Yaroslavl Churches and Multimedia Technologies.

G. Razdoburdina
Yaroslavl Museum-Preserve of History and Architecture
Address: 25, Bogoyavlenskaya sq., Yaroslavl
Phone/fax - +7-(0852)-305755
E-mail – galla@uniyar.ac.ru

D. Morozov
P.G. Demidov Yaroslavl State University
Address: 14, Sovietskaya st., Yaroslavl
Phone: +7-(0852)-739373
E-mail: – dkm@yars.free.net

Modern computer multimedia technologies make possible the development of multimedia CD-ROMs about Russian Cultural Heritage.

Preservation and description of National Cultural Heritage is very important problem in all leading countries in Europe. UNESCO, some public organisations, works hardly with this problem. In spite of low financial support Yaroslavl State University, Yaroslavl Museum-Preserve of History and Architecture and Yaroslavl Art Museum work in the same direction.

The Church of Elijah the Prophet is one of the most popular and well-preserved historical monument in Yaroslavl. The 350th anniversary of the completion of constructing and consecrating of the Church is celebrated in 2000. The multimedia CD-ROM “The Church of Elijah the Prophet in Yaroslavl” was developed to this event.

The Church of Elijah the Prophet, built in the middle of the 17th century, is one of the expressive monument of the Yaroslavl architectural school. The 17th century is the golden age of Yaroslavl, the time of the fast economical growth of the city, was commemorated by the foundation of many churches, decorated with unique frescoes and tiles.

The church was built in 1647-1650 on the site of two stone temples at the account of the richest local merchants, brothers the Skripins. Initially it was situated on the territory of their estate. Yet, after Yaroslavl’s reconstruction after the plan of 1778 the Church of Elijah the Prophet became a centre of the administrative square, one of the main architectural installations of the town. The Church of Elijah the Prophet is a real treasury of ancient Russian art that enshrines the memory of the talent of many best masters: architects, painters, smiths, goldsmiths and carvers. As to the architectural forms, wall painting and composition of icons, the temple of Elijah belongs to the most expressive and perfect architectural ensembles of the 17th century. It is one of the Yaroslavl monuments preserved most entirely and well. In 1898 - 1904 the Church of Elijah the Prophet has undergone large-scale restoration works at the account of I.A. Vakhromeyev. Since 1920 the temple is a museum.

Now, The Church of Elijah the Prophet placed in the heart of the city, is one of the symbols of Yaroslavl. It is one of the most popular places among tourists.

The lack of printed materials about the Church is permanent. Information in electronic and multimedia forms did not exist at all. Note, that multimedia information content contains audio and video components, except the ordinary text. Some years ago, Yaroslavl State University and Yaroslavl Museum-Preserve of History and Architecture tried to develop the multimedia CD-ROMs devoted to the history of Yaroslavl churches. The CD-ROM commemorated to the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral was printed in a very small circulation. This experience allows to realise all advantages of multimedia technologies in developing the CD-ROM “Church of Elijah the Prophet in Yaroslavl”. This CD-ROM starts the series of compacts commemorated to the history and nowadays of Yaroslavl Churches. Multimedia CD-ROM “The Church of Elijah the Prophet” contains information about the outstanding monument of Russian Culture of the 17th century, which has played a significant role in the development of Yaroslavl architectural and painting school. Disc includes the set of multimedia excursions ordered from the original interface, devoted to the church architecture, main topics and particularities of the frescoes, icons and iconostasis, and also to restoration history. The church is presented by more than 260 modern and unique old photos. The disc presents unique video clips of the places impossible for public access today. The content part of the CD-ROM was prepared and edited by researchers of the Yaroslavl Museum - Preserve of History and Architecture.

The minimal requirements for computer hardware and software are not so high in comparison with requirements PC99 and PC2000 for consumer personal computer.

The minimal system requirements:

 Galina Razdoburdina, Research Secretary of Yaroslavl Museum-Preserve of History and Architecture, alumni of Department of History and Foreign Languages of Yaroslavl Pedagogical Institute named after K.D. Ushinsky .

Dmitry Morozov, Director of Centre of New Information Technologies of Yaroslavl State University named after P.G. Demidov, alumnus of Physics Department of Yaroslavl State University.

Yaroslavl Centre of New Information Technologies (YarCNIT) was established in 1992 according the decision of the Ministry of Sciences, Russian Federation. YarCNIT is the structural part of Yaroslavl State University named after P.G. Demidov. Within the frameworks of YarCNIT the Demo-Hall for Information Technologies in the Humanities and the Scientific-Technological Program for the Humanities "Yaroslavia" were opened in 1994 and 1996 correspondingly.

YarCNIT is intended to act in the sphere of new information technologies in education and university science. The main tasks of the Centre are the projects devoted to studying and preserving of historical and cultural heritage of Yaroslavl Region, works in the area of information technologies of humanitarian sphere.

These tasks are solved by creating the specialised web-servers, producing CD-ROMs, developing the distant learning courses elements, developing and creating the corporate databases. The main used concepts for solving the current tasks are multimedia and Internet.

YarCNIT presents the results at various conferences, in mass media, by publishing CD-ROMs and sharing Internet resources.

Last time the results were presented at the following conferences:

 

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