Abstract: This article analyzes the state of artificial lighting of the major squares, embankments, pedestrian precincts and avenues in the historical part of Saratov as the most popular public cultural spaces among its visitors and residents. The author provides the main results of the conducted social survey of the city population regarding the quality of night lighting environment of the claimed territories, as well as presents a descriptive analysis of the visual inspection of the spaces of historical center of Saratov under the conditions of artificial lighting. During the course of this research, took place the field measurements of the levels of horizontal, cylindrical, and semi-cylindrical lighting of the territories, as well as comparison of the acquired data with the standards. The author determines the negative and positive aspects of the existing artificial lighting environment, gives assessment to their convenience and attractiveness for the population. The article also suggests recommendations on increasing the quality of artificial lighting of the aforementioned territories, as well as guidance on further research.

Abstract: The subject of this article is the artificial lighting environment in the historical cities of Russia. The author examines and analyzed some existing Russian concepts of lighting of public urban spaces, as well as underlines the most interesting and promising approaches and principles used within them. The author also notes the positive and negative aspects of their application within the historical city environment depending on the type of the planning pattern and location of the historical center, as well as sophistication of street network and system of public urban spaces. The article provides international criteria of the quality of modern lighting environment of a city, and reveals the correspondence of the used in lighting concepts approaches with these criteria. The result of the research consists in a number of summary analytical tables that visually demonstrate the level of applicability of the existing in modern Russian concepts of lighting principles towards some historical cities of Russia. Such classification determines the weak sides in the existing concept, and accentuates the aspect that deserve attention in development of the future concepts of city lighting.