogy gradually grows: architects build temples that correspond to religious ideas about the Universe. As a result, in the process of development of domed architecture, a special symbolism of architectural forms is formed, certain methods are developed for creating a “disembodied” atmosphere of soaring inside a religious building. All this corresponded to the spiritualistic orientation of the new religion.

Architecture is a complex phenomenon. It arose and exists as a result of the social need for it. Buildings are for practical use and at the same time they are (or should be) works of art. Therefore, some tend to attach great importance to the practical side of architecture, others to its specificity as a special kind of art. Since ancient times, a Russian wooden house has been a whole world, and all its elements made up a common system that reflects ideas about the universe. An important part of this system was wooden carved decorations, which were fixed on the pediments, pilasters, architraves, and which were encoded in stable artistic images and symbols of the ancestral collective memory of the people. Tomsk residents have been decorating their homes since the founding of the city, while class and wealth did not matter much. Of course, merchants' mansions and tenement houses were more beautiful, but even poor houses were greeted with a friendly pattern of architraves, intricately carved porch details, and skates directed to the sky. The term "decor" in architecture is closely related to the term "ornament", which consists of a combination of useful and beautiful. It is based on functionality, and beauty comes after it. The ornament does not exist in the form of an independent work of art, it only decorates this or that thing, but, nevertheless, it is a rather complex artistic structure. Being the oldest type of human pictorial activity, it carried a symbolic and magical meaning, symbolism. Early decorative and ornamental elements could only be abstract signs, expressing a sense of rhythm, form, order, symmetry. Getting to the main part of the message, it is necessary to say the following - this is the first attempt to systematize the iconic symbolism of the Tomsk architectural decor stored in the Museum of Wooden Architecture or found in the patterns of wooden houses on the streets of the city. At the same time, literary sources were used / It is difficult to give an exact date for the appearance of a particular sign. The ornament could have originated in the Upper Paleolithic era. (15-10 thousand years BC) In those distant times, it was exclusively geometric, consisting of strict basic forms, circle, cross and square. These are universal forms. Initially, signs performed only auxiliary functions and were applied to invisible parts - bottoms, reverse sides of jewelry, amulets, amulets, etc. Gradually, signs-symbols acquired the ornamental expressiveness of the pattern, which began to be regarded as an artistic component. In subsequent times, artists simply copied the old forms that had a very specific meaning in antiquity. Consider the first group of signs that were often used in wooden architecture as decorative elements. The symbol "circle" is the embodiment of ideas about the most important fundamental qualities: absolute equality, uniformity, infinity, eternity, circulation. The circle was associated with the concept of heavenly perfection - God, Sky, Cosmos, Sun. “The concept of “holiness” and at the same time “purity”, “whiteness” is written in particular by V.I. Ravdonikas, - in the primitive consciousness is linked with the "heaven" and its incarnations in the sun, "moon".

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Hence the pictorial symbolism of holiness, divinity - a circle, an image of the sky or the sun. The “circle” symbol is a solar sign, the oldest astral symbol, which has been one of the revered and beloved throughout the existence of civilization. So the solar disk was designated in Egypt, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, pagan culture Ancient Russia. The sign "half disk" symbolizes the luminary at sunrise or sunset. The number of rays also contains symbolism - the numbers 5 or 3, which mark the boundaries of sections of the sky, the third part of the sky is that conditional area of ​​\u200b\u200bspace where the sun is at noon. These signs are most widely found in the architecture of Tomsk in the 19th - early 20th centuries. Art Nouveau architects also actively used this sign. The symbol "square" - in contrast to the circle, is associated with the idea of ​​the earthly beginning as a place of human habitation. A kind of coordinate system, where the cardinal points are highlighted. A quadrilateral with a cross reinforces this meaning even more, forming a center, an axis of coordinates. The sky-circle acts as God the creator, while the earth-square is created, derivative, created through the mediation of the cross. The symbol "cross" is the oldest sacred sign, originating from schematic representation birds, emphasizing the idea of ​​the center, the point of intersection of the upper bottom, right-left. The sign ordering space, the vertical rod of the cross in the primitive consciousness was identified with the Axis of the World, the World Tree, connecting heaven and earth. It is called the "sign of signs" Since prehistoric times, it has served as a religious, protective symbol in almost every culture of the world. The Scandinavians depicted the hammer of Thor - the god of thunder and war - in the form of a T-shaped cross, it symbolized thunder, lightning and rain. The cross was also an attribute of the gods of Assyria, Persia and India. In Christian art, the sign established itself as a revered emblem only at the end of the 6th century. It has become an integral part of church rituals, as well as one of the main symbols in art and architecture. There is a fairly significant number of varieties of crosses, we will consider some of them that are most often found in our practice. The Greek equal cross - the simplest form, was used in a variety of meanings as a symbol of the god of the sun, the god of rain, and the elements from which the world was created - air, earth, fire and water.

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The oblique cross is a very common motif. He meets in different eras from the Paleolithic to the 19th century. Reminiscent of the first letter of the spelling of the name of Christ Depending on the color, it has different meaning Blue or white colors- the sign of the holy apostle Andrew. It is often used in architectural decoration as a decorative element, as well as a solar sign denoting the Divine fire that burns everything bad. Spiral - is one of the most ancient signs that are of great importance for the ornament - a comprehensive formula, from which the ancients drew the alphabet of their first abstract concepts. The spiral embodied the basic laws of nature, their relationship, logical thinking, philosophy, culture and worldview of the ancients. The development of everything in the world is carried out according to the principle of a spiral. Each turn is the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. Volute - an architectural motif in the form of a spiral curl with a circle ("eye") in the center. Part of the Ionic capital, is also part of the Corinthian and composite capitals. The shape of the volute has various architectural details characteristic of the Baroque style. The volute has its roots in the image of the World Tree. In architecture, this can be seen in the capitals, where the volute is the most important constructive and artistic element. We already meet the volute motif in capitals in Egypt and Greece. "Guardians" of the Tree, for in Mesopotamia the horns of celestial goats or bulls were also depicted in the form of volute-shaped curls. The swastika (bearing good) is one of the earliest symbols found in all nations. Solar symbol, lucky sign, fertility, prosperity, generosity, movement and power of the sun. In the Christian image, this is not just a symbol of the elements, but of the one who controls the elements - the eternal wind, the Holy Spirit. The swastika is one of the most ancient and widespread graphic symbols, which was depicted by many peoples of the world on objects. everyday life, clothes, coins, vases, weapons, banners and coats of arms, in the design of churches and houses The symbol has been found since the 8th millennium BC. e.,

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presumably from a rhombo-meander ornament, which first appeared in the late Paleolithic. The swastika, as a symbol, has many meanings, among the ancient peoples it was a symbol of movement, life, the Sun, light, well-being, and is able to symbolize philosophical categories. The first information about the swastika as a Christian symbol and a variant of the cross was found in the writings of the Jesuit scholar Abbot L. Martigny in 1865. The symbol "rhombus" - it is believed that the sign in the form of a rhombus in folk and ancient ornamentation comes from a conventional image of a land plot and is a symbol of the earth. In Scytho-Sarmatia, he also denoted the Sun, the World Tree. In various historical eras, the rhombus symbolized the Great Goddess, the parent of all things. In later times, the rhombus became a symbol of fertility. In Christian iconography, the rhombus was combined with the image of the Mother of God, in addition, rhombuses with crosses or plant rosettes, hemispheres and equal-pointed crosses are symbolic signs of the image of Seraphim, Cherubim, Angels, Apostles. In the architectural decor of Tomsk, a rhombus is found in the design of architraves, as one of the ornamental motifs. The symbol "triangle" - served as one of the symbols of the Earth. In Christianity, the triangle served as a symbol of the deity "all-seeing eye", in this case, the sun's rays come from the triangle, it is associated with the symbolism of the solar cult. The triangle in its various modifications is an ornamental motif common in architectural decoration, especially used in the 19th-20th centuries. Finishing a brief review of geometric symbols, it must be said that in the Christian pictorial system they correspond to abstract, more precisely Divine concepts: the square is the firmness of faith, the circle is a symbol of eternity, or in another sense - the image of the Heavenly forces. They also make up a special group of signs - the so-called power Solar "solar" signs, there are about 144 types of them. For several millennia, decor motifs created by ancient civilizations have been preserved and repeated. We also note the presence of other ornamental motifs in the Tomsk wooden decor. One of them is a cartouche.

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Cartouche (cartoccio bundle, bag) - in architecture and decorative arts - “a motif in the form of a half-open, often with torn or notched edges of a roll of paper, a scroll”], on which a coat of arms, emblem or inscription can be placed. Cartouches arose during the Renaissance at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries. In the Baroque and Rococo eras, cartouches acquire more complex, often asymmetrical forms, the decorative properties of the element come to the fore, which often does not carry any internal image. Cartouches can also be found at a later time in eclectic, modern, neoclassical architecture. Spread in the XVI-XVIII centuries. cartouches adorn the main entrances to palaces. Cartouches were placed above the main entrances to buildings and window openings, in the tympanums of the pediments, in the interiors of buildings, on monuments, on tombstones and documents. Meander - the idea of ​​perpetual motion, endless repetition, came to us from Ancient Greece. The ancient geometric ornament is being replaced by the so-called wicker ornament. The braid motif arose from pressing a rope into wet clay, later heads, tails, paws of animals began to be woven into the braid, this is especially characteristic of the Scandinavian peoples. The motif of a dragon-like animal also appears there. The dragon personified lightning, was considered the patron saint of housing and fire. The snake is a symbol of the ever-restoring world order. Appearance floral ornament associated with art ancient egypt The lotus flower is an attribute of the goddess Isis, a symbol of the divine productive force of nature, resurgent life, high moral purity, chastity, mental and physical health.

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The tree of life (another Russian tree of paradise) is a mythological image in many cultures. In literature and folklore, this is a motif that reflects ideas about the biblical tree of life in the middle of paradise. The concept of the Tree of Life has been used in religion, philosophy and mythology. Denotes the interconnectedness of all life on our planet and serves as a metaphor for a common origin in an evolutionary sense. The term tree of life can also be used as a synonym for the sacred tree. The tree of knowledge that links heaven and underworld, as well as the tree of life, which links all forms of life, both are forms of the world or cosmic tree. In pagan art, the tree of life embodied the power of living nature, the divine tree, on which the growth of herbs, cereals, trees and "the growth of man himself" depended. Rosette (chamomile, daisy) came to us from Ancient Mesopotamia. It looks like a stylized round head of a blossoming flower, when viewed from above. In all likelihood, the rosette, its round shape was perceived as a symbol of the sun, denoted the idea of ​​the cycle of phenomena in the Universe, as it is said in the Bible - "everything returns to normal." The figure of the rosette turned out to be the most stable, and in decorative folk woodcarving it is one of the main elements of the pattern. In its outline, it is close to a flower. The rosette, as it were, embodied the idea of ​​the connection between the life-giving rays of the sun and the abundant growth of flowers and herbs on earth. Interestingly, in Lithuania, some flowers (for example, daisies and roses) were considered the flowers of the sun. A circle with a rotating division (the so-called "Segner's wheel") is a graphic representation of a rotating wheel-sun. Often found in Assyrian art is the image of a cone. It is believed that this is a cedar cone and it symbolizes courage. "In ancient times, the cedar was considered a sacred tree, it was used in the construction of Solomon's temple, and one of the glorious feats of Gilgamesh (the hero of the Mesopotamian epic) was the victory over the monster Khubabu, the lord of cedars." From flora borrowed in the decor: palmette, pomegranate fruits, pineapple fruits, bunches of dates, ears of corn (the emblem of the god of fertility). Acanthus, palmettes, kims (incoming waves of stylized leaves).

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Shamrock or krin - symbolizes the purity and purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At various times, more and more new symbols were added to the ornamentation. In any sacred tradition, numbers play an important role. The number three is considered the most magical and sacred in many cultures. The symbol of three intersecting sheets was found 5000 years ago in the culture of the Indians, its meaning has become known since the 8th century. In Celtic culture, the three symbolized completeness, completeness, perfection - past, present, future; sky, earth, underworld (other world). The triple multiplied by itself gave nine as a result - a sign of the highest dignity. The concept of the trinity, the tripartite deities is also universal and is found in almost all Indo-European religious and mythological systems. In Christian symbolism, the Shamrock represents the Holy Trinity: father, son and holy spirit. The circle in the middle means eternity, while the crossed lines symbolize inseparability. Thus, the Shamrock indicates that the Holy Family consists of three elements: power, honor and glory, and they are inseparable in one God. Pagan religion claims that this symbol represents life, death and return to life as an endless cycle, as well as the three forces of nature: earth, air and water. The three circles symbolize the feminine element and the element of fertility. Enough examples of the appeal and active use of ornamental motifs of the Baroque style by Tomsk masters can be cited. The dynamics of complex three-dimensional forms, the restless rhythm of curved lines that create complex monumental compositions overloaded with details. The decorative decoration of objects almost completely masks the structure. The ornament is dominated by various variations of acanthus leaf motifs, palmettes. Patterns are often C and S-shaped. Like geometric figures Tomsk masters used plots traditional for ancient Slavic mythology. Sirin is a bird-maiden, a wonderful bird, whose singing disperses sadness and longing, is only happy people. An element that is often found in the ornamentation of the European part of Russia, in Tomsk there is almost a single copy at the address ul. Krylova, 4.

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Animal ornament in the Middle Ages was the basis for creating compositions of reliefs and was an inexhaustible source for folk art. Animal symbolism characterizes the properties of the non-material world, the image of a horse testifies to the movement towards the Highest Ideal, the Horse among the Slavs symbolized the god of the sun - Khors and was his emblem. The personification of the sun god in the form of a horse led to the image of a horse in the carved decoration of peasant huts as an ancient protective image that attracts good to the owner of the house. Horse heads - "skates" adorned the top of the roofs Often on carved architraves and valances - a horse with a fluttering mane, similar to the rays of the Sun. The image of a fish is an ancient symbol of the Savior, the image of birds is a symbol of righteous souls. Waterfowl represented water element. The Russian language has preserved for us the meaning that our ancestors invested when they created their dwelling - the street is near the face, the door is trust, the casing is on the face. The pediment in ancient Russia was called "chelo", hence - the edges of the roof, forming a triangular shape from the facade - prichelina. The meaning of the window was originally identified with the eye. The purity of the eye in Orthodox teaching is of great importance, because through the eyes a person perceives the light of God. In Orthodox architecture, the window is the entrance to the Uncreated Light, so all the decoration that is attached to the window opening has a protective function. From time immemorial, a house for an Orthodox person was considered a small church, and all life was connected with worship, church and home. The general spiritual mood was prayerful - glorifying God. And the master, depicting birds, flowers in the carving,

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geometric ornament remembered the Creator of everything living and beautiful, transferring his spiritual mood to the drawing. Artistic language wooden carving developed in an original and independent way, quite independently of the change in styles that appeared in art centers. It existed in parallel with classicism, modernity and other "big" styles, naturally and sensitively responding to the changing forms of urban decor. The ornamentation of the carving is conservative and very traditional, which makes it possible to see the persistence of cultural traditions in the use of ancient symbols, elements that adorned the dwellings of our ancestors. Today, with its typified, stamped construction of residential buildings, takes us further and further away from the man-made culture of Russian masters, dooming it to oblivion. Architecture loses not only harmony and beauty, the thin connecting thread of generations is torn. Worldview knowledge is leaving, living space remains. Helena Ivanovna Roerich perspicaciously wrote to one of her addressees, “The forces of darkness are well aware of how many powerful emanations radiate objects of art. Among the onslaughts of darkness, such emanations can be the best weapon. The forces of darkness seek to either destroy the objects of art, or at least divert the attention of mankind from them. It must be remembered that a rejected, neglected work cannot radiate its beneficent energy. There will be no living connection between a cold viewer or listener and a closed creation. The meaning of the transformation of thought into a work is very deep, in other words, it is an attractive magnet and collects energy. Thus, each work lives and promotes the exchange and accumulation of energy. In the following notes, we will talk about the decor of Tomsk houses and the symbols that can be seen if you look closely at the ornament. List of used sources. 1. Ashchepkov E. Russian folk architecture in Western Siberia. M .: Publishing house of the Academy of Architecture, 1950 2. Bagdasarov R. Mysticism of the fiery cross. M .: Veche, 2005. 3. Butkevich L.M. History of the ornament. M .: Vlados, 2008. 4. Martigny M. Dictionary of Christian Antiquities. 1865 5. Rybakov B.A. Paganism of Ancient Russia. M., 1987 6. Roerich E.I. Letters. M.: MCR, 2003. T.5. C,344 Borovinskikh N.P. Utkina E.L.

"Signs and Symbols of Art" - Vincent van Gogh. In the Middle Ages, the aspiration of man to God was of particular interest. Vanity. N. Rimsky-Korsakov. The complex inner world of the artist is often revealed through symbols. Starlight Night, 1889. Perpetuum mobile. Still life with oysters. Musical instruments, notes - the brevity and ephemeral nature of life, a symbol of the arts.

"Spiritual life" - Labor. Art and spiritual life. Features of art. Game. Spiritual Life Trends modern Russia. Biologonization. Reasons for the appearance of art: Spiritual life in Russia has always been distinguished by its originality. What is art? Main features. Labor is the source of art. 3. Imagery.

"Arts and Humanities" - Visual Arts and Architecture Sociology. Education and research activities. Arts and Humanities. In the course of training, the student studies the following disciplines: Forms of education: full-time / part-time (remote), contractual. breadth and depth; theory and practice. A graduate of the university in the direction of "Arts and Humanities" can work:

"World of Art" - "March" Isaac Ilyich Levitan (1860-1900). "Girl with Peaches" Valentin Alexandrovich Serov (1865-1911). Gallery of artists. What do you remember there? Sculpture. Portrait of A.S. Pushkin, work of V.A. Tropinin. Do you know where the original works are kept? visual arts? State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

"Symbols and signs" - In the traditions of the folk art of the Slavs, the image of a rhombus denotes the earth. What are signs and symbols? Where can I find signs and symbols. Signs and symbols arose at the dawn of mankind. For example: (any medical sign). The historical path of signs and symbols. In life: in the field of traffic, in medicine….

"Art in human life" - In our journey through different types of art, many discoveries await you. We will work in pairs, perform creative tasks, sing, create design work, search for information, create presentations, watch films, etc. You will definitely reach the Top of the knowledge of art, from which an amazing World opens up!

In total there are 20 presentations in the topic

Masonic symbols in the architecture of Moscow, part 2

Masonic symbols mainly reflect the construction theme: a square, a hammer, an hatchet. In addition, Masons also collected more ancient signs, such as the six-pointed and five-pointed stars, the all-seeing eye, endowing them with their secret meanings.
The architects left these secret signs on buildings, sometimes unsuspecting owners, thus conveying messages to other Freemasons. Therefore, when you see something resembling Masonic symbols on a building, you need to study who was the architect and who was the owner of this house.

So, the main Masonic symbols and their meaning:

Radiant Delta- one of the most ancient symbols, in Christianity the sign of the "all-seeing eye". This symbol has appeared on images since ancient Egypt. For Freemasons, the sign reminds of the all-pervading divine gaze, of the presence of the Great Architect of the Universe (God) in all the deeds of Freemasons
Two columns (Yachin and Boaz)- “affirmed by power” and “affirmed by God”. Two copper or brass pillars that stood in the temple of Solomon in Jerusalem
three rings- trinity of religions (Judaism, Christianity, antiquity)
A circle- symbol of eternity
Shell and pearls- symbols of self-development, each person, like a grain of sand, must grow a pearl out of himself;
Freemason's Apron- an attribute of belonging to Freemasonry
Ruler and plumb line- equality of classes
Compass- symbol of the public
wild stone- rude morality, chaos
acacia branch- immortality
Coffin, skull, bones- contempt for death, sadness about the disappearance of truth
sword- punishing law
Salamander- ancient alchemical symbol
Chimeras- an impossible dream to strive for

Freemasonry has always been closely associated with architecture. It is no coincidence that the members of the lodge called God the Great Architect or the Architect of the universe, and among the main symbols were the compass, the trowel and the plumb line. In itself, the process of building a building could refer to the creation of a new, more perfect society. This is largely why secret society opened its philosophy to the world mainly through architecture. Of course, the attribution of one or another architectural element to Masonic symbolism immediately raises questions - this can be seen as paranoia or confidence in the existence of a world behind the scenes. However, Freemasonry can be an opportunity and simply rediscover a familiar city as a place full of ancient mysteries and secret societies.

Architect V.I. Bazhenov, who built the palace in Tsaritsyno and many other buildings in Moscow, was also a Freemason. As you know, Catherine II did not accept this palace, ordered it to be dismantled and removed Bazhenov from construction.

The palace in Tsaritsyno, built by Bazhenov and his student Matvey Kazakov, is often called the “architectural reference book” of Masonic symbols. You can see decorative elements on the facades of buildings that look like various compasses, stars or stairs, but they are not clearly pronounced and can be interpreted in different ways ... Catherine II expressed several wishes: that the building be in the “Moorish” or “Gothic taste.” The architect took into account the wishes of the empress, but did not follow their lead. new architectural language, in the process of which unusual ideas arose.

Catherine II liked the presented project, and in May 1776 construction began. Three buildings were laid along the Birch Prospect (Small and Middle Palaces and the Third Cavalry Corps), pavilions and the Figured Bridge. The work was progressing successfully: already in August, Bazhenov reported that the Figure Bridge was almost completed, and “the other three houses in half have already been erected, which will certainly be brought to an end this summer, if there is bad weather.” However, by the end years, troubles began with building materials and funding; at times this was repeated throughout the construction, which lasted for a decade - contrary to the plans of the architect to meet the three years. Bazhenov wrote numerous letters to officials so that construction would not stop, he even had to take loans in his own name and carry out construction at his own expense. While working on the Tsaritsyno ensemble, Bazhenov was forced to sell his house in Moscow, along with all the furniture and the library. new project of the main palace. The construction was transferred to Bazhenov’s student M. Kazakov. It is unlikely that Catherine was fluent in the symbolism of “free masons”, but there were enough ill-wishers. Despite the fact that a number of Masonic symbols date back to Christian emblems, all Bazhenov’s Tsaritsyn buildings would have been demolished.

Matvey Kazakov, in his project, tried, if possible, to preserve the style chosen by Bazhenov, based on the traditions of the Moscow architecture XVII century, but still new palace was in conflict with the existing buildings. However, elements of Gothic architecture became more pronounced due to the eight towers that accentuated the corners around the perimeter of the palace. More than Bazhenov's predecessors, the Cossack Palace looks like a classic medieval castle.

Some researchers suggest that the real reasons for the royal anger were Bazhenov's affiliation with the Masons (the architect passed the initiation ceremony in 1784 on the guarantee of N. I. Novikov and was accepted into the Deucalion lodge, the chair master of which was S. I. Gamaleya) and his secret contacts with Tsarevich Pavel. Bazhenov's freemasonry was clearly reflected in the Tsaritsyno buildings. The decor of many buildings, the mysterious lace stone patterns, clearly resemble Masonic ciphers and emblems; the very construction of the ensemble, its layout is sometimes also considered a kind of Masonic cipher. The iconographic program of Tsaritsyn's Masonic symbols was repeatedly tried to decipher, but without any reliable result; admits that so far this is impossible. And yet ...

In Europe there was only one Masonic lodge, which also accepted ladies as its members. The symbol of this lodge was a lying pug. The design of the Grape Gates in the Tsaritsyno estate used to boast of ceramic figures of these lovely animals, but, unfortunately, they are no longer there. But, here, a vignette depicting a compass with vine, can still be seen. In Tsaritsyno, in general, there are a lot of such finds.

In November 1796, Catherine the Great died suddenly. By this time, the construction of the Grand Tsaritsyno Palace had been completed in rough form, the building was covered with a temporary roof, and interior finishing work had begun. The new Emperor Paul I visited Tsaritsyno after his coronation in March 1797 - he did not like it. On June 8 (19) of the same year, a decree was issued "not to produce any buildings in the village of Tsaritsyno."

The Moscow tour "In the Footsteps of Freemasons" turns out to be quite voluminous.

On the bas-relief of house number 11 in Gagarinsky Lane, you can clearly see a number of symbols inherent in the secret lodge - the standard for Masonic symbols - a square, an ax and a spatula.

Masonic signs have been preserved in the interior of the Central House of Writers on Povarskaya. The house was built by architect Pyotr Boytsov for Prince V.V. Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky. Further, the mansion is acquired by Countess A.A. Olsufieva, whose husband was a famous Freemason, who lived here until 1917. Before the revolution, meetings of Freemasons were often held here. After the revolution (1928) this castle was transferred to the Union of Writers. It was this house that was the prototype of the massolite in M. Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita. In 1995, the Grand Lodge of Russia was registered in this building.

The house of the insurance company of Russia on Sretensky Boulevard is one of the the most beautiful monuments architecture. The famous architect La Courboisier said that you can demolish the entire historical center of Moscow, but be sure to leave this particular house. The house was unique for its time: there were only 146 apartments in it, with an area of ​​​​about 400 to 600 meters; own system of water supply, heating. The first residents of the house were cultural figures, then the military. In Soviet times, there were numerous communal apartments here.
Outside, the house is decorated with numerous images of wonderful animals, and a huge salamander hid under one of the balconies. I would like to note that before the house was red. The columns that frame the windows were painted white and black ("Yakhin and Boaz"). Under the very roof of the building, you can see the figurine of an elephant - a symbol of Christ's victory over death.

The facade of the Temple of the Life-Giving Trinity in Serebryaniki is decorated with a radiant delta.

The building of the former English Club (now the Museum modern history) is one of the few that survived after the great fire in 1812. In 1826 it was rebuilt. On the left side of the central colonnade, you can see a window framed by two columns (Joachin and Boaz), Chimeras on the gate and on the building itself, a triune wreath, lions with human faces, lions with rings in their teeth ("lions of silence")
A lot of interesting details have been preserved in this house: there are several paintings depicting Masons, fragments of a Masonic apron can be seen on the walls. It is worth paying attention to a small rectangular room, without windows. In the details of the interiors, you can see a rope that encircles one of the rooms. Such symbolism among the Masons meant that all Masons were connected by a single thread. The second meaning - if you once got into this circle, then it will be difficult to get out of it.

The symbolism of architecture is complex and multilayered. It is based on "correspondences" between in various ways celestial device, following the relationship between architectural structures and models of space organization. If the main models of architectural relationships carry primary symbolism, secondary symbolic meanings are associated with the appropriate selection of individual shapes, colors and materials, as well as the relative importance given to individual elements that form the architectural whole (function, height, etc.). The most significant and fundamental architectural symbol is the "mountain-temple" (Babylonian ziggurat, Egyptian pyramid, teokalli - step pyramid in pre-Columbian America, Buddhist stupa). It is based on complex geometric symbolism, which includes a pyramid, a ladder and a mountain. Some elements of this symbolism can also be found in Western religious buildings, for example, in Gothic cathedrals. Such temples often contain the basic elements of the mandala symbolism - i.e. squaring a circle, by means of a geometric diagram combining a square and a circle, usually connected by an octagon as an intermediate link, as well as elements of number symbolism (the most important figure symbolizes the number of basic factors: for example, 7 is very common in stepped pyramids; but in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, the main number is 3 is the number of attacks multiplied by itself, since there are 3 platforms and 3 roofs in total) (6). The octagonal figure plays a big role as a link between the 4 (or square) and the circle. Octagonal in plan was the Tower of the Winds in Athens. Another example is the eight pillars of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing (6). Since an essential element of the mountain's symbolism is the cave in it, the "mountain-temple" would not be complete without some kind of cave. In this sense, the Indian cave temples are a simple embodiment of the cave-mountain symbol: the temple is really a cave inside a mountain. The cave personifies the spiritual Center, heart or hearth (cf. the cave in Ithaca, or the Cave of the Nymphs in Porphyra). This symbol implies a displacement of the symbolic center: i.e. the top of the mountain of the "outer" world is transferred "inside" the mountain (and in the same way the world is reflected in man). The original belief in the exceptional importance of the external form (such as a menhir, omphalos or column) is replaced by an interest in the center of things in space, identified with the "world egg". A special symbol is the dome, symbolizing, among other things, the vault of heaven (for this reason, domes in ancient Iran were always painted blue or black). In this regard, it is important that in the geometric symbolism of the cosmos, all round shapes are associated with the sky or heavenly, all squares - with the earth, and all triangles (with a stone on top) - with fire and with the desire for the heavenly, inherent in human nature. Therefore, the triangle also symbolizes the interaction between the earth (the material world) and the sky ( spiritual world). The square corresponds to the cross formed by the four Cardinal Points (6). And, of course, the pyramid has a square in plan and a triangle in cross section. This basic symbolism, however, can be significantly changed in any direction by adding important secondary meanings and associations. Thus, since Christianity tries to emphasize the meaning of human individuality as opposed to the cosmic, the symbolism of Christian churches expresses the transformation of the human form rather than the opposition between heavenly and earthly - although the main meaning should by no means be ignored. Already in Greek, Etruscan and Roman temples, this symbolic opposition, no less than the symbolism of gradual ascent (as in the Babylonian ziggurats), was subordinated to the idea of ​​a temple serving as an earthly reflection of the division of heaven into ordered layers, and resting on Haj pillars (pylons, columns), which - since OHilj are descended from ancient pile structures - link the surface of the earth with the "primordial waters" of the ocean. A typical Romanesque church combines the symbolism of a dome and a circle* with a square with two new elements of great importance^ division of the body of the building into a nave and two aisles (symbolizing the Trinity) and a cruciform plan resembling the figure of a man lying with outstretched arms. Thus, the center is not the navel of a person (as usual symmetry), but his heart (crossing the nave of the llj transept ), while the main apse corresponds to the head^ As noted above, each architectural element is subject to the main symbolism. Thus, in Gothic architecture, the symbol of the Trinity is repeated in triple doors - built-in lancet arches, decorated with battlements. as a triangle with rounded sides, and it has all the meanings of the symbolism of the triangle described above (14, 46) The flaming arch, as the name suggests, is a symbol of fire, and one could see in the evolution of Gothic forms in the 15th century a return to apocalyptic meanings so important in Romanesque iconography (46) The doorposts, pylons and side columns can be interpreted by K&V. and serve as an external repetition/altar part, which, in turn, is a "program" located in the center of the temple. Covered colonnades also have cosmic and spiritual overtones. In cosmic terms, and being interpreted as a spatial expression of time periods, they personify the annual cycle or, by analogy, periods of human life. The ratio here is as follows: the north-test part of the colonnade - October / December, the north-fall - January / March, the south-west - April / June, the south-east - July / September. The four seasons (or their corresponding periods human life) serve, in addition, as an analogy for the four phases of the ritual cycle of healing (or salvation): the first phase is danger, death, suffering; the second phase is the purifying fire; The third is healing; the fourth is recovery (51). According to Pinedo, the south side, from where the warm wind blows, corresponds to the Holy Spirit breathing in the soul with the fire of mercy and divine love; the north, open to cold winds, correlates with the devil and his temptations, which chill the soul (46). Considering one of the most characteristic details of Gothic cathedrals __ double frontal towers - Schneider indicates that they are associated with the two peaks of the hill of Mars (as well as with the symbols of Gemini, Janus and the number 2), while the dome over the intersection of the nave and the transept personifies Mount Jupiter (or unity). Heaven is above the platform and Hell (represented by chimeras) is below it. The four pillars, pylons or buttresses that divide the facade and determine the location of the three entrances are the four rivers of paradise. Three doors represent faith, hope and mercy. The central rosette is the Lake of Life, where heaven and earth meet (sometimes it also personifies heaven, as indicated by the top of the triangular lancet vault) (50). Attempts were also made to determine the possible allegorical meaning other elements architectural ensemble cathedral. Thus, according to Lampères, church walls represent saved humanity; buttresses and overhanging supports - spiritual uplift and moral strength; roof - mercy and shelter; columns - dogmas of faith; ribbed vaults - ways of salvation; the spire is God's finger, indicating the ultimate goal of mankind. It is fairly obvious that these particular symbolic meanings are here related to the appearance and function of the various architectural elements. Two additional things must also be noted: first, the "top-down" interpretation offered by psychoanalysts, according to which each building is seen as a human body (doors and windows - openness; columns - forces) or spirit (basement - subconscious; attic - mind, imagination) - interpretation - based on an experimental basis; and second, the possibility of developing increasingly complex systems by combining a large number of symbolic principles. Kubler, in his Baroque Architecture, analyzes the example of Fr. Giovanni Ricci, who, following the example of his Mannerist predecessors Giacomo Soldati and Vincenzo Scamozzi, tried to create a new "harmonious" - or ideal - architectural order, combining existing systems (Tuscan, Doric, Ionic etc.) into a scheme, where each individual form corresponded to a certain temperament or a certain stelena of holiness. [KERLOT] .

"It was generally assumed that the distant ancestors of this nation, during their migration to the east, lived in tents. Their circumstances required such dwellings; and when they became settled, their aspirations prompted them to look for something more substantial for shelter from heat and storms. But as a model they had only a tent, and that they imitated it, their houses and pagodas built at the present time, provide a lot of evidence.The roof, concave at the top, and the veranda with their slender columns show very clearly the original features of the tent. "1

The fact that the Chinese roof has curved slopes and corners is also explained in Zhou li, or in the "Ritual of the Chou Dynasty", in the chapter on building rules, which states that the slope or slope of the roof near the ridge should be greater than the slope near the eaves. , because a greater slope in the upper part allows rainwater to drain at a faster rate, while the smooth slope of the lower part of the roof with upwardly curved edges throws water away from the wall of the house for some distance.

The first brick houses are said to have been built by the tyrannical emperor Jie Gui in 1818 BC. and dried in the sun. The curved roof is built on wooden pillars, the gaps between which are filled with stone or brickwork.

The original style of Chinese architecture is completely different from that of the West. In the construction of an ordinary house, the foundation was made by digging a shallow trench, in which were placed a number of roughly hewn stones, laid not as wedges, but at an angle, and in such a way as to mutually support each other; four or more wooden posts are then set not in the mud of which the floor is made, but are placed on small stone slabs, each thicker or thinner, in case there is a difference in the length of these several posts. Four transverse beams create a structure on which a roof is erected, constructed from rafters and wide tiles. Lastly, walls of clay mortar or bricks are erected. The walls, having little or no connection with the roof or pillars, do not always follow the same line with them, but may lean outward or inward. The roof, if somewhat unstable, as is usually the case, forms a gap between the posts, and, to give the extra support which seems so necessary, large sloping beams or buttresses are driven into the ground on each side of the house. The pillars, the ceiling, and the roof are then covered with red paint, the walls are plastered, and, if the means and the taste of the owner permit, the walls and cornices are covered with gilded tablets, on which are painted or relief old Chinese characters, bright flowers, or grotesque monsters; if space allows, then altars and niches are added to place images of deities in them.

"Houses are often built on hills, if there are any. Where forest is abundant, houses are built of wood and fixed with posts, between which is stretched roughly woven matting, covered with clay mortar and then whitewashed with lime. The wooden parts are carefully connected and are in full view, which, so to speak, is like a frame that can be taken apart and rearranged at will.When wood is lacking, the walls are built of brick, clay or stone, and the roof is made of tile or thatch.In Guangdong, almost everything the houses are made of brick and have hardly anything more than a ground floor.In the cities, many houses have an upper floor, or, more commonly, an attic.In their height they should not be higher than temples, and whoever dares to violate this, exposed at a lawsuit and his house destroyed.As for the interior, the rooms are poorly separated and poorly ventilated.The windows instead of glass are latticed and delicately pierced and covered with silk howling paper. The first room you enter is the reception room, which is similar to the living room and extends to the entire house or the main building if several annexes are attached to it. From this hall we pass into other apartments, into which no person, not even distant relative unless he is a very close relative. There is no floor, except in well-to-do houses, and no ceiling, unless top floor. From a distance, Chinese houses look pretty from the outside, but the interior in no way matches what's on the outside. Since they are usually one-story, one person sometimes occupies up to three adjacent buildings, and therefore it is not surprising that cities take up a huge amount of space. In front of the house there is always a pleasant-looking courtyard or platform, which serves for drying rice, threshing and various other purposes; the back and sides are surrounded by trees or bamboo, and if there are several main buildings, they are separated by courtyards.

Temples, which are much taller than residential buildings, usually have a beautiful façade to support the stage for the actors. The corners of the roof, which has a more pointed shape than those of a private house, are bent upwards in the form of a cornice, and huge stone lions or less majestic statues are installed to the right and left of the entrance. After passing the portal, we enter a spacious courtyard surrounded by long galleries mounted on columns. In the far part of the courtyard is the temple itself, where there are wooden and stone figures of various colors, which, although covered with varnish and gilding, in most cases look very disgusting. In front of them are open saucers and large vases with burning lamps and incense in honor of the gods. To one side are one or two iron bells and a large drum. In addition to the main building, which serves as a sanctuary, there are side apartments that serve as premises for the clergy. A temple built near a rock, on a hill, or in the middle of a grove, is a very scenic view. On certain hills, the Chinese build multi-storey towers. They are hexagonal or octagonal in shape and are much taller than the temples. Each floor is crowned with a protruding roof, which serves not so much to cover the gallery as to bring beauty to the building. Such towers were built near cities, not at all to protect them from enemies, but in order to ensure the prosperity of their inhabitants and avert disasters "2

The prejudice against two-story buildings, or any building that outshines neighboring buildings, is due to the superstition that IT deprives more modest dwellings of heavenly protection. Height is also limited by the belief that good spirits hover in the air at a height of 100 feet, and this restriction is lifted only for gate temples and other structures on the city walls. The climate and the belief that good spirits come from the South determined the orientation of the buildings with windows to the south, while the northern walls have no windows. Aversion to the winding path characteristic of evil spirits prompted the construction of spirit walls to protect the many entrances. For the same reason, the ridge of the roof has a shape that curves upwards and ends with a dragon.

The most striking features in the finest local buildings are the roofs and gables, with their ridges and fantastic gargoyles (the stigma of a drainpipe in the form of a fantastic figure) made of plaster and porcelain. It is the custom of Chinese builders to set off fireworks and worship the spirits that control the land where the house stands by fixing the top beam of the roof of the building. Hanging a piece of red cloth and a grain sieve on the top beam of a building's roof is believed to promote happiness, and the latter a bountiful harvest of grain throughout the year. Placing money under the base of a wall or under a threshold at a door also promotes happiness and joy in the home. Pine branches are attached to the tops of the scaffolding on which the builders stand, in order to deceive the wandering spirits of the air into believing that they are passing through the forest, so that they cannot harm the success of the construction work or bring bad luck to the house.

"In China, one can see rock inscriptions commemorating significant events, but, however, this practice is not as common as in Persia, India and other eastern countries, because literature relieves people of this need. Nevertheless, on the smooth surfaces of the rocks, where they were found under the guidance of geomancers, hieroglyphs were applied, and those places where such hieroglyphs were located were assumed to be successful; such signs were supposed to have some mystical influence on the fate of the surrounding area. Sayings and names are often inscribed on columns, doorposts of temples, and entablature of commemorative portals, sometimes to commemorate distinguished or worthy individuals, and sometimes simply for the purpose of creating a pattern; the craftsmanship shown in the carving of these inscriptions is almost inimitable. The government also uses this method to issue its laws and regulations, just as the Romans of old issued their Twelve Tablets, which the officials say are kept in memory forever; the inscriptions are evenly and deeply engraved on the marble, after which the slab is set in a conspicuous place, in such a way as to protect it from the influence of the weather" 3

"Memorial arches are scattered in large numbers throughout the provinces and erected in honor of distinguished persons or officials to perpetuate their parents (as it was before), with the special permission of the emperor. Some of them were erected in honor of women who distinguished themselves by their chastity and filial duty. Permission to erect such arches were considered a great honor. They were placed in conspicuous places in the vicinity of cities, in the streets in front of temples or near government buildings. Some of these arches are elaborately decorated with carvings and inscriptions. Those built of stone are fastened with spikes and sockets in the same way as and wooden, they rarely exceed twenty or twenty-five feet in height. The craftsmanship and taste shown in the symmetry and carving inscribed on some of them are worthy of praise "4

Among the achievements of the Chinese can be noted the great roads, numerous canals and huge single-arch bridges; but above all, "the rampart, ten thousand li long," or the Great Wall, which passes over high mountains, crosses deep valleys, joins the banks of wide rivers, and stretches for a length of 1,500 miles.

At present, there is a tendency among government employees and the wealthy classes to more or less adapt to Western architecture, and factories have now been built that produce refractory bricks, ceramic pipes, glazed tiles, flint tiles, roof tiles, sewer pipes, masonry bricks. foundations and ordinary building bricks.

sources.

1 The Chinese Repository, Vol. II, 1833, p. 194.

2 Loc. cit. Vol. IX, Nov. 1840 Art III. p.p. 483-4.

3 The Chinese Repository, Vol. VIII, April 1840. V. p. 644.

4 Catalog of the Collection of Chinese Exibitis at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis. 1904, p. 190.

EMBLEM

"... depicted as a woman standing or sitting, of an important or majestic appearance, with long hair, decorated with a wreath woven from flowers; in her hands is a drawing of a building, and next to her lies a compass, square, scale and other tools." SE-106, p.36.

ARCHITECTONIC TOOLS

Not a frequent attribute of Security personification. SE-54, p.30.

ARCHITECTURE

Based on a symbolic understanding of space. Refers to the symbolic meaning of the building, establishes a correspondence between different planes of being and forms of the building. The proportions of many buildings were determined by the symbolic meaning of the forms. When following a certain geometrical logic, the building turns out to be charged with sacred power. In ancient Greek and Roman temples, a direct correlation was established between architectural proportions and cosmic models and the idea of ​​spiritual ascent was emphasized. The complex geometric symbolism of the temple is based on a vertical vector. It also correlates with the vertical principle of the tree, the mountain. It has cosmic and theological symbolism. The temple is a symbol of spiritual aspirations and achievements. That idea of ​​gradual ascent is most consistently expressed in the composition of the Babylonian ziggurats. The temple acts as an earthly projection of models of the cosmos: several heavens resting on supports (pylons, columns) connect the earth with the "primary waters". The image of the temple is a reflection on the Universe as a whole. Thus, architecture is an element of the spiritual cosmos. The temple is also based on the symbolism of the mandala - the quadrature of the circle, the square and the circle, connected by an octagon, which bears the weight of the temple. An important role in architecture is played by the geometric symbolism of the cosmos: all round shapes express the idea of ​​the sky, the square is the earth, the triangle symbolizes the interaction between the earth and the sky. The following chain of analogies: the pyramid has a square in plan and a triangle in vertical section, the square corresponds to the cross formed by four cardinal points. The temple expresses the hierarchical correlation of parts organized around the source of creation and spatially located around the world axis.

It is a model of an organized cosmos, a manifestation of the One in plurality. It uses the symbolism of numbers. This is the number 7 - in the pyramids, the number 3 - in Christian temples, the number 8 - in the towers, which is the link between four - a square and two - a circle. Cave temples are also known. Such are the Indian cave temples, in which the idea of ​​the Center is internalized and the symbolic center moves from the upper point of the world axis, represented both in the pyramid, pagoda, Jewish temple, and in pagan and Christian temples and in the Muslim mosque - inward: into the heart of the mountain. person, things. The idea of ​​the world axis is replaced by the idea of ​​the "world egg".

The Jewish temple is a prototype of the tabernacle - the sanctuary. Holy of Holies, the testimony given to Moses by God: “And make the boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood so that they stand. Ten cubits long (make) a beam. and a cubit and a half to each beam the breadth. Each beam has two awls (at the ends), one against the other. (Ex. 26:15-17). For the midday and north sides of the tabernacle, twenty boards are prescribed for each; for the western and eastern sides - eight bars each. The same numerologically significant indications are given regarding the construction of sockets, spikes and poles, also made of shittim wood. And all this is overlaid with the gold-metal of divine glory. “Everyone (do) as I show you both the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all vessels” (Ex. 34:8). The tabernacle is understood, first of all, as a house, as a temple of the Lord. And it embodies moral maxims: only those who “walk immaculately, and do the truth, and speak the truth in their hearts, who do not slander with their tongues, do not harm their sincere” (Ps. 15, 1- 2). It must have two veils, or two coverings: the outer and the inner. The Tabernacle stands in a rectangular courtyard, the length of its western and eastern walls is fifty cubits, and the length of its northern and southern walls is one hundred cubits. The length of the western and eastern walls of the sanctuary is ten cubits, the southern and northern walls thirty cubits. The Ark of the Covenant is kept in the Holy of Holies, behind the second veil. The temple of Solomon is called in the 1st Book of Kings "the house of the name of the Lord" (5, 3). Its length is sixty cubits, its width twenty, and its height thirty cubits. The porch in front of the temple is “twenty cubits long, corresponding to the width of the temple, and ten cubits wide in front of the temple. And he made lattice windows in the house, deaf with slopes. And he made an extension around the walls of the temple, around the temple and the davir (Holy of Holies); and made the side rooms round. The lower tier of the extension is five cubits wide, the middle one is six cubits wide, and the third one is seven cubits; for ledges were made around the temple from the outside, so that its extension would touch the walls of the temple ”(1 Kings 2-6). Solomon's temple was built from hewn stones without the use of iron tools. The walls and ceiling of the temple are lined with cedar, and the floor - with cypress boards. The Holy of Holies is set up at the back of the temple "twenty cubits from the edge," and has lined the walls and ceiling with cedar planks. Davir “is twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high (1 Kings 6:20). Forty cubits was a temple (1 Kings 6:17) and was overlaid with pure gold inside. The main meaning of the temple is the Divine presence in it: “And the word of the Lord came to Solomon and it was said to him: behold, you are building a temple; if you will walk in My statutes, and do My ordinances, and keep all My commandments. walking in them, I will fulfill my word on you” (1 Kings 6:11-12). The temple is an archetypal architectural symbol. Many traditional teachings offer the idea human body as a temple created by the Divine architect for the spirit. It restores the theomorphic principle of man. The symbolism of Christian churches expresses the transformation of the human figure. Their cruciform plan resembles the figure of the crucified Christ. The Romanesque church combines the symbolism of a circle with a square and a cruciform building plan. Gothic architecture It is based on a triangle - a symbol of the Trinity. Flaming Gothic arch - sets the theme of fire and develops the apocalyptic theme. Pylons, side columns, door jambs - the guards of the entrance. Porticos repeat the altar - the program theme of the temple. Covered colonnades represent the annual cycle. The northeastern part of the colonnade is October-December, the northwestern: January-March, the southwestern: April-June, the southeastern: July-September. Four seasons and four periods of human life serve as an analogy for the four phases of ritual salvation (healing): 1. Danger, death, suffering; 2. Cleansing fire: 3. Healing; 4. Recovery. In the twin frontal towers of Gothic cathedrals there are symbols of Gemini, Janus and the number 2, as well as two peaks of the hill of Mars. Domes in Buddhism, Islam and Christian temples mean the dome of the sky - they depict stars, angels. The dome above the intersection of the nave and the transept represents unity, or the mount of Jupiter. Heaven is above the platform and hell below it. Four supports, pylons or buttresses that divide the facade and determine the location of the three entrances - these are the four rivers of paradise. The door represents a barrier through which only initiates can pass. It is also a transition to another level of existence, "the doors of a Christian church represent faith, hope, mercy. The window in the temple is a way of our perception of the world. Through the windows we see the sky and light penetrates the temple through them. The central socket is the Lake of Life, where heaven and earth meet Church walls enclose saved humanity The buttresses of the pillar signify spiritual uplift and moral strength The roof is mercy, the columns are the articles of faith, the vaults are the way of salvation, the spire is the finger of God that indicates the ultimate goal of mankind Islam, integrating religion into everything spheres of life, created an integral worldview, which is expressed in its architecture.The sacred architecture of Islam is the crystallization of Islamic spirituality.In the Muslim mosque there is no idea of ​​the Promethean impulse.It is consistent with natural rhythms.The architectural space of the mosque is created by a balance of quality, forces and energies of elements, correlation with movement shone in the sky, alternating light and darkness. The architecture of Islam depicts the Divine presence, it is the center that enamels light and influence on all spheres of human activity. The space of the whole city is considered to be cleansed by the presence of the Divine Word, which periodically fills the city in calls to prayer. Through sacred geometry, cosmic dimensions are introduced into the world of man and there is an appeal to the eternal in it and the sacralization of the earth.

The tombs in the temple are like a gate to another world. They contain everything necessary to represent the good name of a person in two worlds, characterize his merits and virtues. The castle is a place of physical and spiritual refuge. V.A., A.R.

Such ideas about the structure of the world, similar to the image of a mandala, and the rituals celebrated at the same time are widespread everywhere. The clearest example is Beijing, oriented to the four cardinal points and surrounded by four Temples: Heaven, Earth, Agriculture and Ancestors of the Imperial Dynasty, which symbolize the main elements of the cosmos and the four heavenly palaces. In the center is the Imperial Palace - a symbol of the 5th element, a copy of the central palace from Chinese cosmogony; his throne room represents the North Pole, from where the North Star faces South.