Characteristics of Nakhichevan-on-Don Residential Architecture of the Second Half of the 19th Century

Abstract

The town of Nakhichevan-on-Don was the center of a colony established by the Crimean Armenians in 1779. Between 18th and 19th centuries, their dwellings still showed the architectural traditions of the peninsula. However, Russian laws and the architectural practice that developed under these laws resulted in construction by existing models and in accordance with predominant styles. In the second half of the 19th to early 20th centuries, the architectural image of Nakhichevan resembled any other Russian provincial town built by a general layout. At the same time, some specific characteristics that defined the peculiarity of residential architecture and the uniqueness of the cultural heritage of the town remained. The article describes the characteristics of volumetric and spatial solutions and stylistic preferences of the dwellers. Studying of archival materials and field studies allowed the author to trace the transformation of the interior design of a Nakhichevan dwelling and to reveal sustainable architectural forms that existed in residential construction up to the early 20th century. Keywords—Nakhichevan-on-Don; residential architecture;