Moscow's architecture is a mixture of styles and a variety of forms. Moscow is a city that has experienced fires, wars, revolutions and upheavals, and all this is reflected in the architecture. Among the oldest buildings that have survived to this day is the Dulo tower, which was built in the middle of the 12th century. All other buildings of that time and earlier died in fires.
The name "white-stone" capital of Russia received thanks to the Kremlin. Until the 14th century, all buildings in Moscow were wooden, and the Kremlin was built of white stone by the order of Dmitry Donskoy. In the 15th century, after a severe fire, the architecture of Moscow changed dramatically. The tsar issues an order that it is forbidden to build anything near the Kremlin. This is how the present-day Red Square appears, the name of which, by the way, is not associated with color, but means “beautiful”. On Red Square is the St. Basil's Cathedral, which is a composition of eight churches, which are grouped around the ninth church. There is also a monument to Minin and Pozharsky on the square, which is the first sculptural monument of architecture in Moscow and was created in 1818.
In the 16th century, Moscow reaches unprecedented power and becomes a center of culture and art. From this period, the decoration of Moscow and the Kremlin began, and the beginning of the construction of brick buildings was laid. By this time, such partially preserved structures as Kitay-Gorod and the White City belong.
The end of the 17th century is a period of unification in the architecture of Moscow of Russian and Western traditions, the era of the Middle Ages and the New Age. At this time, temples began to appear, which in their appearance resemble the buildings of Western Europe. These include, for example, the Church of the Archangel Gabriel, which is made in the Baroque style.
17-18 centuries - the period of the construction of luxurious palaces that brought luxury and splendor to the architecture of Moscow. This is the time when such famous architects as V.I. Bazhenov and M.F. Kazakov. Moreover, the latter is considered the founder of the Russian classical style. Among the buildings that were built according to his projects are the Petrovsky Palace, the Golitsyn Hospital and others. Kazakov also designed the Column Hall, which is located in the house of the Noble Assembly. The hall is rectangular, powerful columns are located along its perimeter, there is a small balustrade on the mezzanine, and crystal chandeliers complete the look of incredible beauty.
The 19th century is a period of crisis for Moscow's architecture, when realism reigns in art, and architects are looking for inspiration in historical traditions. It was at this time that signs of eclecticism appeared in the buildings. After the fire of 1812, much in the architecture of Moscow has changed. The city has to be rebuilt almost completely. An important role in this was played by the famous Russian architect OI Bove, according to whose design many buildings of the 19th century were built. One of them is the Manezh, a grandiose miracle of architectural thought that amazes with its solutions. The ceiling, which is 45 meters wide, is suspended so that it rests on the walls without additional supports. At the end of the 19th century, architects abandon monumentality, and buildings become much simpler, at the same time the construction of theaters, banks, museums, train stations began, which determined the modern look of the capital.
The end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century is the period of modernity. The most popular architect of this time is Fyodor Shekhtel, whose buildings are distinguished by special grace and whimsical forms. These are stained glass windows, ornaments, stucco moldings, and columns. At the beginning of the 20th century, buildings began to appear in which metal and glass predominate. Among the first such buildings is the Marine Pavilion of the Moscow Polytechnic Exhibition.
Multi-storey construction began in the 1920s, the construction of the subway began in the 1930s, and already in May 1935 the first metro line “Sokolniki - Park Kultury” was opened. Moscow's architects tried to create metro stations that would stand out among all the metro in the world for their solemnity and whimsical forms and solutions. Therefore, the first metro stations are real works of art - with columns, domes and paintings on the walls. Mass construction began in the 1930s, when the main task was to erect a large number of buildings according to a standard plan.
The end of the 20th century is a period of modern technologies, when the predominance of glass and metal is noted in the architecture of Moscow. These buildings embody the spirit of the modern metropolis, in which practicality prevails over form.