Why are the domes on Russian churches onion shaped?

It is known that in the early history of Russian Church, the domes of churches followed the typical Byzantine flat-dome style. Helmet-shaped domes of pre-Mongolian Russian were replaced with onion-shaped domes. They say that such shapes appeared since they allow snow to slide down and not to sustain on top.

Why do Orthodox churches have domes?

One says that these domes are meant to gather or collect the goodness from Heaven, while another explanation is that they are meant to show the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. The domes also come in different forms.

What is the purpose of an onion dome?

Onion domes are popularly believed to symbolize burning candles. Similar dome shapes: helmet-shaped, pear-shaped. Numbers: Onion domes often appear in groups of three, representing the Holy Trinity, or five, representing Jesus Christ and the Four Evangelists. Domes standing alone represent Jesus.

How are Russian onion domes constructed?

During construction, this framework was built first to give the dome its basic shape. A temporary center pole also may have been used for support. Then the dome was covered with sheets of colorful metal. The onion domes were placed on cylindrical drums which formed the top part of the towers.

What does a Russian Orthodox church look like?

The church has two or more domes shaped like tapering towers. An archaizing four-piered church on an elevated base with five outsize onion domes is surrounded by an enclosed gallery leading to several chapels, porches, and belfries of various shapes and sizes. Tiny single-dome gabled churches lacking in ornamentation.

Why are Russian churches blue?

Blue symbolizes Heaven and the combination of blue and white are the colors of the Mother of God. Jesus Christ and the saints are often depicted in blue robes, as they are habitants of Heaven.

What does a dome symbolize?

Domes and tent-canopies were also associated with the heavens in Ancient Persia and the Hellenistic-Roman world. A dome over a square base reflected the geometric symbolism of those shapes. The circle represented perfection, eternity, and the heavens. The square represented the earth.

Who created onion domes?

It is speculated that these onion shaped domes were borrowed by the Russians from the Muslim countries possibly from Khanates of Kazan. After conquering Khanates of Kazan, Ivan the Terrible commemorated the St. Basil’s Cathedral that has nine domes.

Why do all buildings in Russia look the same?

The houses themselves, as it turned out, were just as interchangeable as their pre-made parts. The same houses, with minor modifications, were built into the 1970’s and 1980’s, and later incarnations of Soviet mass housing projects continued to draw on the same principles.

Why are Russian buildings colorful?

Wood was probably the most popular construction material in traditional Russian architecture. Building in huge territories surrounded by forests, this was the best choice for houses, churches, and town walls. The material was often carved into different shapes and colored to add decorative elements to the buildings.