THE CHURCH OF THE INTERCESSION ON THE NERL AND ITS REPRODUCTION IN THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55287/22275398_2026_60_167Keywords:
Church of the Intercession on the Nerl River, I.E. Grabar, replicas of the churchAbstract
The article examines the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl in the Vladimir region, as well as its influence on religious buildings of the 20th and 21st centuries, and the role of the architectural and semantic features of this monument that led to its reproduction. The phenomenon of the continuity of architectural traditions is analyzed: how medieval prototypes are integrated into modern buildings, preserving their significance and integrity, and how churches continue to be built in the 20th and 21st centuries with direct and indirect borrowings from the architecture of the church in question. Specific examples of replicas and borrowings are being studied: the Church of the Life-Giving Spring of the Mother of God in the village of Lyzlovo, the Church of the Intercession on Kolpi on the territory of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra's compound above the Kolpi River, the Church of St. Nicholas at the Peter the Great Military Academy of the Strategic Missile Forces in Balashikha, the St. Vladimir Church in the village of Oktyabrsky in Argatovo, the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in the village of Marmyzh, the Church of the Archangel Michael in La-an-der-Taya, and the Church of the Savior on the Waters in St. Petersburg. The article describes the significance of the church in question as an important element in the interaction between traditional architecture and new trends, which has led to the emergence of a new style in temple art. The article also explores the issue of copying a work of art and preserving its authenticity. It raises the question of the boundary between the spread of popularity for this church and the unjustified borrowing that leads to the loss of original meaning and arbitrary interpretation in reproduction. The article focuses on a comprehensive analysis of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl River, comparing it with similar structures from a theoretical and historical perspective in different time periods.
References
1. Afanasyev, K. N. (1983). Byli galerei ili net? O proshlom khrama Pokrova na Nerli [Were there galleries or not? On the past of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl]. Arkhitektura SSSR, (6), 51–53. (In Russian).
2. Voronin, N. N. (1961). Zodchestvo Severo-Vostochnoy Rusi XII–XV vekov [Architecture of Northeastern Rus in the 12th–15th centuries] (Vol. 1). Moscow: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences. 558 p. (In Russian).
3. Zagraevsky, S. V. (2008). K voprosu o rekonstruktsii i datirovke tserkvi Pokrova na Nerli [On the reconstruction and dating of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl]. In Novye issledovaniya pamyatnikov arkhitektury Vladimiro-Suzdalskogo muzeya-zapovednika [New research on architectural monuments of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve] (pp. 129–146). Moscow: Alev-V. (In Russian).
4. Zagraevsky, S. V. (2018). Pervonachalnyy vid tserkvi Pokrova i Pokrovskogo monastyrya na Nerli. Opyt graficheskoy rekonstruktsii [The original appearance of the Church of the Intercession and the Intercession Monastery on the Nerl: An attempt at graphic reconstruction]. In Materialy XXIII mezhregionalnoy kraevedcheskoy konferentsii [Proceedings of the 23rd Interregional Local History Conference], April 13, 2018 (pp. 224–235). Vladimir. (In Russian).
5. Plugin, V. A. (1970). Khram Pokrova na Nerli: Arkhitektura i skulptura tserkvi Pokrova Bogomateri XII veka: Albom [The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl: Architecture and sculpture of the 12th-century Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God: An album]. Leningrad: Avrora. 40 p. (In Russian).
6. Rappoport, P. A. (1993). Drevnerusskaya arkhitektura [Architecture of Ancient Rus]. Saint Petersburg: Stroyizdat, Saint Petersburg Branch. 288 p. (In Russian).
7. Rappoport, P. A. (1984). Eshche raz o galereyakh tserkvi Pokrova na Nerli [Once again on the galleries of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl]. Arkhitektura SSSR, (1), 106. (In Russian).
8. Timofeeva, T. P. (2003). Tserkov Pokrova na Nerli [The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl]. Moscow: Severnyy Palomnik. 128 p. (In Russian).
9. Rzyanin, M. I. (1941). Pokrov na Nerli (XII vek) [The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, 12th century]. Moscow: Academy of Architecture of the USSR. 34 p. (In Russian).
10. Sedov, V. V. (2019). Tserkov Pokrova na Nerli i sobor v Modene [The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl and Modena Cathedral]. Vestnik RAN, 45–56. (In Russian).
11. Novakovskaya-Bukhman, S. M. (2003). Skulptura tserkvi Pokrova na Nerli [Sculpture of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl]. In Pamyati Andreya Bogolyubskogo [In memory of Andrey Bogolyubsky] (pp. 87–102). Moscow. (In Russian).
12. Grabar, I. E. (1969). O russkoy arkhitekture: Issledovaniya, okhrana pamyatnikov [On Russian architecture: Research and monument preservation]. Moscow: Nauka. 428 p. (In Russian).
13. Voronin, N. N. (1967). Vladimir, Bogolyubovo, Suzdal, Yuryev-Polskoy: Kniga-sputnik po drevnim gorodam Vladimirskoy zemli [Vladimir, Bogolyubovo, Suzdal, and Yuryev-Polskoy: A companion to the ancient towns of the Vladimir region]. Moscow: Iskusstvo. 160 p. (In Russian).
14. Solntsev, N. I. (2023). K voprosu o datirovke i simvolike tserkvi Pokrova Bogoroditsy na Nerli [On the dating and symbolism of the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God on the Nerl]. Istoriya i arkheologiya, 112–125. (In Russian).
15. Zagraevsky, S. V. (2010). K voprosu o dline, ochertaniyakh i vneshnem vide domongolskikh ukrepleniy Vladimira [On the length, outline, and appearance of the pre-Mongol fortifications of Vladimir]. Moscow: Alev-V. 45 p. (In Russian).
16. Zagraevsky, S. V. (2009). Voprosy ranney istorii Pokrovskogo monastyrya na Nerli [Issues in the early history of the Intercession Monastery on the Nerl]. Moscow: Alev-V. 32 p. (In Russian).
17. Plugin, V. A. (1969). Khram Pokrova na Nerli. Arkhitektura i skulptura tserkvi Pokrova Bogomateri XII veka [The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl: Architecture and sculpture of the 12th-century Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God]. Leningrad: Avrora. 40 p. (In Russian).
18. Artleben, N. A. (1859). Drevnie pamyatniki Vladimirskoy gubernii [Ancient monuments of Vladimir Governorate]. Vladimir: Gubernskaya Tipografiya. 56 p. (In Russian).
19. Melnik, N. D. (2020). … «Istorii russkogo iskusstva» I. E. Grabarya [… I. E. Grabar’s “History of Russian Art”]. Moscow: Nauka. pp. 150–165. (In Russian).
20. Grabar, I. E. (1909). Istoriya russkogo iskusstva. Vol. 1: Arkhitektura [History of Russian art. Vol. 1: Architecture]. Moscow: Knebel. 481 p. (In Russian).
21. Timofeeva, T. P., & Novakovskaya-Bukhman, S. M. (2002). Tserkov Pokrova na Nerli [The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl]. Moscow: Alev-V. 120 p. (In Russian).
22. Artleben, N. A. (1858). Otchet o osmotre i restavratsii tserkvi Pokrova na Nerli [Report on the inspection and restoration of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl]. Vladimir: Eparkhialnoe Upravlenie. 24 p. (In Russian).
23. Artleben, N. A., & Tikhonravov, K. N. (1880). Drevnosti Suzdalsko-Vladimirskoy oblasti, sokhranivshiesya v pamyatnikakh zodchestva, v predelakh Vladimirskoy gubernii [Antiquities of the Suzdal-Vladimir region preserved in architectural monuments within Vladimir Governorate]. Vladimir. (In Russian).
24. Balunenka, I. I. (2013). Orthodox Christian identity and contemporary Belarusian church architecture. Centre for Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature Research, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. p. 61.
25. Vengerova, M. E. (2019). Brending v arkhitekture: Khristianskie tserkvi Drevney Rusi, induistskie khramy Indii i ofisy kompaniy XXI veka [Branding in architecture: Christian churches of Ancient Rus, Hindu temples of India, and corporate offices of the 21st century]. Moscow: Higher School of Environmental Design, Moscow Architectural Institute (State Academy). p. 70. (In Russian).
26. Zagraevsky, S. V. (2007). K voprosu o rekonstruktsii i datirovke tserkvi Pokrova na Nerli [On the reconstruction and dating of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl]. In Materialy oblastnoy kraevedcheskoy konferentsii [Proceedings of the Regional Local History Conference] (pp. 3–12). Vladimir. (In Russian).
27. Brumfield, W. C. (2017). The Cathedral of St. Demetrius in Vladimir: Sources, form and documentation. New Orleans: Tulane University.
28. Sandomirskaya, I. (2015). Katastrofa, restavratsiya i kunstwollen: Igor Grabar, kulturnoe nasledie i sovetskoe pereosmyslenie proshlogo [Catastrophe, restoration, and Kunstwollen: Igor Grabar, cultural heritage, and the Soviet reinterpretation of the past]. Södertörn University, School of Culture and Education; Centre for Baltic and East European Studies (CBEES). (In Russian).
29. Andrey Bogolyubsky (1110–1174). Zhitie [Andrey Bogolyubsky (1110–1174): A hagiography]. (n.d.). (In Russian).
30. Trufanova, I. V. (2012). Arkhitekturnoe nasledie Rossii: Issledovaniya, vosstanovlenie pervonachalnogo vida pamyatnikov arkhitektury Vladimirskoy oblasti: Uchebnoe posobie [Russia’s architectural heritage: Research and reconstruction of the original appearance of architectural monuments in the Vladimir region: A textbook]. Vladimir: Vladimir State University. (In Russian).
31. Lavrenova, O. A. (2025). Art and landscape: Modes of interaction.
32. Smirnov, S. N. (1915). Khram-pamyatnik moryakam, pogibshim v voynu s Yaponiey v 1904–1905 gg. [A memorial church to sailors who died in the war with Japan in 1904–1905]. Petrograd: Committee for the Construction of the Church. (In Russian).
33. U tserkvi Pokrova na Nerli poyavilsya khram-kopiya v Krasnodarskom krae [A replica of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl has appeared in Krasnodar Krai]. (2016, July 28). Foma. (In Russian).
34. V Balashikhe postroen khram — kopiya znamenitoy tserkvi Pokrova na Nerli [A replica of the famous Church of the Intercession on the Nerl has been built in Balashikha]. (2006, June 20). Pravoslavie.ru. (In Russian).
35. Khram ikony Bozhiey Materi «Zhivonosnyy Istochnik» v Lyzlovo [The Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Spring” in Lyzlovo]. (2024). Azbuka Very. (In Russian).
36. Tserkov Pokrova na Nerli [Church of the Intercession on the Nerl]. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Accessed March 23, 2026. (In Russian).
37. Khram-novodel — kopiya znamenitoy tserkvi Pokrova na Nerli [A newly built church replicating the famous Church of the Intercession on the Nerl]. (2018). LiveJournal. (In Russian).
38. Pokrova na Nerli «klonirovali» na Kubani [The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl has been “cloned” in Kuban]. (2016). Zebra TV. (In Russian).
39. Tserkov Pokrova na Kolpi [The Church of the Intercession on the Kolp]. (n.d.). Dzen. (In Russian).
40. V Bogolyubove postroili snezhnuyu mini-kopiyu khrama Pokrova na Nerli [A miniature snow replica of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl has been built in Bogolyubovo]. (2026, February 11). Klyuch.Media. (In Russian).
41. Vse obekty kulturnogo naslediya UNESCO v Rossii [All UNESCO cultural heritage sites in Russia]. (2025, June 5). Russia Discovery. (In Russian).
42. Gorozhane i dizaynery ne ponyali vladimirskogo lva [Residents and designers did not understand the Vladimir lion]. (2023, August 20). Zebra TV. (In Russian).
43. Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Accessed March 23, 2026.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Гвоздик Александр Георгиевич, Кравцова Галина Сергеевна (Автор)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright in their published work and grant The System Technologies a non-exclusive right of first publication, including the right to publish the article on the Journal’s electronic platform, assign a DOI, distribute, and archive the work.
All articles published in The System Technologies are distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY 4.0): https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
The CC BY 4.0 licence permits others to read, download, copy, distribute, reproduce, adapt, and use the article for any lawful purpose, including commercially, provided that appropriate credit is given to the author(s), article title, Journal, DOI, and licence, and any changes made are indicated.
