The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-08-30
A STRANGE EO,FICE.
The wond ,rfui Architecture OF the church
of Nasil Bia .cnnol

OF Nasili Bla .cnnah
The history OF this church ia rs
strange as lis aspect; IL was built by
order OF Ivan the Terrible, AZ the ox-
pense OF the principality OF Raza1, as
an expression OF gratitude 10 God for
the Tsar's conquest OF that country.
The ramc OF tho architect, an Italian.
Is unknown, bu, tradition relates that
his eyes were burned ont 10y order OF
Ivan to prevent his designing in future
any more wonderful, monument "lt
is my wish. said the terrible autocrat,
that this sanctuary remain the unique
and glorious monument OF the genius
Of this man. In the basement Of the
ecitice are two csapc!s. and on the
upper story nine chapels. surmounted
by nine cupolas. each different IL
shape, Dimensions, color, details. sty's
and structural disposition. The spiro.
too. T. placed at the east and not at
the west, rs orthodoxy demands. The
iacades, again. are all different
and without disccuiblc plan, and
the whole structure. with its sug-
gestions OF llindoo. Byzantine, Gothic
and nondescript architecture. and its
profusion OF painted ornaments and
masses Of crude yellow, blue, red and
green, forms an admirable and mys-
terious harmony, the secret OF which
none can explain, aud the charm Of
which no words can describe. The
whole exterior, with its suporimposed
arches, It's profusiou OF color and gild-
ing, its painting OF roses and other
eowers in panels all over The walls is
strangely original. On the pedestal
formed by the nine chapcls and their
basement are placed bc'frics and GU
polas starting upward from masses Of
masonry resembling the imbricotcd
foliage OF the artichoke. the scales OF
the pine cone, or the opening buds OF
the cactus flower. In the chief helfry
the Italian element Is clearly pcrcop;i-
Bile in the first three stories. above
which Is n story resembling au In
dian pagoda, which in its turn IS sur
mounted by hoXagonal crockett
which ia lantern and an
onion-shaped gilt cap. Another bclfry
supports cupolu ia the shape OF u
pineapple all covered with pointed
facets; on another tho pineapple cupols
Is laced over with symmetrical net
work through whose mcshcs the points
alone are visible. Another cupola
initiates the ribbed form OF "A melon;
another, the twisted folds Of a monu-
mental turban; another. tho close
scales Of the serpent Let IL be re-
membered, too, that each OF these
cupoas is OF different color-one
orange, another sky blue, another APP
pie green, another deep red; and that,
besides paint I'm profusion, the mold
ings. cOrniccs. consoles. panels, pin
naclcs. imbrications and tiers ofarchcs
arc lavishly decorated with brightly
colorcd glazed fnicncc. or this fan
tastic architectural dream. suggestive
OF uncanny sca-mOnsters, half fish and
half flower, OF gigantic fruits, or Of
vegetables and Oriental turbans OF
such capricious and impossible pro-
portions as one might conceive in
nightmare, Thoophile Gauticr has
given .us a poets description, which
We can not do better than cite:
"The Church Of Va.ili BlagcnuoL."
he says. "is without doubt the most
original monument I'm the world; it re-
calls nothing that one has ever seen,
and belongs 90 no known style One
might imagine it TO be "a gigantic
madrcpore, crystaliz'd colossus,
stalactitc grotto turned upside down
thing which has neither prototype
nor similitudc 1t might be takon for
"A Hindoo, Chinese or Thibetau pagoda
In looking at this impossible church
one is tempted 10 ask If IL is not "A
whimsical will-o -thc-wisp, an cdiGce
formed OF clouds Enthusiastically colOrcd
by the sun, which the movement OF
the air will presently cause 30 change
IN form or vanish into nOthingnc-s. ~