Birth of Russian architect Ivan Y. Starov, one of the founders of the Russian classicism

12 (23) February 1745, in the family of a clergyman, was born Ivan E. Starov, Russian architect, one of the founders of Russian classicism.

In 1758, after graduating from high school at the University of Moscow, Ivan entered the architectural class of the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts. His first teachers were J. Vallin de la Mothe and A. F. Kokorinov. In 1762, together with V. I. Bazhenov the future architect went to Paris, where he continued his studies at the school of Professor Charles de Wailly. Then, in order to study ancient monuments he visited Italy.

In 1768 Starov returned to Russia, and a year later received the title of academician for the draft of the building of the Overland Noble Corps. In 1770, Ivan Starov was appointed adjunct professor at the Academy of Arts, where he taught in 1769-1772.

In 1772, Ivan Starov was appointed the chief architect of the “Commission of the stone construction of St. Petersburg and Moscow," the purpose of which, except for matters relating to reparation work in the capitals, included the regulation of construction in other cities. For two years, the architect was engaged with solving the problems of development of "burnt down places" in Moscow, Lubim and Porkhov, planned and developed such towns as Pskov, Narva, Veliky Ustyug, Voronezh.

Starov’s planning projects of Voronezh and Pskov made in 1774 prove his maturity as an architect. The same year Starov started working on the reconstruction of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery in St. Petersburg. The architect changed the layout of the ensemble, created a circular area at the entrance to the monastery, built a large Trinity Cathedral (1778-1790) and a fence with a gate church.

In the 1770-1780 Starov created manor ensembles near St. Petersburg - in Taitsy, Sivoritsy and Pella.

In 1783-1790 on the left bank of the Neva River, near the Smolny Convent, the architect created a monumental palace for Field Marshal, Prince Grigory Potemkin of Tauris. In front of the palace was constructed a harbor connected by a canal with the Neva on the banks of which a granite pier was located. Behind the palace was spread out a landscape garden. The architecture of the Tauride Palace was distinguished by a wonderful harmony of facade solutions, volumes and the plan. The simplicity of external decoration emphasized even more the magnificence of interiors. Starov created a classic style manor-house, using a special composition with the main building and side wings which were forwarded in a way that they formed an "honorable court"

In the late 1780's Starov designed the Sheremetevs house in Moscow - the best example of his architectural graphics. In the early 1790's the architect worked in Ukraine. From 1800 to 1808 Ivan Starov had controlled the construction of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

5 (17) April 1808, after a serious illness, Ivan E. Starov died and was buried in the Lazarev cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Monastery.

Lit.: Белехов Н., Петров А. Иван Старов. Материалы к изучению творчества, М., 1950; Воронов В. Г. Иван Старов – главный архитектор эпохи Екатерины Великой: [к 200-летию со дня смерти архитектора]. СПБ, 2008; Зодчие Санкт-Петербурга. XVIII век / cост. В. Г. Исаченко. СПб., 1997; Кючарианц Д. А. Иван Старов. Л., 1982; Митин В. А. Иван Егорович Старов, Николай Никитович Иевский, Джакомо Кваренги. Начало Большого Воронежа: в 2 т. Воронеж, 2009-2010.