Abandoned Wooden Miracles


Russian wooden architecture 1

Some other masterpieces of Russian medieval wooden architecture were found abandoned.

Some of them look like they are just left - even some furniture stays on its places. The reason they are so undisturbed - it stays deep inside the Russian forests.

Russian wooden architecture 2

Russian wooden architecture 3

Russian wooden architecture 4

Russian wooden architecture 5

Russian wooden architecture 6

Russian wooden architecture 7

Russian wooden architecture 8

Russian wooden architecture 9

Russian wooden architecture 10

Russian wooden architecture 10

Russian wooden architecture 10

Russian wooden architecture 10

Russian wooden architecture 10

Russian wooden architecture 10

via qzmn

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119 Comments »

Comment by Mike Otworth
2008-03-10 04:07:12

Amazing and very interesting. Incredible detail in the woodwork. Thanks to the photographer for posting, I would love to see more of these wooden masterpieces.

Comment by THE LETTER R
2008-03-11 13:40:16

thats a awsome house be hard to clean and if u sliped and fell youd get an ass full o slinters but id love to live in it lol :)

 
 
Comment by vorthos
2008-03-10 04:07:37

That is amazing!

Comment by marvin
2008-03-10 17:18:35

Amazing! Awesome! Sharp! Racy! Puissant! And, offffff coouurrssssseeee - mediaeval :) :) :)

Well, to get serious, it is tawdry to my Northern eyes. Sorry. That is not to say that it could not be beautiful to others - it very well can.

However, my hat off to the carpenter - he must have been a very, very patient and obstinate man. And it really is a shame to let it rot like this …

Comment by K
2008-03-11 01:24:11

“Northern”? Russia is pretty far north.

Comment by marvin
Comment by sphinxo
2008-03-19 13:09:36

Check your favourite wiki,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:World-map-2004-cia-factbook-large-1.7m-whitespace-removed.jpg
The small country at the right topmost corner of the map — Russia.
The tiny piece of area above Europe — what you call “north”.

Comment by marvin
2008-03-21 11:57:51

My dearest American friend,
Worry not for, indeed, I should not have expected you to understand the difference between notions of geography and culture. So, just in order to set you on the right track: culture-wise, Russia is from the East. Try mulling, pondering over that for a little space of time, and then go to the library, find some books .. Then open them and read.

Comment by sphinxo
2008-03-21 14:08:30

C’mon, my dearest northern child, if you say “north” you mean geography. And when you say “my Northern eyes” I guess you mean “my estonian eyeballs” which is neither north nor northern by all means. Go library and study Novgorod, Kalevala (part of Russia’s folklor now too), etc.

Comment by marvin
2008-03-21 14:34:34

Dear friend, I said northern, did I not? There is a distinct difference in meaning between ‘north’ and ‘northern’, is there not?

Estonian?! :0) Oh, I see … scales start to fall from my northern eyeballs. :)

 
Comment by marvin
2008-03-21 14:36:47

Oops, forgot: Kalevala is Finnish. Thought you would like to know …

Comment by sphinxo
2008-03-21 15:54:45

I like the way you answer — two replies followed each other in few seconds, keep thinking! :)
I am glad that you recognized Kalevala as Finish ethnics, it *is* correct. But it is also Karelia’s part. Unfortunately (or fortunately), Finno-Ugric area and culture is big enough so that there was enough place for it in Russia too (that’s why I’ve said “part of Russua’s folkore now too”).
I am glad that I’ve recognized your origin properly, actually I’ve almost nothing against Estonia :) Actually keep going — your comments make this resource much more interesting and funny! Take care.

Comment by marvin
2008-03-21 18:09:08

Thank you, sphinxo, my good chap, I do appreciate your kind words.
Two replies? Well, yes, the thing is that more often than not my browser does not work for some odd reason (this was not the case with Kalevala, though, I simply hit the Enter key too hastily). I have tried Safari, FF and IE, but they have proven equally lousy. Maybe it is because of the Internet connection I currently have, I would not know, being so incompetent when it comes to computers. Any suggestions?

Of course, Kalavala is Karelia’s, too. Think of the people who live, or used to live, there. Actually, a good question - what is the name of the Estonian epic?

As to my origin, why is it that you think I am Estonian? And this is, incidentally, a good occasion to recapitulate that I have nothing against Russians as well.

Comment by sphinxo
2008-03-24 06:30:00

I think your browser it ok, I suspect that either the route to this site or the site itself is a bit slow.

I think you are Estonian because you 1) like the resource about Russia; 2) dispute very actively; 3) “your northern eyes”, you know.. :)

Comment by marvin
2008-03-24 10:53:48

Oh, all right. I put up my paws. You win. But this does not mean that I am not allowed to have some fun, does it?

By the bye, the Estonian epic is ‘Kalevipoeg’ (The Son of Kalev).

Cheerio, my mettlesome and sound chap …

Comment by sphinxo
2008-03-24 11:14:22

Oh, I am sorry that missed your question about the name for the Estonian epic, didn’t know that it is “Kalevipoeg”, thanks! Everything is connected :)

And, I am sure you are welcome here, no matter how people like/dislike your comments, even if it’s for “having some fun” — this resource allows that in the end!

Comment by marvin
2008-03-24 14:39:33

Verily, verily forsooth, you could not have said this more precisely - everything is connected.

And thank you, my dear friend.

marvin, the paranoid android

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Comment by marvin
2008-03-21 12:06:49

To give something more concrete to think about ere you go to the library, try straining your grey matter with the following: Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox ….

 
 
 
 
 
 
Comment by Scrat335
2008-03-10 04:17:13

Now that’s a million dollar home. Can you imagine the work to keep it looking good?

 
Comment by John from Kansas
2008-03-10 05:32:07

These beautiful masterpieces should be preserved and restored.

Comment by Miss India
2008-03-10 11:06:51

Yes, with donations from generous American philanthropist since stingy russians will not even look after their medieval heritage buildings. :D

Comment by Pros
2008-03-10 11:55:57

Shut the fuck up shemale hoe

 
Comment by Bill
2008-03-13 06:51:51

Yes, I agree Miss India. The other guy is an asshole, and should not speak to a lady like that! apparently, he is self-raised dog pig.

 
Comment by anonymous
2008-03-17 23:35:56

India is not so good with keeping up with preserving much either.

 
 
 
Comment by Zak
2008-03-10 06:10:09

Wow… all of them are impressive and beautiful. I would like to have the first or the second, in this condition too. It need surely a lot of work, but worth it.

 
Comment by Rodriguez
2008-03-10 06:26:17

Щикарные домики!

 
Comment by madineg
2008-03-10 07:15:46

looks like modern russians lost their culture - only mafiosi with no taste left

Comment by maxD
2008-03-10 08:31:34

Yes. If one sees how the ‘new russians’ are spending their money, that’s indeed the idea one’s left with.

absolutely despicable taste. Check these pictures i.e.:

http://www.lui.ru/archive/65/4

Comment by madineg
2008-03-10 10:19:10

compared with their former treasures new russian style is
the mother of all uglyness

Comment by geo
2008-03-10 12:55:33

“Beauty doesn’t dissapear, it only leaves once in a while” - Shevchuk

Our art will come back, once we are done with this “wealth accumulation” stage. People will stop flashing their wealth, and we will come back to our roots. The backlash against the soulless state of New Russia has already started. The book “Duhless” is a pretty good read on the subject. Just give it some time.

Comment by madineg
2008-03-10 14:22:49

maybe you are right - we will see

turbocapitalism sucks

Comment by Zafarad
2008-03-11 15:11:34

Are you sure?i think you are not aware of “Dialectical theory”.stagnant societies will not survive for the betterment of their peoples.let them enjoy for their “one and only life”! ! ! ! ! ! !

 
 
 
 
 
 
Comment by daphny
2008-03-10 08:35:22

i cant believe that someone crafted those houses
like
the detail on the edges
ITS AMAZING

 
Comment by Chicken
2008-03-10 09:39:33

I would love to live in this house, The walls inside are so great

 
Comment by Thomas
2008-03-10 10:10:13

Wow!

 
Comment by Miss India
2008-03-10 11:14:25

It’ll be a good place to shoot teen horror movie starring Paris Hilton.

Comment by styloroc
2008-03-10 18:08:21

good place to shoot a porn starring Paris Hilton

Comment by n.smetanka
2008-03-11 00:23:01

good place to shoot Paris Hilton

Comment by chopper
2008-03-11 01:07:11

You mean good place to shoot sperm all over Paris Hilton.
Skeet! Skeet!

 
Comment by anonymous
2008-03-11 01:10:38

There are no bad places to shoot Paris Hilton.

 
 
Comment by bob
2008-03-11 00:55:14

It would be a good place to shoot Paris Hilton.

Comment by Ron Paul
2008-03-13 01:29:49

You mean shoot heroin together with Paris Hilton and her homies.

Comment by hehe
2008-03-22 05:43:43

no silly…just shoot her and no more stupid scandalous blond that is a great shame and disgrace to her family :))

 
 
 
 
 
Comment by Allan Siew
2008-03-10 11:18:43

Seriously beautiful.

I don’t know whether I am daring enough to go into the house alone…

 
Comment by KBR
2008-03-10 11:26:18

In one picture you can see a bed, and it looks, to me, that someone still lives there. Like a homeless guy.

Comment by illlich
2008-03-10 20:29:17

I wonder if it’s used as a hunting cabin now. I can’t see a homeless person living out there with no food UNLESS he is hunting/fishing.

 
Comment by Bill Turk
2008-03-10 21:57:55

the “homeless” man has a much nicer house than my own.

 
 
Comment by too muchvodka
2008-03-10 11:58:12

At first view, these are 19th century houses, certainly not older than end 18th. But that is based on the style. I wonder if a wooden house dating that far back and without sufficient care would still be standing. Anyway, nothing medieval about it, you cultural morons.

Comment by Old Mother
2008-03-11 17:35:05

Thank you. I was going to say the same thing but you got there first and said it better.

 
 
Comment by visitor
2008-03-10 12:22:21

Sad but true

Was likely used as a ‘torture house’ during the ‘golden years’ of Soviet rule. Hence so well preserved. Could still find bodies in the bacement if you look hard enough.

Don’t believe me? Read literature from Memorial and other such organizations…

Comment by John from Kansas
2008-03-11 01:05:06

…or maybe our own backyard…but who’s looking? :)

 
 
Comment by Hui Lee
2008-03-10 12:27:40

Don’t be fool. Owner of this house is normal russian men that just not living here

 
Comment by Richard S.
2008-03-10 12:50:15

If this property is owned by the Russian government I wonder if they are willing to sell these properties. There is potential for restoration.

 
Comment by Richard S.
2008-03-10 13:03:08

I note of log construction. Compare with this photo of a church in Anadyr…

http://pixdaus.com/single.php?id=25891

 
Comment by MAK from Argentina
2008-03-10 14:18:10

Thanks for the pictures..

Truly AMAZING

 
Comment by Tim Ber
2008-03-10 14:43:21

House in pix 2-9 must be of museum - a well-cared for garden outside, windows not broken out, some sampling of furniture, yet not ‘lived in’. They even threw in a ‘flower arrangement’ in the dining room to help spruce things up. Unfortunately it must be a local group that is taking care of it as there is much more work to be done. Nice that someone is looking after it though. These pix show some impressive craftsmanship. It would be nice if someone did step in and fully restore them as these will be lost forever, before too long, as weather and forest will reclaim them.

 
Comment by Seesaw
2008-03-10 16:05:36

This is so beautiful. Thank you for posting.

 
Comment by Sam
2008-03-10 17:24:21

I love this blog so much. Long may it continue.

 
Comment by Elias
2008-03-10 19:37:27

Join to Jesus’ team and felwhat is exactly amazing!
Jesus loves russian people, He want heal everyone that believe.
He’s the rock!

 
Comment by eye
2008-03-10 20:35:08

I suspect (but don’t know) that all that carving would be done in a factory and shipped in and nailed on. If you recall the industrial revolution would enable rich people in the American mid-West to build just as ornate and sumptious housing hundreds of miles from anywhere. You would just get the Sears catalogue and order away.

I must say though that the interior decoration looks to be all painted, and that would have been done all on site. Can you imagine how bright and vibrant those colours would have been when first laid down? What a stunning, if cold, place to live. Perhaps we can see just why the serfs finally did rise up against their exploiting rulers.

 
Comment by Popefucker
2008-03-10 21:12:52

Wow! absolutely beautiful. But why are these masterpieces abandoned? The houses could be served anyway.

Comment by Zafarad
2008-03-11 14:57:23

If you born at Stalin era,you might not ask this question! ! ! ! ! dear leader Stalin abandoned prosperous Russia and populate Siberia! ! ! ! !

 
 
Comment by Kris
2008-03-10 23:20:03

Why isn’t anyone living there?

Comment by Zafarad
2008-03-11 14:59:56

Yes,see pic no,8! ! ! !

 
 
Comment by gretchen
2008-03-11 00:09:03

looks hunted but amazing…i like to own one of these houses

 
Comment by Louise
2008-03-11 02:32:12

These photos made me cry.All the lives and laughter and arguments and love and children and meals in these places - now all gone, forgotten, abandoned.

Comment by CZenda
2008-03-11 19:16:12

Gone to Gulag, I guess.

 
 
Comment by Viperman the American
2008-03-11 02:33:54

Craftsmenship??? Beauty??? Forget the buildings!!! I want to see more Russian chicks!!
I have a idea that would make this all look even better!! Lets put Russian babes in bikinis in the snow around these buildings and lets see what pops up?
Life sucks without a good Russian babe to keep you warm!!
Sorry America!!! Russian ladies are the best!!

Comment by rayne
2008-03-13 12:33:28

sorry, but that would be Canadian girls. why do you think were such a non-violent and friendly country. :)
now if only Harper would bring our troops back and stop helping those americans who just “accidently” friendly fire on us all the time.

Comment by viperman the American
2008-03-13 20:21:22

Sorry,
I have been to Canada many times and never saw half the pretty ladies as I saw in Russia and Ukraine. Where are they eh? I know As I travel the world often! There is just something in the water in Russia and Ukraine - those ladies are smoking hot!
About us accidently shooting your soldiers - next time get the hell out of our way! You know we were target practicing!!
Just another thought…I was just in Paris a few weeks ago. What the hell is up with French men?? No wonder it took us American’s to save their asses! Nothing but pussy men! Hell, I would even say the Canadian’s make better soldiers!
Honestly…all in fun!!! Canada rocks! Your chicks rock! And as a former soldier…sorry for the deaths! War sucks! I know! I hate war!

 
 
 
Comment by alba fan
2008-03-11 02:56:35

That house is simply incredible! Hopefully, it will not end up torn down and forgotten.

Comment by Zafarad
2008-03-11 15:02:34

We can`t change rules of the nature! ! ! ! !

 
 
Comment by David Greiman
2008-03-11 04:53:10

Maybe post the gps coordinates of this place so I can look on Google Maps?

 
Comment by SnakeJake
2008-03-11 06:36:11

It immediately reminded me of the game Syberia by Benoît Sokal. Or maybe Silent Hill. :-)

They look amazing!

They should take some HDR shots. :-D

Comment by Zaulo
2008-03-11 20:07:38

I had those games on a old IBM computer, 15 years ago.
Great games!

 
 
Comment by doug fir
2008-03-11 07:18:08

Yes, those old wooden structures are beautiful examples of 19th century Russian architecture.

If you look closely you’ll notice there are three different houses shown and, in my humble opinion, only the first looks as though it would be a time consuming effort to bring it back to a relative state of livability. It is somewhat larger than the other two.

But alas, to repair any of those still graceful old homes would require the resources of someone who like the original owner-builder was wealthy.

The tradesmen who build them probably toiled through the long hours of the summer days in northern Russia.

Perhaps they were built for relatives or hangers on of
the czars, who knows?

I certainly appreciate being able to see them for their beauty as well as for the that warm and pleasent sense I feel when seeing something sliding peacefully into the background of it’s rural surroundings.

 
Comment by Setan HIjau
2008-03-11 14:08:21

beautiful.. very beuatiful

 
Comment by Premas
2008-03-11 14:22:52

As far as I can judge by photo descriptions - this is the original source of the photos http://qzmn.livejournal.com/6780.html
Unfortunately I cannot see the photos - the corporate firewall blocks photofile.ru where the author hosts his photos.

The description says the photos were taken 550km north-east from Moscow in Kostroma region near Chukhloma town.

Same author photos were once posted here http://englishrussia.com/?p=1734

Comment by Kapitan
2008-03-11 17:17:23

Right, Englishrussia randomly mixed the photos from two of the three houses shown at the original site. It seems that the dark wooden house (the one with photos from the inside) has still an owner who lives there, while the other house is abandonded and completely broken inside.

 
Comment by CZenda
2008-03-11 19:31:43

Pls., could you translate “терем” to English?
Thanks.

Comment by Premas
2008-03-12 07:31:06

There is no straightforward translation. One of R-E translators gives the following:
(tower-)room, (tower-)chamber; tower; attic

From one of explanatory dictionaries (russian):
(from Greek teremnon - shelter) - in old russian architechture - upper level of a house built as kind of a tower with gable roof. An owner of such a house was supposed to be rich (upper class). In old times this part of a house was intended for women.

Comment by CZenda
2008-03-13 21:08:08

Thanks. I was unable to find the expression in any of the Russian dictionaries available to me.

 
 
 
 
Comment by J Adkins
2008-03-12 02:49:30

These are very intriguing photos. Really classy and intricate. I like the originality! Follow me…http://www.squidoo.com/jerusalemtopten

 
Comment by Póker
2008-03-12 09:51:31

I will try it modelling with 3D studio :)

Comment by Setan HIjau
2008-03-13 03:36:24

keep us updated.. should take you a while !!

 
 
Comment by Dundurdaus
2008-03-12 13:10:34

Neee… ekki að gera sig.. frekar svo hvað á mar að segja.. ljót…t.. já

 
Comment by Baltic Babe
2008-03-13 01:24:47

These are great structures! A blessing that they are still intact, but a shame that they are not being lived in. Do these houses ever attract squatters?

 
Comment by Bill
2008-03-13 06:43:26

Truly a masterpiece! They certainly will never build them like this one, ever again! How much to airlift to USA? The state should protect these places somehow. I’d think they would be very vulnerable to vandalism, or fire. Maybe, that says something very positive for Russia. That there can exist such beautiful structures without being destroyed by crimals, and vandals! If that house was here in America, I don’t know if it would have still been standing all these years in a desolate place. Maybe, the owners live next door, which would explain it, and if that is the case, it would be similar then to here in the U.S. As long as it is still on someone’s property, and not totally abandoned, and isolated, it would likely survive here as well.

 
Comment by Bored Historian
2008-03-14 17:38:19

Nice pics; however, this building is not from the Middle Ages - far from it! This house likely stems from the 1700s at the absolute earliest, and more like the mid to late-1800s. Nice pics though, reminds me very much of northern Michigan in the winter.

 
Comment by heavysole
2008-03-14 19:24:51

In the US this is called “fretwork” or “gingerbread”. These are absolutely stunning images of craftsmanship of a bygone era. It is sad to see it empty and abandoned. I think I’d have to move my stuff in and live there since nobody else will! You have shown many beautiful examples of the wooden palaces of Russia.

 
Comment by gordon
2008-03-15 01:07:27

I might have the spelling wrong. Chernoble was considered to dangerous to live near, so the government closed off a large area to people and only animals live there. It might be in that area of the forest. The animals for the most part have shorter lives and the radiation is not harming them as much as people who might live there.

 
Comment by asdf
Comment by Miett
2008-03-16 14:34:17

Thanks, asdf. It’s to bad you can’t really zoom in on them, though. Ah well.

 
 
Comment by Kalli
2008-03-18 13:04:34

i wanna buy those houses doea anyone know where i can do that ??

 
Comment by Ortodox
2008-03-18 13:33:47

WOW,WOW…beauty,master pieces…

 
Comment by TerraHertz
2008-03-24 07:16:04

Beautiful and tragic. Not just such wonderful houses abandoned, but the whole live-off-the-land culture that created them - gone.

There’s one thing I wish to ask - here in Australia such buildings would be lucky to last 10 years, let alone 100.