Houses and Households

Abstract

The Russian colonial building style originated in the wooden architecture of western Russia, which included large, sturdy, and artistically elaborated peasant houses (izby) and farm buildings with notched log corners. The houses had planked roofs and were ornamented with delicately carved wooden facades, gable panels, balconies, and window frames (Opolovnikov and Opolovnikova 1989). A large heating and cooking stove of brick, clay, or tiles and a sacred corner for icons were characteristic interior features. The principle of interlocking corner joints could be applied equally well to the construction of six- and eight-sided buildings, used as watchtowers and corner bastions of defensive wooden palisades. From such towers was derived the classic “tent-roof wooden church, elaborately ornamented and crowned with multiple domes.