National romantic style in Saint-Petersburg

upd 22 January 2024

National romantic style in Saint-Petersburg appeared as a reaction to the same architectural style in Scandinavia and Finland and was very popular in the beginning of the XX century. This style changed a city image and had a big influence on architecture.

The uniqueness of the national romantic style is the desire to approach to the past using the new technology. It is a combination of a romanticism that slowly goes away, art-nouveau that was very popular and some patterns of the functionalism that will take place in the future. This transition between the past and the future is the reflection of the changing period of time — the beginning of the XX century.

The main characteristic of the style is the usage of both natural materials such as stone and a lot of decorative elements; references to old legends and tales; usage of plant and animals themes, asymmetry and symbolism.

One of the most important architects of national romantic style was F.Lidval. The buildings constructed upon his projects are located in Saint-Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Riga and other cities.

The complex of buildings on Kamennoostrovsky st. 1-3 was constructed for Lidval himself.

Lesnoi, 20. The dome of the buildings is a reference to a Swedish castle Vadstena.

M.Konushennaya, 3. The combination of art-nouveau techniques with classic ones such as symmetry.

Kamenoostrovsky, 61 (1906-1907)

Kamenoostrovsky, 67 (1908-1909)

Bolshoi prospekt, 44 (1906-1907). One of the best examples of the national romantic style.

Kovensky, 23 (1911-1912)

12 line of Vasilyevsky island, 19 (1913-1914)

2 line of Vasilyevsky island, 29 (1906)

Lenina st., 33 (1910)

Kronverksky, 23 (1911-1912)

Ispolkomskaya, 5 (1910-1911)

Stremyannaya, 11 (1906-1907)

Kovensky, 7 (1911-1912). French Catholic church.

Nekrasova, 58-60 (1912)

Pl. Muzhestva (1913-1914)

Rentgena, 9 (1907)

You can see a map below with all the buildings mentioned in the post.