The problem of parallels in medieval serbian and russian architecture

Abstract

It is common knowledge that different Slavic nations that have embraced Orthodoxy, although separated in space, were closely connected to each other throughout the Middle Ages through the common source of their culture, Byzantium. Yet, although both Medieval Russia and the Balkan countries constantly drew inspiration from Byzantine culture, their own artistic traditions were not exact copies and presented many variations. It is interesting that some typological, constructive, iconographic and stylistic aspects of architecture and painting in Russia and the Balkan countries present remarkable similarities, which cannot be explained through the use of common Byzantine models. These similarities have given ground for the hypothesis that emerged about the middle of the 20th c. and was actively discussed both by Soviet and Balkan scholars, which claimed that Russia was subject of influence from the Balkans. As far as 12th – 15th c. architecture is concerned, this conventional hypothesis still remains influential, yet unproved. We would like to analyze some most conspicuous cases of similarities between Medieval Russian and Serbian architecture of the 12th-15th cc. in order to find the methods for explaining their nature and to try to understand whether we can speak of influence, borrowing or parallel development.