L'architettura residenziale dell'età Imperiale russa (1780-1840). Restauro e nuove funzioni

One of the main measures to conserve cultural and historical heritage objects is carrying out research works. The present thesis is directed to the definition of historical and cultural values, to the conservation and to the safeguard of the architectural heritage in Russia. The object of this scientific study is the residential architecture created in the heyday of the Russian Empire at the turn of 18-19th centuries. Italian masters such as Domenico Trezzini, Giacomo Quarenghi, Luigi Rusca, Giuseppe Bova and others realized their precious works of art in accordance with the Building Code, generating the new image of the Imperial cities in the style of Russian Classicism. During the investigation, it turned out that these monumental buildings were constructed by «exemplary» projects and they have the similar structure and architectural characteristics. After the abolition of serfdom in 1861 the noble villas underwent many changes under the influence of industrialization and of the study of Russian Art by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. From 1917 with the establishment of the Soviet rule the ex-noble residences lost their owners and their value, they were used as shared communal flats and became the protagonists of urban transformation. One century later, in the course of research, a significant part of this cultural and historical heritage was found destroyed or in disrepair. In spite of this, materials, constructions and décors of remaining buildings have been studied and the problems of «façadism» and «historic reconstruction» have been analyzed. Some Russian laws and case-studies concerning conservation, restoration and reuse of cultural and historical heritage objects are given in the work. The dissertation may be useful for those who work in the field of restoration of historical and cultural heritage of the Russian Federation.