The sacred space of the Yenisei North in virtual projects

Dvoretskaya Anna Pavlovna ORCID: 0000-0002-0140-3704 PhD in History Associate Professor; Department of History of Russia, World and Regional Civilizations; Siberian Federal University 660130, Russia, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Krasnoyarsk, Svobodny str., 82, office 434 advoreckaya@mail.ru Pikov Nikita Olegovich ORCID: 0000-0003-0084-2091 Senior Lecturer, Department of Information Technologies in Creative and Cultural Industries, Siberian Federal University 660130, Russia, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Krasnoyarsk, 82 Svobodny Ave., office 444 nikita.pikov@mail.ru Slabukha Aleksandr Vasil'evich ORCID: 0000-0001-6085-6941 PhD in Architecture Professor, Department of Architectural Design, Siberian Federal University 660130, Russia, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Krasnoyarsk, 82 Svobodny ave., office 462 slabuha@mail.ru

Mekhovskii Vadim Aleksandrovich ORCID: 0009-0000-7786-0939 Master, Department of Information Technologies in Creative and Cultural Industries, Siberian Federal University 660130, Russia, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Krasnoyarsk, 82 Svobodny ave., office 440 mehovsky.zenitchampion@gmail.com

Introduction

The historical and cultural heritage of the Yenisei North has been formed over several centuries. Architectural monuments in the form of temples, around which a special sacred space has developed, are of value. Churches were the collective property of the community and a means of passing on memory to descendants. A rare phenomenon associated with the Yenisei North has become the tradition of building wooden churches (despite their categorical prohibition by the Synod ^{[22, p. 483]}) in the Angara region. Different in time of construction, architectural and compositional solutions and design features, they were examples of iconic wooden architecture, which reflected the traditions of Russian craftsmen-carpenters and masons of bygone centuries – old-timers and settlers.

The religious sites of the Yenisei North, being part of the cultural environment, formed the northern regional sacred space – the product of human religious activity in society. The churches represented the centers of unique complexes of temple architecture, which had been formed for centuries on the basis of the best examples of domestic and world building art. A significant part of the religious monuments of Yeniseisk is currently under state protection, which contributes to their preservation. Literally, modern restorers had to recreate the appearance of many churches in Yeniseisk and Turukhansk in parts ^{[12, pp.243-245]}. Such preservation of cultural and historical monuments of religious significance of the population of Yenisei Siberia is an important resource for the social, economic and cultural development of the territory under consideration ^{[16; 23]}.

At the same time, many monuments of Yeniseisk have been lost. Among them are such masterpieces of religious architecture as the Church of the Nativity and the Church of the Transfiguration. The sacred objects of the Angara region disappeared at the bottom of the Boguchanskaya HPP. In this regard, the first attempts were made to digitally reconstruct the lost objects ^[23].

Historiographical overview

The interest of scientists in the Siberian temple identity, which carries a special spatial and temporal structure of ideas about the world, began to form through architecture. The influence of ancient Russian building traditions on the development of wooden temple architecture in Siberia was mentioned by E.A. Aschepkov. He also examined the earliest surviving church in Eastern Siberia, the Zashiverskaya, which had common features with traditional tent temples widespread in Russia. Being the embodiment of the architectural and construction traditions of the wooden architecture of Moscow Russia of the XVII - early XVIII centuries, this architectural monument has some features that appeared as a result of the influence of a number of specific factors, primarily natural and climatic. It allows us to judge the construction and architectural techniques of our distant ancestors, the skillful skill of nameless Russian carpenters ^{[2, pp. 71-97]}. In Yenisei Siberia, researchers highly appreciated the examples of the iconic wooden architecture of the Lower Angara region. Historian A.Y. Mainicheva ^[18] and architect V.I. Tsarev ^[29], following E.A. Aschepkov, repeatedly raised the issue of transferring monuments and creating an open-air museum. Unfortunately, at present these samples of wooden architecture have been lost due to the flooding of this area of the Boguchanskaya HPP. 

Of particular interest to researchers is the style called "Siberian Baroque". This term was introduced in 1924 by Irkutsk local historian D.A. Boldyrev-Kazarin, who saw its main differences from the "all–Russian version" in the use of regional Siberian features - oriental motifs in the decor, when "some details of Buddhist (Mongolian and Chinese) architecture took familiar forms of kokoshniks" in Irkutsk temples, and "Ostyak Tatar and Bukharian" influences determined the specifics of the decoration of Tobolsk churches. The concept of "Siberian Baroque" begins to be actively used by researchers of regional architecture, but without any clarifications. T.S. Proskuryakova approved it in application to the phenomenon of the Russian scale, focusing on certain features characteristic of the architecture of Siberia of the XVIII – early XIX centuries.  It combined elements of pre-Petrine architecture (contrasting volumes, five-domed) with Western Renaissance (elements of the order system) and Baroque forms (rich facade decor). The Old Russian tradition in the temples of Siberia, in her opinion, manifested itself in "Ukrainian" and "Naryshkin" readings – such as vertically vaulted architectural solutions, elements of the architectural order, Russian patterns as decoration ^{[23, pp. 70-74]}.

Currently, the idea of a stylistically unified "Siberian Baroque" is being questioned. The first to draw attention to this was art historian N.N. Isaeva, who traces the peculiarities of the formation of the iconostasis composition of churches and shows the influence of the Urals and Little Russia on the interior of Siberian temples ^{[13, pp. 105-115]}. The authors also identify several regional architectural schools that were very different from each other, which developed in the 1730s-1760s and influenced the Siberian church building. In Central Siberia (the Yenisei basin, including the lower Angara river), one of the variants of the Ural Naryshkin style with separate pre-Petrine elements prevailed ^{[19, pp. 154, 155]}.

It should be noted that the monuments of the "Siberian Baroque" were studied mainly on typological grounds, as a rule, out of connection with the architectural and natural landscape. Since the 1970s, architects began to pay attention to the peculiarities of the temple urban planning culture, which was formed, developed and modified under the influence of various factors in the vast territory of Siberia. The emergence of the value characteristics of architectural monuments and the recognition of religious buildings of past centuries as such are noted. Among the researchers, we note historians of Siberian architecture V.I. Kochedamov ^[15], S.N. Balandin ^[3], V.I. Tsarev ^[29], K.Yu. Shumov ^[31]. The final work in this series was the work of a large team of authors "Urban Planning of Siberia" ^[10].

V.V. Bulankov is one of the first to draw attention to the importance of Orthodoxy for the development of the cultural and historical environment of the city. In practical terms, many monuments were attributed to them for the first time and described in detail ^{[7; 8]}.

A.V. Aksenova, A.P. Dvoretskaya and N.V. Gonina paid considerable attention to Yeniseisk as a city with centuries-old "cathedral" traditions in which local parishes existed. They note that Yeniseisk has long attracted the attention of researchers with its originality, unique church architecture and traditions of temple decoration, icon painting. It is indicated that the inhabitants of the Yenisei North used aesthetic samples of Arkhangelsk, Veliky Ustyug, Tobolsk, Totma to reproduce them in their new place of residence ^{[1; 32]}.

Awareness at the beginning of the XXI century of the historical and architectural value of religious sites of the Yenisei North led to the need to develop recommendations for the use of new reconstruction methods – 3D modeling and preparation of virtual tours. These methods make it possible to create visual models of places of worship and structures of the Yenisei North, including lost ones, and make them part of the process of popularization of historical and cultural heritage. Building up historical knowledge about individual objects allows them to be systematized and catalogued, contributes to the accumulation of information about the existence of individual objects in the environment, building and architectural techniques of the ancestors. 

Methodology and sources

The modern era is characterized by a significant number of technical and technological innovations that make it possible not only to make life easier for a modern person, but also to change the form of communications. On this basis, the concept of preserving historical and cultural heritage in an open digital environment was formed.

Virtual reconstruction is based on historical data and should have a high level of visualization quality. The advantages of virtual reconstruction include the very possibility of recreating historical and cultural objects, since many of them cannot be reconstructed in the real world due to their historical and archaeological value, and in some cases due to the almost complete loss of these objects. Short lead times and adequate cost relative to traditional analogues are also distinctive features of virtual reconstruction. Thanks to modern technologies based on information sources, high accuracy of reconstructions is maintained.

These technologies allow you to create aesthetically outstanding visualizations, while maintaining the historical authenticity of the reconstructed objects. In addition, it remains possible to introduce interactive technologies and publish virtual reconstruction on the Internet. The Church of St. Nicholas underwent historical reconstruction. Petra in Jordan, the Vatican Palace of the Renaissance, the Japanese Buddhist temple complex Sazaedo, the royal tombs of the Joseon era, the royal palaces of the Koryo Manvolde era, etc. ^[27].  

As a Russian example of creating a virtual spatial historical and cultural environment, we point to the reconstruction of the three-century evolution of the monastery complex and the surrounding Strastnaya Square in Moscow, carried out using 3D modeling technologies, reflecting new opportunities in the development of historical urbanism that have opened up to historians. The results are presented in open access on the website of the Faculty of History of Lomonosov Moscow State University. The user can not only immerse himself in a virtual environment, but also gain access to a database of historical sources – text and graphic. This project is interesting because it provides the opportunity to work with an electronic digital archive, which allows you to use the model of the monastery: to build a section (at any angle), make measurements, see the internal structure of buildings, print drawings. Each user interactively has the opportunity to make comments on the work, discuss and comment on the appearance of monastic buildings and urban development. The experience gained can be used in further research on the creation of virtual reconstructions of lost objects of historical and cultural heritage ^{[5, pp. 107-112; 6, pp. 216-218; 20, pp. 192-205]}.  

The article used photographic documents, 3D modeling objects, scientific and technical documentation of historical and cultural heritage monuments. During the expeditions of 2022-2023, panoramic surveys were carried out of more than 20 objects of religious heritage of the Yenisei North, the territory of the primary settlement of Russians in Eastern Siberia, including the city of Yeniseisk, Yeniseisk, Kazachinsky and Pirovsky districts. Historical-topographical and source-based methods have made it possible to create a reliable scientific basis for cultural and historical reconstructions. 

Methods and results of graphic reconstruction

Digital methods of graphic reconstructions of the sacred space of the Yenisei North are currently becoming more and more in demand.To recreate historical landscapes, the possibilities of modern digital technologies of 3D modeling and photogrammetry are used in recreating spatial, visual images of the historical urban environment that has evolved over the centuries.

The problems of source studies that arise in this case have similarities with the traditional ones inherent in any reconstruction of historical processes and phenomena. However, virtual reconstruction has its own specifics related to the leading role of visual sources. Accessing the entire range of available documents makes it possible to restore the location and dimensions of buildings, their lost historical appearance by comparing information obtained from descriptive sources with data from graphic and pictorial sources.

The advantage of such 3D models is the possibility of interactive online viewing and verification of the created virtual reconstruction. The proposed verification procedure implies the possibility of user interaction with the reconstruction sources presented on the site (text documentation, drawings, plans, photographs, paintings, etc.) and a virtual 3D model created on their basis, with a detailed description of the methodology of its construction in relation to each building, as well as with a virtual tour of the religious space. At the same time, there is not only a new source study task – the presentation of all sources used to restore the relevant historical and cultural space, but also a technological task related to the implementation of approaches to reconstruction and the necessary software tools.

In 2009-2012. Siberian Federal University, as part of its research work ^[14], reproduced a virtual spatial reconstruction of the churches of Yeniseisk using modeling, created a virtual tour of objects of historical and cultural significance, while the objects are endowed with interactivity, the lost objects are partially reconstructed (Fig. 1, 2).

Fig. 1. 3D model of the Yenisei Transfiguration Church ^[9]

Fig. 2. 3D model of the Yenisei Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery ^[9]

In the process of working on the virtual reconstruction of the city's iconic objects, its basic principles were determined: a design approach (the composition of the project team: curator, historian, architect, three IT specialists), modeling of all authentic elements of the object (including small decor) in volume; optimization of the model for export to a 3D engine; creation of a virtual reconstruction a historical image addressed to a wide audience (from specialists to ordinary users). For a year and a half, within the framework of the scientific project "Actualization of historical and cultural heritage", a virtual reconstruction of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, the Epiphany Cathedral, the Assumption, Trinity, Transfiguration and Resurrection churches of Yeniseisk was carried out. The first four places of worship had a well-developed scientific and information base – a set of project documentation, which greatly facilitated their virtual reconstruction. The created models made it possible to recreate the lost details of the first four objects with the help of new digital technologies, graphically reconstruct the appearance of the Transfiguration Church and restore the lost bell tower of the Resurrection Church ^[4].

In the last two cases, the developers had to operate only with archival descriptions and photographic images, which complicated the reconstruction process and necessitated the search for analogues in Russia. Part of the work on the project was the formation of an interactive information system database, the basis of which, in addition to text, is visual information: photographs and 3D panoramas of objects, full-length documentary videos; interactive virtual three-dimensional reconstructions of lost and partially lost objects of religious architecture ^{[26, pp. 119, 120]}.  

The specialists created an authentic environment in interactive applications, used visualization technologies that were relevant at that time, allowing them to create visually attractive images of virtual reconstructions: vertex shader, multitexturing, antialiasing, levels of detail (LOD), blocking ambient light in the screen space (SSAO), etc.

The modeling of an Orthodox church began with the digital construction of load-bearing elements. At this stage, it is very important to highlight all the key elements of the structure. In the case of the Orthodox Church, this is the porch, bell tower, refectory, chapels, temple, altar. This procedure is necessary for further analysis of the relative proportions of the parts of the structure in accordance with architectural principles and Orthodox canons (if the object is completely lost). Then, on the basis of the drawings of the facades prepared by the architect, the heights were determined. At this stage, a thorough analysis of the proportions of the object is carried out in accordance with drawings, textual information and graphic sources. At the next stage, all the elements of the structure (windows, decor, doors, etc.) were modeled as separate objects. In parallel, the general frame of the structure was modeled.

The result of modeling an object for virtual reconstruction is three-dimensional models of the structure, landscape and surrounding space. All models include diffuse and lightmap cards. Further, with the help of third-party programs (exporters), the entire three-dimensional scene was integrated into the 3D engine environment for visualizing a three-dimensional scene in real time, followed by the use of modern graphic technologies ^{[25, pp. 139, 147, 148]}.

Thus, an interdisciplinary group carried out a scientifically based reconstruction with a well-developed source base and the presence of a research task, which is typical for scientific virtual historical reconstructions. In this case, it was about restoring lost data from historical sources, and in general, the specifics of the task required the use of mainly graphic, visual materials and the use of specific research tools – 3D modeling software. As a result, the three-dimensional model itself was not the subject, but the object of research. As a result, it became possible to confirm or refute one or another scientific hypothesis about the features of the object's structure, its functional purpose, strength characteristics, place and time of the historical event under study ^{[6, pp. 216-218]}.

The need to digitize an architectural monument is often determined by practical tasks, and specifically by the purpose of its further use in the production of maintenance, reconstruction and restoration works. Thus, the Zashiverskaya Spasskaya Church, which was transported from Yakutia to Novosibirsk at one time, was subject to restoration, while the path of assembling the building using BIM technology was repeated after it was moved to a new location, which allowed all architectural elements of this structure to be certified ^[17].

Modeling of lost objects is of particular importance. In two years, applied computer scientists, architects, and historians have prepared virtual reconstructions and spherical panoramas of a significant number of sacred objects. In 2022, SFU architects led by A.V. Slabukha reconstructed such lost religious buildings in Yeniseisk as the Transfiguration, Christmas and Holy Cross Churches, St. Nicholas Chapel, and synagogue. The restored churches were included in a virtual tour of the city of Yeniseisk, prepared by the staff of the Digital Humanities laboratory.

A rare phenomenon associated with the Yenisei North is the tradition of building wooden churches in the Angara region. In 2023, the staff of the Digital Humanities laboratory (consultant architect of the project A.V. Slabukha) prepared the reconstruction of religious buildings in the villages of Mozgovaya, Selengino, Yarkino, Kezhemsky district of the Lower Angara region. For this purpose, archival surveys were conducted to find plans, drawings of religious buildings, dimensional plans indicating the dimensions of the main buildings, photographs of existing buildings and territories. Three 3D models of the appearance of objects were created, and sets of textures were prepared for physically correct rendering. 

Several other objects are in ruins. These are the churches in the village of Antsiferovo and Kamenka of the Yenisei district, as well as the house church in the village of Shirokovo of the Kazachinsky district, which requires serious reconstruction. Panoramic photography was carried out on them.

A significant expansion of the user audience leads to technological progress in the development of programs that allow you to create and demonstrate models, simulate a high degree of realism of virtual space, represent the spatial and planning structure of the object, decorative decoration of facades, and respectability of the environment. With careful study, masonry techniques, materials, and building decor are clearly visible.

One of the most interesting areas of work with cultural heritage sites is the formation of a catalog of lost objects of the Yenisei North and the preparation of virtual tours of restored sites. The effect of presence is enhanced through the use of modern visualization technologies, dynamic global lighting and reflection, physically correct rendering, and post-processing effects.

For 14 years now, specialists from the Siberian Federal University have been engaged in the reconstruction of temples in three-dimensional format. Currently, all restored objects and 3D reconstructions are mapped and included in the created virtual tour, including for the purpose of tourism development. In the future, there will be a complete catalog of sacred sites of the Yenisei North, including a description of the monuments, their photographs, information about their history and architecture, as well as a description of artifacts. The aim is to show the value and significance of the historical and cultural heritage of Siberia.

A sample of a 3D reconstruction of a prayer house in the village of Mozgovaya (Verkhnyaya Kezhma) is presented below (Fig. 3, 4). The building of the prayer house was built in 1825 without permission, and was one of the monuments of wooden architecture of the Russian old-timers of the Lower Angara region. In 1872, as indicated in the clerical register of that period, the liturgy was celebrated in the building at the marching St. Antimins. Unfortunately, the building has not been preserved at present. However, its reconstruction allows us to show the construction techniques of the inhabitants of this region. The walls of the temple part and the annex, as can be seen in the photo, are cut from logs, the corners are knitted "in oblo with the rest." The inner surface of the logs is cut without rounding the corners. The altar part of the church, as can be assumed, was built later. It is chopped from a bar, knitting the corners "in a paw". There is no solid wall between the temple part and the annex room, and the beam protruding from the ceiling is supported by two columns of square-section timber. The tent roof over the temple part, the pommel with the dome of the altar part, and the cupola circles have been partially preserved.  Similar churches are one-story, cell-type, common in the Russian North ^{[29, p. 305; 30]}.

Fig. 3, 4. The temple in the village of Mozgovaya (Upper Kezhma) Kezhemsky district (not preserved). 2009 ^[11] and its 3D model. 2023 ^[28].

Online resource "SACRA"

The centuries-old history of religions of Yenisei Siberia attracts more and more attention every year and arouses considerable interest both among residents of the region and its guests, which prompted specialists of the Siberian Federal University A.P. Dvoretskaya and N.O. Pikov to create an Internet resource "SACRA" (Fig. 5). The project team also included specialists from the DH laboratory – programmer V.A. Permyakov, designer A.S. Dyachenko and content manager and digitization specialist V.A. Mekhovsky.

Fig. 5. The main page of the information portal "Sacred space of Yenisei Siberia". 2023 ^[33].

The logo of the site is the word "SACRA", which means "sacred" in Latin. The Yenisei River, which flows through all regions of Yenisei Siberia – Krasnoyarsk Territory, Tyva and Khakassia, is fragmentally represented in each letter of the word SACRA. Thus, the meaning inherent in the brand name is born: the sacred lands united by the Yenisei River. The SACRA logo visually reflects the peculiarity of the Yenisei, which begins at the confluence of two rivers – the Small and the Big Yenisei. Thus, the letter "S" contains two lines of water, instead of one, referring to the beginning of the Yenisei and demonstrating the idea that religion begins with faith, just like a river from its source.

The Internet resource is an information portal about the religions of the Yenisei Siberia, the main method of presenting religious places is virtual tours, through which a person has the opportunity to visit this place and get acquainted with it in an interactive format. All the major religions of Yenisei Siberia are represented here. It is possible to add publications, and there is an interactive map for a more visual representation of religious places.

The following methods of representing space in a digital format are used within the site:

1. Virtual reconstruction, the advantages of which are relatively short lead times (in comparison with traditional methods), high accuracy, the possibility of using the obtained materials on the Internet, etc.

2. Virtual tour is a kind of representation of spherical panoramas in digital form, which allows a person to be in the desired place using the Internet. On the site it is possible not only to get acquainted with images and virtual reconstructions of religious places, but also to study the external architectural features and interior interiors of temples and prayer places.

As part of the project, an interactive map of Yenisei Siberia has been developed (more than 20 sacred sites and sites of the old–time peoples of the Yenisei North, among them Orthodox churches, mosques and synagogues, including lost ones). The map provides the following functional characteristics: users can scale the map, navigate around the map and interact with geographical objects; clicking on a point opens a brief preview of a sacred place or object with a link to the object card; clustering of data on the map at a distance. Technical requirements for the map: the project was developed on React, the interface adaptability for various devices and cross-browser compatibility were provided, the system performance was optimized when displaying a large number of geographical objects.

Fig. 6. The map located on the information portal "Sacred space of Yenisei Siberia". 2023 ^[33].

The overall architecture of the SACRA resource system looks like this:

1. The main page.

2. The catalog.

3. The map.

4. Publications.

6. About the project.

The object card consists of single basic fields (name of the object, location, date of construction, denomination, a small historical reference (no more than 5,000 characters), as well as a slider with photos, video material, additional content (virtual tour; 3D reconstruction of the temple/ mosque; 3D models, interesting exhibits).

The project provides new opportunities for summarizing the entire information array of documents and materials related to the sacred space of Yenisei Siberia. As part of the study of religious sites of the old-time peoples of the Yenisei North, an idea is formed about the peculiarities of the organization of the religious space of immigrants from different places of the Russian Empire, their adaptation to the local landscape and climate, the use of local materials, the transfer of building traditions from their historical homeland to new developed lands, their reproduction over the centuries.

Further, the photographs show objects that were already sacralized in the post-Soviet period. Each of them has their own story. The hospital building in Yeniseisk is associated with the name of Vladyka Luke (in the world – V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky), who, while serving exile, worked here, although not for long (Fig. 7). The wooden temple on Lake Monastyrsky was built already in the 2000s on the site of the cross of worship erected in memory of monks drowned in a pond (Fig. 8). The house church in the building of the resettlement hospital in the village of Shirokovo, Kazachinsky district, is currently considered by the local community as an object for the formation of an open-air historical and architectural museum (Fig. 9).

Fig. 7. One of the buildings of the hospital, where Vladyka Luke served during the years of exile. Yeniseisk. 2023 ^[21].

Fig. 8. The temple on the lake. Monastyrsky near the city of Yeniseisk. 2023 ^[21].

Fig. 9. The Zemstvo hospital and the house church in the village of Shirokovo in the Kazachinsky district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. 2023 ^[21].

Conclusion

The article demonstrates the experience of the Siberian Federal University and the personal experience of the authors of the article with a virtual space for the reconstruction of the religious landscape of the Yenisei North – the development of virtual tours and the creation of 3D models of religious monuments. Virtual tours allow you to show samples of the cultural and historical heritage of old-timers, diverse in styles and technologies used, techniques for restoring buildings and organizing internal space.

The 3D reconstructions performed show the architectural features of the lost buildings, their dimensions and structure. Graphic and other visual documents were used during the reconstruction. The map shows the plan of the area under study, the number of reconstructed objects, and their location.

The SACRA information system made it possible to place all these objects on one platform and create an object card with brief information of a historical and architectural nature, link all the objects of the same type to each other.

Such virtual museumification will contribute to the formation of a single open space for the needs of educational tourism and museums, cultural and educational events. The use of new technologies and non-standard paradigms of interaction makes it possible to make historical and cultural heritage more attractive and accessible to a mass audience.

The ongoing project of virtual representations of the richest sacred space of the Yenisei North captures the current level of historical knowledge about the objects of graphic reconstruction, reflects current technological and technical capabilities. But the main thing is that the created virtual "product" has the possibility of long–term improvement, it is designed for development, expansion and possible correction. As new sources, historical information, artifacts are revealed, as well as new technological opportunities appear, the already created digital complex of the sacred space of the Yenisei North will receive both updated content and an updated creative form of presentation.

You can simply select and copy link from below text field.