The Lost Churches of Russia: Haunting Images of Abandoned Wooden Buildings in Remote Forests

The Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 12/22/12 | Anna Edwards

[marshmallow]

Crumbling and abandoned, the last remnants of Russia's wooden churches lay dotted in the woodlands of the country's north-western corner.

Forgotten by many and in the process of being reclaimed by nature, the few remaining churches are exposed to the harsh elements without any hope of being salvaged.

But one photographer is determined to capture pictures of the forgotten structures - with sometimes haunting results.

Richard Davies spent nine years tracking down the lost churches, and produced a book with the stunning photographs.

Along with the photographs, there are first-hand accounts by Matilda Moreton of their project, and the insights and interpretations of writers and artists, travellers and historians, propagandists and politicians.

In his book Wooden Churches - Travelling in the Russian North, it says that the churches are the few remains of thousands that were built all over Russia from the time of Prince Vladimir, who, on his conversion to Christianity in 988 'ordained that wooden churches should be built and established where pagan idols had previously stood.'

The majority are clustered in the north-west corner, and bunched in certain areas like Leningrad, Vologda, Murmansk, and Archangel Regions and the Republic of Karelia.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

They remind me of the Adobe Missions Churches in New Mexico. Many of them are falling down and in need of restoration. Some are on Indian Reservations and the Natives are Catholic but do not have the resources to fix and restore the old 18th Century Buildings.

[Jimmy Valentine]

Interesting as it says these churches were built on the orders of Prince Vladimir. He in fact was hetman of the Kievan Rus and his rule was centered in Kiev, Ukraine not Russia.

Interestingly he and his son, Prince Yaroslav (the wise) hired Byzantine craftsmen to build the beautiful church of St. Sophia (modeled after the Haigha Sofia in Istanbul)in Kiev.

It is a most gorgeous thing built of Byzantine brick and well worth a look if you ever get to Kiev.

[Mrs. Don-o]

St. Sophia in Kiev.

Like something in a vision.

Interior: Maria Orans (Mary Praying)

[Campion]

"Cold? Madame, you have no idea ... !!"

[Erasmus]

These are all from the collection of Mikhail Prokhudin-Gorski , taken between 1905 and 1915.

[Tax-chick]

Bonaparte didn’t go as far to the north, but on the other hand, the climate was colder in those days. Eeeeek!

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