Английский язык для архитектора и градостроителя. Учебное пособие по английскому языку

towers, there are certain similarities of exterior appearance as well as of their inner structure. The differences are more apparent in the superstructures, whose forms and architectural treatment are quite varied.

All the five Kremlin gate towers - the Spasskaia (Saviour's) Troitskaia (Trinity), Nikolskaia, Borovitskaia and Tainitskaia (Secret) - include the main tower with its superstructure, and a barbican tower in front covering and protecting the entrance gates.

The oldest part of the Kremlin is the Cathedral Square and its three grand cathedrals. The Cathedral of the Assumption (Uspenskysobor) was built in 1475-1479. The Russian Tsars and Emperors were crowned here. The Arkhangel Cathedral (Arkhangel Cathedral (Arkhangelsky sobor, 1505-1508) was the burial place of Russian princes and tsars. The Cathedral of the Annunciation (Blagoveshchensky sobor), erected in 1484-1489 by master-builders from Pskov, was home church of Russian Tsars. It is famous for the icons painted by Andrei Rublev.

The Kremlin walls enclose several palaces. The Patriarch's Palace, built in the midseventeenth century for Patriarch Nicon is a museum of Russian seventeenth-century life. On the west side of the Cathedral Square, next to Terem Palace with its golden domes, there is the Faceted Palace, designed for the imperial throne room.

In the center of the Kremlin rises Ivan the Great Bell Tower, one of the most remarkable structures of the sixteenth century. It unites all the Kremlin Cathedrals into a majestic ensemble.

Other notable buildings in the Kremlin include the Armoury Chamber, containing a magnificent collection of treasures, and the Palace of Congresses, the only modern structure, built in the early sixties.

Text 5 C

St. Basil’s Cathedral

Just outside the Kremlin walls, on the edge of Red Square, stands the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin (Sobor Pokrova na Rvu), better known as St Basil's Cathedral, one of the world's most astonishing buildings. It was built by two Russian architects between 1555 and 1560 for Ivan the Terrible to celebrate his victory over the Tatar Khanate of Kazan.

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It is basically cross-shaped, the arms of the cross extending from a square center. The main church over which rises the central tower is covered with a tent-shaped roof and crowned with a gilt cupola. At each arm of the cross, along the principal axis is an octagonal church. Four other secondary churches (two square and two of irregular shape) are along the diagonal axis. All these elements are placed over a tall, vaulted substructure - the typical lower story of the Russian wooden churches. The pyramidal belfry at the southeast corner is separate form the church. The plan and the general massing of the elements are unusual, not only in the accepted concept of church design but in the distribution of the main masses.

The main church is of stone and brisk and covered with stucco. In the seventeenth century, the entrance structure, originally white, was painted in variegated colours, the stairways were roofed over, the sheet iron covering of the cupolas was replaced with tile, and the old belfry was replaced with the present tentroofed bell tower. St Basil's Cathedral embodies the characteristic architectural features of the wooden churches of North-East Russia, «translated» into masonry. The eight cupolas dominated by the central pyramid are all of the same general silhouette, but are different in design and colours.

5.4.1Write out English equivalents for the Kremlin attractions from the text

5.4.2Write out key words describing St Basil's Cathedral

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5.4.3Make up 7-8 questions to the text to cover the contents

5.4.4Make up a written story about one of Moscow attractions. Use the text or additional material

5.5 You went on an excursion to St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg. Describe its exterior and interior using information from the text

Text 5 D

St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg

St. Isaac's Cathedral is a remarkable monument of Russian architecture. The history of the construction began in 1710, when the first wooden church was put up in honour of St Isaac of Dalmatia; it was on St Isaac's Day, according to the Orthodox Calendar, that Peter I was born. The present Cathedral is the fourth that stood on this place.

In the early 19th century a contest was announced for the best design of a new cathedral, in which well-known architects took part. In 1818 Alexander I approved a project submitted by A. Montferrand, a talented artist who had just arrived from Paris; however, he had little experience in architecture.

The Cathedral took 40 years to be built. When putting up this gigantic structure a lot of complicated engineering problems had to be solved for the first time. In 1828, even before the walls were erected, installation of the 48 monolithic columns had begun, each weighting about 110 tons. The ideas of A.Betancourt, an engineer, made it possible to raise the 67-ton granite columns to the height of 40 metres and install them around the dome drum. St Isaac's Cathedral is one of the largest domed structures in the world. The building, rectangular in its layout, rose 101.5 m high. Having area of 4 thousand square metres, the Cathedral can hold up to 12 thousand people.

The dome is an original construction, including 3 domes; placed one over the other. The cathedral was completed in 1842, but it took 16 years more to decorate the interior with a lot of lazurite, malachite, porphyry, and other kinds of marble. The walls and vaults of the Cathedral bear paintings and mosaic works made by well-known Russian artists: C.Bryullov, F.Bruni, P.Basin, P.Shebuyev and others. On the whole more than 200 artists took part on the decor.

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Both inside and outside the Cathedral is decorated with sculptures made to the designs by I.Vitali, N.Pimenov, A.Loganovsky, P.Klodt and others. It was for the first time that the galvanoplastics method developed by B.Yakobywas used for making monumental sculptures.

When you enter the Cathedral you pass through one of the porticos - note that the columns are made of single pieces of red granite and weight 80 tons (about 177,770 pounds) each. Inside the church many of the icons are exquisite mosaics. The iconostasis (the icon wall that separates the altar from the rest of the church) is decorated with 8 malachite and 2 lapis lazuli columns. The cathedral, which can accommodate 12 thousand worshipers, now serves as a museum, and services are held only on major occasions.

5.5.1 Find English equivalents in the text for the following words and word

combinations:

замечательный памятник; объявить конкурс; лучший проект; одобрить проект;

представить проект; множество сложных инженерных проблем; поднять гранитные колонны; оригинальное сооружение; размещать друг над другом; украсить интерьер; сделать по проекту; впервые использовать; изысканная мозаика

5.6 Audial practice

5.6.1Listen to the text and be ready to answer the following questions:

1)Who created the Baroque in Russia?

2)Who invited Carlo Rastrelli to Russia?

3)Where did BartolomeoRastrelli study architecture?

4)What is Rastrelli's masterpiece?

5)When was this project started?

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5.6.2 Retell the text

Text 5 E

The Winter Palace

In Russia the Baroque was created by Bartolomeo Rastrelli. His father, famous sculptor Carlo Rastrelli was invited to Russia by Peter the Great. His sixteen-year-old son had no professional training when he came to Russia. He learned at the construction sites of St. Petersburg masters and became an architect of world renown, the designer of many magnificent palaces and churches in the Russian capital.

The Winter Palace executed in the fine taste and on a gigantic scale is Rasrelli's masterpiece. Rastrelli himself made the drawings and plans of the palace, designed the ornamentation patterns for window platbands, carvings, sculptures, lattices, parquetry, interiors and furniture. The palace building is nearly two kilometers long in perimeter. Originally it had 1,050 chambers, 117 staircases, 1886 doors andl,945 windows.

The project was started in the reign of Elizabeth, Peter the Great's daughter who was fond of the Baroque, so the Winter Palace is lavishly adorned with columns, stucco window platbands and sculptures over the roof cornice.

5.7 Russian architecture is represented not only by remarkable monuments of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Read the text about one of the finest Russian towns - Rostov. With your partner, make up a dialogue about architectural attractions of this town using information from the text

Text 5 F

The Kremlin of Rostov

Rostov was founded in 862. the town was growing up and becoming rich very quickly. As Novgorod it was called "Velikii" that meant "the Great"

In XIII century it became the capital of the independent knight-hood. In the XVII century the kremlin of Rostov was built. It wasn't a fortress as kremlins in other old towns were, but it seemed to be more like a country-seat which consisted of several churches, houses and other buildings surrounded by the wall with 11 towers. All the towers are

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connected to the galleries in this wall and you can visit everything without walking on the ground. The churches of the kremlin are not big but they were built in a way that when the chorus sings the voices sound beautiful.

One sight in Rostov is the Uspensky Cathedral (XVII century) and its tower with bells (XVII century). The cathedral was made alike to the Uspensky Cathedral in Moscow. The tower is famous for its 13 bells. The heaviest one is 3200 kg. Every bell rings its own note. There is a Red Room in the kremlin which was built for the reception of tsars, a White Room where dinners took place and one special Parting Room where metropolitans parted with honourable guests.

Now there is a Museum of folk art in the rooms. Different handicrafts are produced there. Silver shapes covered with enamel are of great value both in Russia and I the world.

5.8 You came to Russia as a tourist and you are interested in Russian architecture. Ask your friend about its brilliant works and essential features

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6 Unit 6 Famous Architects

6.1 Pretext exercises

6.1.1Warming-up

1)What famous architects do you know?

2)What famous English architects do you know?

3)What famous Russian architects do you know?

4)Who is your favourite architect?

5)What works of the world famous architects can you mention?

6)Do you agree with the statement that an architect is a contemporary of the future?

6.1.2Read the words. Pay attention to the letters in italics

[θ] authorship, authentic, seventeenth, cathedral, three, truth, theatre, third,mathematics

[ð] with, there, northern, although, them, that, this, anothеr, then, these, they, their [kw] banquet, queen, require, quiet, quickly, quire, equal

6.1.3 Read the words. Mind their meaning

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6.1.4 Read the following verbs. Mind their meaning. Pay attention to the

principal forms

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6.1.5 Find proper Russian words with the same roots as the following English

words:

tradition, association, number, classic, banquet, form, ambitious, idea, compositional, literature, character, artist, constructor, period, activity, rector, genius, problem, astronomy, mathematics, professor, talent, assistant, interest, visit, plan, restoration, grandiose, commercial, master, standard, element, colossal, career, perspective, proportion, column, decoration, delicacy, adaptation, hospital, observatory, monument

6.1.6 Choose the proper English word:

6.1.7Find English equivalents for the following Russian words:

Аподлинный; огромный; подразумевать; требовать; утонченный; точный; потерпеть неудачу; быть обязанным; просторный; изумительный; обнаруживать; сдержанный;

выдающийся; устанавливать; равный

В notable; spacious; to fail; to establish; authentic; to imply; to owe; refined; enormous; to reveal; to require; discreet; exact; marvelous; equal

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6.1.8 Form all possible word combinations:

refined plan

considerable architect

famous evidence

grandiose influence

spacious courage

powerful vigour

equal tasks

traditional elements

colossal arms

6.1.9 Read the following word combinations and translate them into Russian:

the greatest architect to date; to be traditionally associated with; exact evidence of one's authorship; prevailing architectural ideas; to be influenced heavily; scarcity of recorded works; on the part of an architect; to break with established tradition; deviser of construction; the true greatness; to be obvious even in childhood; spectacular talent; to come to notice; plans for restoration; in a state of decay; to give the opportunity; to suggest grandiose schemes; a spacious master plan; powerful influence; church authorities; to be far from the standards; to include traditional elements; to approve the plan; to make in the shape of a cross; to begin under patronage; the third largest in the world; the greatest achievement; to be notable for; plain slab of stone.

6.2 Read the text and tell about InigoJones' and Christopher Wren's creative activity

Text 6 A

The Great English Architects

Part 1

Inigo Jones and Christopher Wren are the greatest English architects to date. Inigo

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