The development and preservation of the historical buildings of the villages of the Podporozhsky district on the example of the village of Kurpovo

Dubrovina Natalya Pavlovna PhD in Architecture Associate Professor; Faculty of Architecture; St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering 4 2nd Krasnoarmeyskaya str., Saint Petersburg, 190005, Russia natalizar@list.ru Other publications by this author

Kosyakova Elizaveta Dmitrievna Graduate student; Faculty of Architecture; St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering 4 2nd Krasnoarmeyskaya str., Saint Petersburg, 190005, Russia blue.watery19200007@gmail.com

Introduction. The study of the architecture of the Russian North has its roots in the middle of the 19th century, when the active activity of prominent scientists and researchers such as L. V. Dahl, V. V. Suslov and D. V. Mileev began. These personalities laid the foundations for further study of the unique monuments of wooden architecture. In the modern period, such figures as I. I. Grabar and Yu.S. Ushakov, who continued the traditions of their predecessors, played an important role in the research and restoration of these objects. In the 1990s, the expedition activity was interrupted, and it was not resumed in the Leningrad Region until recently.

At the end of the 20th century, V. S. Rakhmanov, L. A. Andreeva, and M. I. Kolyada developed recommendations for partially recreating the appearance of the historical villages of the Podporozhsky district ^[1]. The results of the conducted research, as well as the conclusions obtained, became the basis for writing this article.

Currently, the issues of choosing methods and methods of preserving monuments of wooden architecture remain relevant and are being actively discussed. For example, this topic is covered in the works of E. P. Lezina ^[2], O. A. Zinina ^[3] and A. B. Bode ^[4], S. S. Malevich and L. S. Romanova ^[5], V. M. Umorina ^[6], A. G. Noskova ^[7], A. B. Permilovskaya ^[8], M. Y. Gaiduk, A. I. Klimenko, A. B. Khramtsova ^[9], D. A. Dementyev ^[10], E. V. Khodakovsky ^[11], O.I. Khanova ^[12], O. A. Romanov ^[13], A.N. Cheban, A. P. Myachin ^[14], A.S. Eyramdzhants ^[15], T.V. Nezvitskaya ^[16], Serdyuk Yu.E., Orlova E.V. ^[17].

In recent years, research expeditions have resumed, especially in the Podporozhye region, which underlines the importance and relevance of studying and preserving the architectural heritage of the Russian North. These efforts are aimed at maintaining unique cultural monuments in their historical environment, which is an important step in preserving the cultural heritage of the region.

The territorial boundaries of the study include the administrative boundaries of the Podporozhsky district, established in 1963. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR dated January 12, 1965. The chronological boundaries of the study cover the period from the 15th century (the ancient settlements of the region were first mentioned in the scribal books of the 15th-16th centuries) to the present.

The village of Kurpovo is home to one of the most famous and carefully studied wooden religious buildings in the region, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ ^[18]. The village is part of the Vazhinsky urban settlement. For this reason, the church is often associated and identified as the church of the Vazhinsky churchyard. In recent years, the attention of researchers has been focused on the architectural features of this temple (the main log house is a ten-story “from the sole”), the stages of its construction and the decorative and artistic decoration of the interiors. However, the value of this church lies not only in its architectural characteristics. It is also an important element (dominant) of the preserved historical landscape, created jointly by nature and man, and characterized by high historical and cultural value (Fig. 1). The territory of the village of Kurpovo is a cultural landscape formed on the high promontory of the Vazhinka River, characterized by valuable views, panoramas of the Vazhinka river with a dominant in the form of the Church of the Resurrection, the traditional planning structure of the settlement with wooden buildings, reflecting the ethnic and cultural characteristics of people's lives in the past centuries. The object of the study is the historically developed buildings of the village of Kurpovo on the bend of the Vazhinka River (including the Church of the Resurrection as the central element of the preserved historical landscape), the subject of the study is architectural, urban planning, historical and cultural features of the historical part of the village of Kurpovo.

Scientific novelty. This study demonstrates an integrated approach to the study of wooden buildings in the Podporozhsky district, considering not only individual particularly valuable and unique objects, but also the historical environment of which they are elements. The paper provides a morphological and compositional analysis of the background wooden buildings of the village of Kurpovo, which influences the perception of a particularly valuable object of wooden architecture – the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the Vazhinsky churchyard. Based on the conducted research, a strategy for the preservation and harmonious development of the historical territory of the village of Kurpovo is proposed.

The relevance of research. To date, the territory of the village of Kurpovo does not have a protected status, and recommendations on economic activity and construction are not provided for this territory. Due to the gradual development of the road transport network, as well as taking into account the tourist attractiveness of this place, it is necessary to develop measures to preserve the cultural landscape of the territory, localize it, identify value characteristics, and formulate proposals for conducting economic activities here for harmonious development and popularization. To solve these problems, we will apply recommendations on classifying historical and cultural territories as cultural heritage sites in the form of a place of interest.

Figure 1. General view of the village of Kurpovo with the Church of the Resurrection of Christ (source: https://vk.com/wall-187089868_1662 )

Materials and methods. To form the methodology, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: A) historical identification of the village of Kurpovo with clarification of its historical boundaries, directions of development of buildings, tracing of main streets; B) analysis of the historically developed nature of buildings in the study area with the identification of valuable elements of the cultural landscape; C) recommendations for the implementation of activities in this area in order to develop and preserve valuable characteristics of the village.

The main part.

A) Stages of development of the village. Kurpovo. In the XV – XVI centuries. Vazhiny was the administrative center of the district and a major international trading post. This was due to the proximity to the ancient waterway along the Svir River. According to the Scribe's Book, in the Ruins of "on the non-Tibetan pillowcase" there were houses of foreign merchants, Russian merchants set up their yards on the "Kupetsky pillowcase".

Historically, on the territory of the present village. Kurpovo had two villages: Kurpovo and Migunovskaya. There was also a Church of the Resurrection at the Vazhinsky churchyard.

The village of Kurpovo developed along the shore of the cape (now Veterans St. and Coastal St.). The northern building, "Pogost", is the most ancient, its formation began before the ser. XVI century . The servants of the church built their houses on this territory. According to the scribe's book of the XVI century, 6 elders and 11 old women lived in the churchyard. The southern building, the "Posad", was formed in the first half of the 20th century. Development of the village Kurpovo is a coastal private street, the main facades of the houses are oriented towards the Vazhinka river. The village of Migunovskaya was located downstream of the river, north of the village. Kurpovo. The building was also coastal and ordinary. In the second half of the XX century. Houses for state farm workers were built in historical villages. The new buildings were oriented to the river and the new streets with a side facade, that is, in violation of the established coastal-ordinary buildings (see Figure 2) ^[19].

The main dominant of the villages was the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. In the Novgorod scribe's book of 1583, it is written that during the Livonian War (1558-1583) there were two churches in the village: Church of the Resurrection and Church of St. Elijah with the chapel of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Both churches were burned down during the war. The second Church of the Resurrection was lost in the early 17th century during the Swedish invasion. In 1630, local residents erected the third church of the Resurrection, which has survived to the present day ^[20].

One of the main features of the Resurrection Church is the tithe “from the sole” of the main volume. Having lost its hipped roof and western gallery in 1827-1831, it was crowned with a dome in the spirit of 19th-century architecture. The powerful octagonal bell tower of the current Resurrection Church stood alone at that time, and in the second half of the 19th century it was connected to the ten-story porch with the northern entrance and a warm refectory. The temple was not closed for a long time, which is probably why the church has never been restored ^[21].

Figure 2. Periods of village construction Kurpovo. Historical and cultural reference plan.

B) Analysis of the historically developed nature of buildings in the study area with the identification of valuable elements of the cultural landscape. Having analyzed the history of the Kurpovo village, iconography and the current state of the settlement, the territory has been established, which is an example of a cultural landscape created by nature and man, with a high degree of preservation. The territory with historical and cultural value is indicated in Figure 2 by a yellow line. The historical and cultural core of this territory is the Church of the Resurrection of Christ with a churchyard. The church is also the urban dominant of the territory and forms, in combination with the natural landscape, unique panoramas of the Vazhinka River (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Landscape and visual analysis of the village of Kurpovo

The ordinary historical buildings of the village of Kurpovo, being the background, reflect the traditional ways of developing the residential territory of the Russian north, and also, due to their spatial characteristics, reveal the pools of visibility and the completeness of perception of the core of this territory. An analysis of the morphotypes of the preserved wooden buildings of the village of Kurpovo (see Figures 4 and 5) revealed 5 main types:

I. Residential buildings ⸻ (in the dimensions and nature of buildings of the XVI century) – until the first half of the XX century.

II. Residential buildings ⸻ the middle and the second half of the XX century.

III. The abandoned store building ⸻ the second half of the XX century.

IV. The Library ⸻ the second half of the XX century.

V. Church of the Resurrection ⸺ 1630, 1870s.

Figure 4. Morphotypes of preserved wooden buildings within the historical boundaries of the studied area

Figure 5. Situational plan with the designation of the preserved wooden buildings within the boundaries of the study area.

Of all the identified types of buildings, the most common and characteristic type I residential development was selected for further analysis. A compositional analysis of the facades was carried out on it (see Figure 6).

The type I plan has the shape of an elongated rectangle (single-row connection of log cabins). It is a one-story five-part log structure: two residential log cabins, an entrance hall and two utility log cabins. As in all traditional wooden architecture, the houses have low and medium floors. Many houses of this type still have pipes from the furnaces, which were located at the inner wall in the first half of the entrance. The entrance was arranged from the side facade through the porch into the vestibule. All log cabins are of the same width and height, covered with a single gable roof "under one ridge". There is a canopy on the gables of the residential five-wall building. The main facades facing the river have 2/2/3/6 axes of window openings. Some houses have plank paneling, but historically the buildings remained log with sheathed remains.

Figure 6. Compositional analysis of the 1st type of residential development within the boundaries of the study area.

C) Recommendations for the preservation of the historical environment of the village. Kurpovo. The tourist potential of the Russian north, including the Podporozhsky district, does not exclude the development of active economic activity here and the growth of construction work ^[22]. At the same time, there is currently no provision for protective zoning of cultural heritage sites in the study area. The study showed that a unique monument of wooden architecture in Podporozhye, the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the Vazhinsky churchyard, has been preserved in the historically developed landscape of the village. Kurpovo. The most important role in the perception of the monument is played by both the natural landscape (cape of the Vazhinka River) and the nature of the surrounding buildings. Based on the results of historical and bibliographic, field studies, and analysis of the typological structure of the settlement, it is possible to determine the categories of value characteristics of the village of Kurpovo.:

- elements of compositionally active relief, including the coastal slope of the Vazhinka River;

- the nature of the Vazhinka riverbed with a steep bend;

- natural composition of green spaces;

- elements of the planning structure of the village of Kurpovo, characterized by the accentuated location of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ of the Vazhinsky churchyard on the bend of the Vazhinka River, the historical tracing of roads laid in the XVI century, the historically established location of the background buildings and boundary sites;

- valuable building elements – the Church of the Resurrection of Christ of the Vazhinsky churchyard, the characteristic types of wooden residential buildings, subordination of construction sites and landscape.;

- pools of visibility of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the Vazhinsky churchyard, provided by the natural landscape of the territory and the nature of the background building (location, number of floors), panoramas of the bend of the Vazhinka River.

Based on the conducted research, Kurpovo village zones with special requirements for carrying out economic activities here have been identified.

Figure 7. Diagram of the village of Kurpovo with the designation of territories with special requirements for economic activity

The following types of work are possible for Zone I sites in relation to the landscape and building sites: restoration, conservation and repair, preservation and restoration of lost elements of the historical planning scheme. Demolition of disharmonious facilities and compensatory construction in order to restore lost elements of the historical planning structure are allowed for Zone II sites. Major construction is prohibited for areas of valuable historical natural landscape, preservation and restoration of the natural landscape is allowed, and careful adaptation of the territory for the introduction of recreational functions.

The greatest potential for the development of the village of Kurpovo, including for the realization of tourist potential, is represented by zone IV – adaptive construction sites. In order to prevent the formation of dissonant buildings, preserve landscape and visual connections and develop the village of Kurpovo, a list of characteristics for new construction was developed based on a morphological analysis of historical buildings. These include:

1) location relative to the road (or linear objects) - the front facade must be placed perpendicular to the shore/street;

2) the main building material - it is allowed to use logs and beams in the construction of load-bearing walls;

3) dimensions and shape of the plan - the length and width of the main part of the building (with the exception of porches and vestibules) should not exceed the dimensions of type I residential buildings with three window axes on the front facade - up to 6 x 21.5 m;

4) number of log cabins - it is possible to use 3 or 5 log cabins with a maximum length: log cabins in the hall - up to 3 m, residential and utility log cabins - from 3.5 to 5.5 m;

5) the location of the entrance group - it is recommended to arrange the main entrance group from the side facade;

6) roof slope and elevation the main volume should be covered with a single gable roof, the slope is 40-50 °, the elevation of the ridge from ground level is not more than 8.7 m;

7) window openings module - it is forbidden to use ribbon and solid glazing on the 1st floor;

8) Wall covering - it is acceptable to have clapboard paneling and a blockhouse in the color of wood.

Figure 8. Scheme of requirements for adaptive construction on the historical territory of the village of Kurpovo

Appeal to the opponents. Fundamental, in-depth research by Russian and Soviet scientists is devoted to the study of the architecture of the Russian north. Using the example of the village of Kurpovo, this work is intended to generalize and to some extent supplement and concretize knowledge in this area. The works of Sirro S. V., Antropova I. A., Zhuravleva N. I., Maksimenko Zh. A., Toropov V. Yu., Gubinskaya K. Yu., aimed at studying the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the Vazhinsky pogost, are the closest and most relevant to the topic of research. This article complements the results of recent research, considering not only a particularly unique object of wooden architecture, but also its historical environment. Turning to the relevant works of Serdyuk Yu.E., Orlova E. V., Nezvitskaya T. V., aimed at finding a choice of methods for the restoration of wooden architecture, we consider these works to be capacious and applicable to the objects of study of this work. In this regard, the article focuses on the ways of harmonious development of the territory of the village of Kurpovo and the search for architectural solutions for adaptive construction zones.

Conclusions. The paper concludes that the historical and cultural significance of not only the unique wooden architecture of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the village of Kurpovo in the Vazhinsky urban settlement, but also the surrounding cultural landscape. The article presents the results of historical and bibliographic research, landscape and visual analysis of the territory, morphological analysis of buildings, compositional analysis of the most valuable elements of the background residential wooden buildings. Based on the conducted research, the authors presented the value characteristics of the studied territory, proposals for regulating economic activity in order to preserve a unique historical and cultural monument. The method of choosing a direction for the preservation and harmonious development of the territory of the village of Kurpovo is applicable to other cultural landscapes and historical settlements of the Podporozhsky district. Of course, the materials presented in the article are very generalized and require detailed study in the field of security zoning of the territory. However, it is obvious that the historical territory of the village of Kurpovo has a powerful historical and cultural potential and requires careful study and measures aimed at preserving the cultural landscape and harmonious development.

Thanks. We thank Ksenia Yurievna Gubinskaya for her contribution to our work. Her support and valuable recommendations greatly enriched the content of the article and helped us to better understand the topic under consideration. We highly appreciate her efforts and dedication. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the volunteer organizations for your invaluable work in preserving religious monuments. Your efforts play a key role in supporting and preserving the memory of our ancestors and their heritage.