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Kremlin Museum Complex, Suzdal

  • concept, supply, installation:
    The Light
About the project
Suzdal, like most ancient Russian cities, grew around the fortifications of the Kremlin, а fortress located on a hill. Over its thousand-year history, the Suzdal Kremlin has survived raids, fires and devastation, but despite the dramatic events, the main buildings are well preserved. The basis of the architectural ensemble consists of several churches, the Bishops' Chambers and the ancient Nativity Cathedral. They were created at different times and made in different styles. The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary of the 12th century is one of the most remarkable examples of stone architecture of pre-Mongol Rus' that has survived to our time. Among the stone churches of the Suzdal Kremlin rises the St. Nicholas Church - the only building made of wood and the main exhibit of the Museum of Wooden Architecture.
Until the end of the 18th century, the Suzdal Kremlin was the residence of the Vladimir-Suzdal bishops, and the cathedral served as a tomb for representatives of the Suzdal princely and boyar families and the highest clergy. Today, the Kremlin is a monument of ancient Russian art and architecture. It is a museum complex where many unique masterpieces of ancient Russian art are stored. Since 1992, the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and the Bishop's Chambers of the Suzdal Kremlin have been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lighting concept and tasks
The Suzdal Kremlin stands as the oldest and central part of the city, serving as a key architectural element. When illuminating religious structures, the primary method employed is flood lighting. This technique highlights buildings against the backdrop without altering or overshadowing the daytime aesthetic.
Project implementation
To brighten the lower section of the façade, IntiGROUND ground luminaires were employed, while the middle and upper portions were lit up with BOX spotlights mounted on external lighting poles and façade walls. The luminaire bodies are painted to match the façades seamlessly: white on the cream-colored façade, gray on the roof and bell tower, and black on the supports.
The focus was on illuminating the crosses with fittings with narrow-beam optics. By introducing light accents on the crosses, we were able to draw more visual attention to the object, highlighting its grandeur and spiritual significance. When developing the concept, we considered the necessity to illuminate various buildings based on their façade cladding. Consequently, the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and the Bishop's Chambers were illuminated with the equipment with a color temperature of 4000K, enhancing the whiteness of the stone structures. The St. Nicholas Church, constructed from wood, was illuminated using equipment with a color temperature of 3000K.
The illumination of the Suzdal Kremlin features a modern INTILED concept using new equipment, initially introduced in 2014.

lighting equipment

Contacts

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+7 812 380 65 04

Moscow - sales office
+7 495 510 27 65

info@intiled.ru
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