What does the architectural symbolism of the Masons say. Symbolism in architecture Freemasons in Washington

The scientist says this about the special phenomenon of St. Petersburg Russian culture: “The separation of St. Petersburg Russian culture into an independent phenomenon has a basis, due, first of all, to the concentration here in the second half of the 18th, in the 19th and early 20th centuries of the intellectual forces of the country. Therefore, here, in St. Petersburg, in essence, all the best aspects of Russian culture are concentrated.

Petersburg is characterized not just by proximity and similarity with Europe, as is often interpreted, but by the concentration of features of Russian culture. This concentration has made our city one of the most Russian among Russian cities. It is the most Russian among Russians, and the most European among European cities!

St. Petersburg is the most mystical and the most Masonic city. A city of tradition and conservatism, which it amazingly combines with reforms and revolutions. The city of the revival of ancient culture, in which uprisings and conspiracies have matured and are maturing.

The art of the 18th century is permeated with the ideas of Freemasonry. An architect cannot but be a Freemason. Translated from the Greek language, the architect is the chief builder. Indeed, of all the artistic professions, this is the only one, as it were, completely "Masonic", because it is called upon to embody the ideas of "freemasons" in visible forms. Their plans to build a symbolic Temple of Truth and Love become concrete architectural designs. The cathedrals they built were not just architectural monuments. These were symbols of God, Truth, the Universe, revealing to the initiated the deep secrets of being. And in order to build them, these masons had to have the knowledge to penetrate the mystery of the Divine plan and transcendental harmony. The science of construction, architecture, geometry was seen by him as a set of sacred, esoteric knowledge, drawn first from the Bible, and later from the teachings of the East, antiquity, Ancient Egypt and other mysterious sources penetrating Europe. These masons looked at their activities within human limits as a reflection of what God himself, the Creator, the Great Architect of the Universe, carried out on a cosmic scale - they created order out of chaos. But between such a practical, as it is called, Freemasonry and its modern forms, there is both a direct connection and cardinal differences .. In other words, the architects understood Freemasonry in the literal sense - not as an abstract moral goal, but as everyday work and for money. An eloquent example is the English architect Christopher Wren. He was a famous English architect who rebuilt London after the Great Fire of 1666. He also built St. Paul's Cathedral - the main Protestant (Anglican) cathedral in those years.

Among the Russian architects whose work is part of St. Petersburg, there may also have been followers of the Masonic teaching, which was subsequently reflected in their creations.

Tab. 1. Masonic symbols in the architecture of St. Petersburg in the second half of the 17th - early 19th centuries

architectural building	Masonic symbol	Possible decryption
1. Kazan Cathedral	Radiant delta on the pediment	This is a Masonic symbol, since the architect of the cathedral - A. Voronikhin - was a member of the Three Virtues Masonic Lodge, and then joined the Modesty Lodge. Meaning: the sending of divine thanksgiving to Russia, the guardian of the true church.
2. Academy of Arts	Compasses with a square on the frieze of the building	The "dominance" of Masonic philosophy, which penetrated the minds of young artists, architects, sculptors, contributed to the use of their symbols in the design of the exterior of the building. Bazhenov, a future freemason, was brought up within its walls by two creators of the project for this building - A.F. Kokorinov and Zh.B. Vallin-Delamot. Perhaps they were also influenced by Masonic symbols, which is why the signs of “freemasons” are still stretching along the frieze of the Academy of Arts.
3. New Holland	The shape of the island along the perimeter resembles the Radiant Delta	The Masonic sign is a symbol of grace, since the island was originally conceived as a resting place for Peter I from state affairs.
4. Finnish Church of St. Mary, church, Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Church of St. Catherine	Chesme Radiant Delta on the pediment	The sign is part of the common Christian symbolism. It is interpreted as the All-Seeing Eye - a symbol of the trinity of God.
5. Church of Macarius of Egypt at the Mining Institute	Radiant Delta on the facade of the building	A Masonic symbol, since the architect A. Voronikhin belonged to the Masons, and the Mining Institute was a stronghold of Freemasonry during the years of Catherine's reign (the study of rocks is associated with the original meaning of the Masonic organization - freemasons).

From the point of view of C. Pierce's classification, Masonic symbols should be classified as conventional signs. Having examined several symbols that are most often found on the facades of St. Petersburg buildings, one can be convinced that their external content does not correspond to the ideological goal: the compass does not resemble human nature, just as the triangle does not represent God.

From the point of view of the system of signs V.N. Ageeva, Masonic symbols are figurative signs. This concept is related to the concept of a symbol. In science, this word is a complete synonym for the word "sign", but in art, in religion, a symbol is understood as a kind of image represented by a sign, and at the same time, as a sign behind which the inexhaustible properties of the sign are hidden.

Freemasonry is a multifaceted layer of symbolism and ideas about the development of the Universe, borrowed from different peoples and civilizations. Masonic Petersburg became the focus of the Russian type of Freemasonry, which greatly influenced the development of art in Russia in the second half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the nineteenth. “A person should have the right to change his beliefs for serious moral reasons. If he changes his beliefs for reasons of profit, this is the highest immorality, ”said D.S. Likhachev. It is this statement of the scientist, confirming the persistence of the ideas of a person who is true to any principles and moral and ethical, that allows us to say that the influence of Masons on St. Petersburg architecture is great. All the buildings on which possible Masonic signs were found are the main sights of St. Petersburg.

Having examined several architectural structures of the city through the prism of the symbolism of "free masons", one can be convinced of how today's ideas of people are strikingly different from the worldview of the architects of that era. For them (the latter), the most important of the reflections of the philosophy of Freemasonry was interspersed with its symbols in the decor of the building so that only the most attentive eye could notice them. Such delicacy of artists is worthy of respect, because only the chosen one (one who is an adherent of these ideas) will be able to discern them through the integrity and unity of the facade of a building.

It is impossible to understand world culture from the Middle Ages to the present day without taking into account the huge contribution of the Masons to it.
Prof. Dames Stevens Curl

The question of the influence of Masonic ideas on the field of artistic culture remains little studied in modern scientific literature. Either due to the complete disregard of scientists for this "unorthodox" topic, or due to the lack of factual material, which is largely due to the rule of secrecy of some of their rites adopted in the Masonic lodges, as well as the belonging of their members to the Secret Brotherhood of Freemasons. Nevertheless, it is known that the architects Christopher Wren, John Soane, Boulet, Ledoux, William Hogarth, the writers Goethe, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope, Conan Doyle, Kipling, the great actors of the Shakespearean theater Garrick and Irving, the composers Mozart, Haydn, and also Winston Churchill, fourteen American presidents, starting with George Washington, and many major cultural and political figures, whose names, according to the rules of Freemasonry, were hidden from contemporaries and did not reach posterity.

There are many theories and myths surrounding the origin of Freemasonry. Its emergence in Europe is usually attributed to the Middle Ages, when art had not yet acquired an independent status, but was part of the universal context of spiritual culture. It is associated with the construction of huge cathedrals here, such as Chartres or Conterbury, the erection of which was delayed for hundreds of years. Thousands of builders from different countries came to their construction, and associations of people connected by professional interests arose here. These masons (masons) had their own customs, production secrets, their own hierarchy, their own rites of passage - from apprentice to journeyman and from journeyman to master.

The cathedrals they built were not just architectural monuments. These were symbols of God, Truth, the Universe, revealing to the initiated the deep secrets of being. And in order to build them, these masons had to have the knowledge to penetrate the mystery of the Divine plan and transcendental harmony. The science of construction, architecture, geometry was seen by him as a set of sacred, esoteric knowledge, drawn first from the Bible, and later from the teachings of the East, antiquity, Ancient Egypt, Kabbalah and other mysterious sources penetrating Europe. These masons looked at their activities within the human limits as a reflection of what God himself, the Creator, the Great Architect of the Universe, carried out on a cosmic scale - they created order out of chaos. But between this practical, as it is called, Freemasonry and its modern forms, there is both a direct connection and cardinal differences.

The birthplace of the new Freemasonry was England. The impetus for the emergence of permanent Masonic lodges was the great fire of London in 1666, which destroyed four-fifths of the wooden city. The gigantic scale of construction to restore the capital attracted tens of thousands of masons, united in guilds and brotherhoods and adhering to their customs. Their organization, symbols, rituals were borrowed and laid in the foundation of a new, so-called speculative Freemasonry by its founders.

This new Freemasonry was guided not so much by the mystical teachings of the Middle Ages as it was associated with a new scientific worldview: with the discoveries of Galileo, Giordano Bruno, Newton, and, more broadly, with the general rational and liberal spirit of the Enlightenment. Typically, these early Freemasons met in London pubs and private apartments, where they discussed Masonic business, practiced rituals, and welcomed new members. These were the prototypes of future Masonic lodges.

After the founding in 1717 of the United Grand Lodge of England, Freemasonry began to enjoy royal patronage. It is believed that all English monarchs, from George I (1714-1723) and with the sole exception of George V, were members of the Secret Brotherhood. In the Constitution of 1723, the basic principles, goals and rituals were developed, binding on all Masonic lodges. In 1691, Christopher Wren was admitted to one of the early lodges. And it is quite natural that the ideas of Freemasonry first of all manifested themselves in architecture.

The builder of London's St. Pavel was not an architect by education. At Oxford, where Christopher Wren studied, his main subject of study was medicine, but his area of ​​​​interest went far beyond anatomy and healing. It included astronomy, mathematics, fortification, lens grinding, theological problems that Wren hoped to solve with mathematical calculations. In 1681 he became president of the Royal Society (Isaac Newton succeeded him in this post). Wren owes his fame as a great architect to the great fire of London.

On September 2, 1666, a bakery near London Bridge caught fire, the wind carried sparks to neighboring wooden buildings, and as a result, more than 13,000 houses burned down and 200,000 Londoners were left homeless. Of the 109 active churches, 86 were destroyed or badly damaged, including the old Cathedral of St. Paul. The coals on its ruins had not yet had time to cool, when Wren arrived here to examine the remains and began to create a plan for a new cathedral. In 1668 construction began on the Cathedral of St. Paul according to Wren's plan. Wren designed it in the austere, Italian Renaissance style of Palladian architecture. Six double columns supported the entabment of the first floor, above which rose a portico with a pediment of the second; two towers flanked the building on the sides, and above it all at a height of 360 feet rose a huge dome 515 feet in diameter. Construction continued for almost forty years, and on October 20, 1708, in the presence of, as they say in Wren's family papers, "dedicated masons", that is, members of the Brotherhood of Freemasons, his son, also Christopher, put the last stone in the dome of the Cathedral of St. Paul. The aged architect himself could no longer rise to such a height.

There is a huge literature about the work of Christopher Wren, but almost nothing is said about the influence on him, as well as on architecture in general, of the ideas of Freemasonry. It is known that Wren became a member of one of the Masonic lodges when he was already seventy years old. In 1710 he took the high office of Master of this lodge, and held it until 1716. The names of his friends and colleagues in science, who, together with Wren, form the core of the Royal Society of Science, are found in the lists of members of Masonic lodges at the beginning of the 18th century. As an architect and superintendent of all building works, Wren could not help but be well aware of the organization, rituals, ideas of the old, "practical" Freemasonry. In the architectural heritage of Christopher Wren, these influences on the style of his buildings are rather difficult to trace. They manifest themselves only in his frequent use of paired or double columns, which are an important element in the design and decoration of the Cathedral of St. Paul and many other buildings. In the complex symbolism of the Masons, the paired column occupied almost a central place. Two columns - Boaz and Yachin - stood in front of the entrance to Solomon's temple, which they considered the prototype of any architecture, and symbolized the active and passive, male and female principles. But, perhaps, these influences manifested themselves most clearly in the most rational spirit of Renov's classicism, which broke with the Gothic of the past and aspired to the future.

The insular position of England, its isolation from the general European artistic process, greatly hampered the development of the architecture of this country. At the time of Wren, the spirit of medieval Gothic still prevailed here, in the style of which the main temples, royal residences and residential areas were built. However, for the new generation, this style seemed to be a barbaric relic of the past. "The Goths and Vandals," wrote Wren's close friend, the architect John Evelyn, "destroying Greek and Roman architecture, established in its place a fantastic, unsystematic manner of building, which we call modern and Gothic." And the new architecture, he believed, should be freed from "Gothic barbarism."

Christopher Wren died four years after the establishment of the United Grand Lodge of England in London and two years before the adoption of the Constitution, binding on all Masonic lodges. The ideology of the new speculative Freemasonry, fixed in it, was embodied in the work of the greatest architect of the 19th century, Sir John Soane.

This son of a simple mason and himself in his youth a brick-carrier at a construction site was admitted to the Grand Lodge already in adulthood, but his association with Freemasonry began in his early years. As a young man he joined a respectable club of architects whose members met regularly at a Masonic tavern to dine and discuss their affairs. One way or another, his entourage was connected with the secret Brotherhood of Freemasons. In 1828 he designed the great hall of the Masonic Lodge, which, unfortunately, has not survived. There is also a portrait of himself commissioned by him in a suit with all the regalia of the Grand Master of the lodge; in which he was buried.

For the work of an architect, belonging to Freemasonry may mean nothing, but it can mean a lot. In the buildings of Soan, we are faced with a number of oddities that are difficult to understand otherwise than as a reflection of the ideas of Freemasonry. Perhaps the best example of this is one of his major creations, the museum in Dulitch, south London.

Outside, the building is a blank brick block, devoid of windows and colonnades typical of classicism. Only two paired columns - Boaz and Yachin - flank one of its entrances. But when you find yourself in its inner space, you plunge into the streams of diffused light pouring from the plafonds. On the one hand, the absence of windows here was dictated by the very functional purpose of the building, which was specially designed to store and display works of art. But on the other hand, such a functional idea coincided with the main idea of ​​Freemasonry: behind our twilight material world there is a kingdom of light, separated from us by an insurmountable barrier, and the task of all mankind is to find a way to this kingdom. Death is only a way station on this path, it should not be feared, and it occupies a large place in Masonic rituals and symbolism. And right in accordance with this idea, Soan places in the center of the interiors of the museum the tomb of its three founders, crowned with a dome - a unique case in the history of museum construction. Yellow glass is inserted into this dome, and when you get into the space of the crypt, you get the feeling that outside it is early morning and the sun is rising or, conversely, time is going to sunset. Artificial and natural merge here not through the view from the window or plant props, but thanks to natural light. "The enchantment of Masonic symbolism," writes Hugh Perman of Soana, "animates its architecture in the same way that it permeates the music of Mozart's Magic Flute, written in the same period." Soan is often called the most subtle and lyrical architect of his time.

Soan created his own version of classicism in architecture. This is classicism without columns, porticos and external decoration, very different from that then common in Europe.

European classicism (or rather, neoclassicism) was largely generated by the rebellious spirit of the French Revolution. Its leaders were Louis David in painting, and Ledoux and Bulle in architecture. And again: the ideas of Freemasonry are clearly traced, if not in David, then in the projects of French architects.

Already the first representatives of the new, "speculative" Freemasonry were people opposed to church and state dogmatism. They did not seek to create a new religion, they simply defended religious tolerance and wanted to unite representatives of different political views and faiths with a common goal: to promote social progress. The pre-revolutionary atmosphere of the 18th century in Europe was fertile ground for the spread of Masonic ideas, and it is still unknown whether the French Revolution borrowed the slogan "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" from Freemasonry, or whether Freemasonry adopted it from the revolution.

In France and Germany, Masonic lodges spring up like mushrooms after rain.

According to the mythology of freemasons, the first architect on earth and, therefore, their direct predecessor was the builder of the Ark, the biblical Noah, in whom the Great Architect of the Universe himself invested knowledge of geometry and mathematics, and one of the main symbols of their profession was a compass. Isaac Newton himself devoted an entire treatise to deciphering the "divine geometry" of Solomon's temple in Jerusalem, as described in the First Book of Kings of the Old Testament. Symmetry, rigor, simplicity of form - since the time of Christopher Wren, this has become a symbol of faith for many architects of the new generation. The extreme forms of such ideas were embodied in the work of two architects of the time of the French Revolution - Ledoux and Bullet. Ledoux is known to have been a member of the Masonic Lodge; no such information has been preserved about Bull, but the influence of Freemasonry on his work is beyond doubt. Thus, his designs for a monument to Newton are a giant ball, bordered by three rows of evergreen trees and built into a strict square of blank walls (in another project - into their semicircle). Bulle combines the clarity and simplicity of neoclassical forms with the megalomania of the mausoleums of Imperial Rome. The Ledoux steelworks project is a whole city with foundry pyramids (the pyramid is one of the main Masonic symbols) and strict geometry in the location of utility rooms. These projects remained on paper, like many utopian ideas of all kinds of revolutions. But from them there is a direct road to the social fantasies of Le Corbusier and other avant-garde artists of the twentieth century.

In the next two centuries, Freemasonry in England moved from architecture, where nine out of ten professionals were Freemasons, to professions such as police, law, medicine, in which the predominance of Freemasons was obvious. The situation was more complicated with the artists. Already in the Constitution of 1723, the basic principles were formulated that determined the behavior of the Mason within the Lodge and in his personal life. These are: "1. Brotherly Love, which means, among other things, respect and tolerance for the opinions of others; 2. Help, and not only to Masons, but also to other people; (Isn't England rightfully often called the country of philanthropy from here? - I.G .) 3. True, which means striving to achieve high moral standards yourself and thereby influence others. On the latter, that is, on the desire for personal self-improvement, the philosophy and morality of Freemasonry are based, "wrapped in allegory and illustrated by symbols." With the unusually wide spread of Freemasonry among the most diverse circles of English society, its principles and ideas could not but influence the nature of art and the work of specific masters. But who were these masters - members of the Secret Brotherhood of Freemasons?

It is known that the Freemason was William Hogarth (1697-1764), who is rightly called the father of English art. Almost all the work of this master was devoted to exposing the morals and vices of society in order to increase the moral level of the population, in order to thereby promote social progress. He denounced debauchery (series "Career of a moth" and "Career of a prostitute"), cruelty (series "Three degrees of cruelty"), drunkenness (engravings "Gin Street" and "Beer Street"), greed, self-interest, deceit ... In his In his autobiography, Hogarth wrote that "plots that entertain as much as they develop the mind should be regarded as the most socially useful and placed above all else." And in his personal life, following the Masonic principle of helping people, he spent a lot of energy and money on charity.

We do not know the names of other English Masonic artists. But weren't it Masonic ideas that gave a sharp flavor of "Victorian" morality to the aesthetic theories and political ideas of John Ruskin and forced him to squander all his considerable fortune on social philanthropy? Were they the ones who encouraged Joshua Reynolds to ascribe good taste only to virtuous people? And one more important point. A member of the Masonic lodge in England could be a man (women were not allowed here) of any concession - Christianity, Mohammedanism, Judaism, Buddhism - and any political views, but discussion of political issues was strictly prohibited at lodge meetings. Freemasonry here clearly separated itself from politics. And isn't this what, for two centuries, kept English painting from solving burning social problems and focused artists' attention on the problems of morality, everyday life and the mysteries of the universe? In the absence of facts, one has only to speculate here.

So believed the freemasons, and their ideas directly coincided with the worldview of the chairman of the Royal Scientific Society.

Over time, the places of these meetings turned into lodges, their leaders - into Masters or Guardians, and the traditional tools of masons - a compass, trowel, hammer, apron, etc. - began to be used as symbols of accuracy, skill, perfection. At the end of the 17th century there were at least four such Masonic lodges operating in London.

Freemasons in England prevailed in such professional areas as construction, advocacy, police. All Masons, also outside of Great Britain, were united by the Grand Lodge of England, created in 1717.

England is rightfully considered the birthplace of Freemasonry. Since the beginning of the 18th century, Freemasonry has spread widely in the British Isles. As the researcher of this issue, Professor James Curl, writes: "The British of that time considered the cathedral the eighth wonder of the world, not only in its grandeur, but also because of the timing of its erection. If the construction of the famous St. Paul's Cathedral in Rome lasted one hundred and twenty years and after Michelangelo in thirteen people were replaced as leading architects, then St. Paul in London was built three times faster and under the direction of only one person.

During the construction of the cathedral and after its completion, Wren built a number of outstanding buildings in London: a hospital for war veterans in Chelsea, the Royal Asylum for the elderly sailors in Greenwich and in the same place - the observatory building, new interiors and buildings in the complexes of royal palaces, etc. d. For many years he held the important post of Royal Inspector-General of Buildings, and under his supervision the reconstruction of London took place. He and his disciples built most of the churches on the site of those destroyed by fire. He enjoyed the fame of the first architect of England. And yet, in his old age, Wren complained bitterly about Charles II, who distracted him from scientific research and forced him "to give all his time to garbage work." He would have preferred to remain a doctor.

In all this, the breath of the coming era was already felt - the Age of Enlightenment with its religious tolerance, rationalism, and the desire for social transformation.

Sir John Soane (1753-1837)

How could this convinced Freemason, obsessed with the idea of ​​death, so influence the architecture of the cities of our time? What a strange energy turned this brick-carrier at construction sites into Sir John Soane, Academician and Master of Architecture of the 19thcentury, which is now widely copied and quoted by modern architects, who are neither classicists nor masons?
Hugh Perman

The answer to this question is given by Soan's biography. His father was a simple bricklayer, and young John began his career as a brick carrier at the construction sites where his father and older brother worked. He could have followed in his father's footsteps, if not for his talent and luck. When he was fifteen years old, he was noticed and taken to his office by the then famous architect George Dens. Soan was something of an errand boy for him, but he got access to the owner's rich library and the opportunity to penetrate the secrets of architectural craft. In 1771, he became a student of architecture at the Royal Academy, for his projects he received a gold medal and a scholarship, which gives him the opportunity to take part in a long Grand Tour of Italy.

In Italy, Soan not only studies classical monuments, but also makes acquaintance with some of the tour participants - his future customers and patrons, including the director of the Bank of England, Richard Boznquist. Through him, he receives an order for the construction of the buildings of the Bank of England, in 1788 he starts work and creates a huge architectural complex - this, as it was called, "a city within a city." In the 20th century, the complex was rebuilt, and only the banking operations hall with adjacent premises remained from the original design. It is a whole labyrinth of rooms and corridors without windows, illuminated by artificial light; the main hall, as in a temple, is crowned with a dome through which daylight penetrates here, and all this looks like a solemn church architecture.

The construction of the Bank of England complex brought Soan fame. The Russian Tsar Alexander I himself, when he visited London with his sister, the Duchess of Oldenburg, in 1814, wished to get acquainted with this building, was taken through all the rooms and asked Soan to show him preliminary drawings. Soan brought the drawings and presented them to the emperor. Professionally, Soan goes from success to success. He is elected a member of the Royal Academy, where he becomes a professor of architecture, and is appointed to high positions in the English building administration.

It would seem that the son of a simple bricklayer, who rose to the very heights of society, should only enjoy life. At the end of his career, he was knighted, he is the father of two sons, of whom he dreamed of making the successors of his business. But the younger son died, and the eldest turned out to be a lazybones, extorted money from the family, abandoned the profession of an architect and, becoming a small-time journalist, criticized his father's architecture in one of the first articles. The break with his son was a heavy burden on Soan's soul, and for most of his life he was in a state of melancholy. He was intolerant of his opponents, in lectures he allowed himself to attack the buildings of his colleagues, which was not accepted in academic practice and for which he was temporarily suspended from teaching. It seems that the only creature close to him was his beloved dog, after the death of which he built a tomb in his house with the inscription: "Alas, poor Fanny." But melancholy was strangely combined in Soan's character with incredible energy, which, along with intense creative activity, also allowed him to compile his collections of works of art from all times and peoples. From his foreign trips, he brought antique statues, Egyptian sarcophagi, architectural fragments from different eras.

In 1807, Soan purchased a large house in central London and remodeled it in his own way. He divided this typical English house (now the John Soane Museum is located in it) into two parts: the residential part on the upper floors, where the living room, dining room, bedrooms are located, and the museum part - for his collections. In the layout of this house, as well as in its collections, the Masonic soul of the architect was embodied, as it were. Freemasonry taught that mankind must discover what was lost, penetrate the wisdom and knowledge of bygone civilizations, and with their help find the secret of perfection. For this, all people should try to build the Temple of Humanity, where everything valuable from human knowledge will be stored and where the memory of the lost past will be revived. And it seems that Soan himself built such a temple in the lower floors of his own house.

When you get here, you find yourself in some ghostly space of a labyrinth or catacombs. You make your way through narrow passages and find yourself in rooms where paintings by his friend Turner and Hogarth hang, drawings by Piranesi, there is an authentic sarcophagus of Pharaoh Seti I; descending the stairs - and in the lower rooms you come across either the tomb of a dog, then another tomb of a certain monk, then models of ancient temples, then suddenly courtyards open up before your eyes, a kind of light wells packed to capacity with architectural fragments of different cultures. All this plus the absence of windows and overhead or artificial light create an atmosphere of some kind of mysterious mystery.

The labyrinthine complexity of the spatial solution here is not just the fruit of Soan's melancholy fantasy. The labyrinth as a path of man from life through death to a higher existence is one of the oldest ideas of Freemasonry: labyrinths were inscribed on the floor of such cathedrals as Reims and Chartres by old masons. This path is complex, gloomy and tortuous, and many dangers await a person on it, he must overcome evil and go through several stages of good, just as in The Magic Flute Tamino, once in the kingdom of Zarathustra, passes through three castles: Nature, Reason and Wisdom.

The Masonic cult of death as an intermediate stage on the path of man to the kingdom of light, which manifested itself so clearly in the planning and design of his own house, leaves an imprint on all of Soan's work. He is the author of numerous tombstones and monuments directly related to this cult. The usual Christian symbolism is replaced in them by Masonic emblems: a snake biting its tail is a symbol of eternity, compasses and a trowel are attributes of the Great Architect of the Universe, paired columns, and the geometric shapes of these tombstones themselves - cubes, cones, pyramids - also carry symbolic meanings attached to such geometry by the Freemasons.

Little remains of Soan's work. Its main buildings - the Bank of England complex, the main hall of the Masonic lodge, the interior of the English parliament, the houses of the English aristocracy, etc. - were destroyed or underwent radical reconstruction. The paucity of the surviving and unusual for his time very approach to the problems of architecture for a long time pushed Soan's work into the shadows, despite the fact that many of his innovations entered the practice of architectural construction during his lifetime: the overhead lighting of the Dalich Gallery became a model for the construction of museum buildings, its dome was copied by many architects, paired columns moved to the facades of houses ... and even to curiosities: the red telephone booth, which, together with double-decker buses, became an invariable attribute of the English urban landscape, designed in 1924 by Gilbert Scott, exactly repeats one of the Soan tombstones.

The second discovery of Soan occurred only in the second half of the twentieth century. The largest architects of the era of postmodernism and high-tech (high-tech architecture) - the Japanese Arato Isajaki, the American Louis Kahn and others - saw in him their direct predecessor. Obviously, due to many specific features of his style. If before him classicist architects, including Christopher Wren, dressed their buildings in the clothes of Greco-Roman colonnades, then Soan refused to order decorations, from imitation of classical forms, leaving the pure architectonics of the building. In the history of architecture, his buildings are a rare case - classicism without a warrant, without imitation, without decor. The constructive severity of the exteriors, the free organization of the internal space - all this turned out to be in tune with the spirit of modern architecture. And, perhaps, the main thing is the poetic spirituality of his vision, uniting construction, plasticity, form, light into a single whole, this is the orientation of his architecture not only to the practical and functional purpose of the building, but also to its inclusion in a certain cosmic order of the universe and human life. . Somewhat coarsening, we can say that modern architecture did not follow the Ren, but the Soan path.

Christopher Wren

The main principles of Christopher Wren were non-church (with the obligatory condition of faith in a Supreme Being) and apoliticality. Of course, any member of the Lodge in his private and professional life could be a politician of any persuasion, and a preacher of his religion, but at Masonic meetings, discussion of issues of faith and politics was strictly prohibited. And when the French Grand Lodge of the Orient in the 1870s dropped all reference to the Supreme Being in their rituals and began to get involved in politics, they were immediately informed that until these changes were reversed, English Freemasonry would not recognize it as legitimate.

Already on September 11, he handed it over to King Charles II. It was a plan not only for a new cathedral, but also for a new capital. Wren proposed demolishing both the damaged and the surviving buildings of most of medieval London and building a new city in their place. Instead of a spontaneously formed intricate scheme of narrow streets, Wren's plan assumed a straightforward breakdown of new districts into clear blocks separated from each other by wide avenues. This innovative plan in England was not carried out. But after 130 years and five thousand kilometers from London in America, Wren's plan became the basis for the planning of Washington and other American cities.

Mathematics, Ren believed, is the key to all problems - everything created can be expressed in numbers and, in his words, "architecture owes its existence entirely to mathematics." And not only Ren recognizes the existence of the Great Architect of the Universe. Masons considered their task to be the work of improving society, which can be achieved primarily through personal moral self-improvement. A person, they believed, who embarked on this path, is a wild, unworked stone. And just as the former masons, grinding stone blocks, built palaces and cathedrals from them, so Freemasonry must build a single Temple of Humanity or the Temple of the Spirit from processed human blocks. And what could be a more accurate allegory for creating a better society than building a real building? And it is natural that the influence of Masonic ideas first of all manifested itself in architecture. It is believed that in the XVIII-XIX centuries, nine out of ten English architects belonged to the Secret Brotherhood.

But when did he become acquainted with Freemasonry and come into contact with members of the fraternity? And here we enter the realm of assumptions and hypotheses, often not supported by facts.

From that moment on, almost all the Grand Masters of the lodge were dukes, earls, princes - future English kings, and this naturally attracted the highest English aristocracy and business circles to Freemasonry. Donations coming from here formed the financial base of Freemasonry, and this allowed them to carry out one of their main functions - charity. Freemasons built a wide network of hospitals, schools, nursing homes and help for the needy.

Notes:

1. Now it houses the Museum of the Bank of England.

2. The well-known architectural theorist Alexander Rappoport believes that the Renovsky plan for the restructuring of London - the first plan in Europe to build a city from scratch - influenced the layout of St. Petersburg under construction. When Peter I visited London in 1698, he already had a plan to build a new northern capital. The king was very interested in architecture. For himself and his retinue, he rented the estate of Wren's close friend, architect John Evelyn, carefully examined new buildings, including Christopher Wren. It is possible (although there is no record of this) that he also met with Wren himself and probably saw his plan for the restructuring of London - the first plan in Europe to build a huge city from scratch.

Masonic symbols are often found throughout the world. What do the Masonic signs mean? For what and why is Masonic symbolism distributed?

The eye in a triangle (pyramid) or the all-seeing eye is the most famous Masonic symbol that surrounds us from everywhere. In 2003, a new 500 hryvnia banknote entered circulation in Ukraine. There are many different symbols on the banknote, but it is not the portrait of Grigory Skovoroda that attracts the most attention, but the eye inscribed in a triangle on the reverse side of the banknote. Exactly the same symbol can be seen on one US dollar, on the inner parts of the doors of many Orthodox churches, on monuments, architectural landmarks, house walls, in movies and cartoons.

From time to time, every person encounters this symbol, but not everyone knows that the all-seeing eye is the main sign of the worldwide secret organization of Masons.

The purpose of the Masons

Freemasonry is a secret society of people who occupy a high social position and strive to introduce their own rules into the world and change society in accordance with their own ideas. Freemasons arose in the 16th century from the Knights Templar, after they were excommunicated for disobedience. Starting in 1870, when Adolphe Cremieux became the head of Freemasonry, they began to pursue a new policy for their dominance. A special program has been developed. One of the points of this program included the First World War and the liquidation of the empire, then the Second World War and the Third World War, which we expect in the near future.

Freemasonry researcher, professor of history Nikolai Senchenko, argues that in almost every country in the world there is a Masonic lodge, which can only include the best, richest and most influential representatives of the nation. Together, they are trying to influence events in their country and around the world.

The main goal of the Freemasons is to change the world for the better, that is, to make it more perfect so that everyone who lives on the planet can feel happy. For this, the whole society in general and each individual person must change.

Freemasons have long tried to understand exactly how they can influence the world, until they came to the conclusion that the power to change society or make people behave differently is possible only by influencing the consciousness of each individual, that is, making people think differently, guided by other values. According to many psychologists, it is possible to completely change social orientations only with the help of gradual re-education. However, this method is too long in time, because several generations of people must change until the values ​​laid down in the first generation become the absolute norm of social life. So, for example, it was during the transition from the tribal to the primitive communal system at the end of the Stone Age. Masons allegedly invented a faster way and began to influence the thoughts and desires of people through symbols.

Photos of Masonic symbols on architectural monuments

Here are the symbols that have remained since the time when the first Masons were building temples: a hammer, a trowel, a square and compasses, and the most common one is an eye in a triangle (pyramid) or an all-seeing eye.

All photos are clickable

The scheme by which all Masonic organizations exist is order and constant control. There is an eye in a triangle on the pediment of the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg. There is also an eye in the pyramid above the icon of the Mother of God of St. Isaac's Cathedral. Exactly the same sign right in the middle of the obelisk to those who died during the First World War in Moscow.

On the emblems of American law enforcement officers, regardless of state and rank, this sign - a square and compasses - is a symbol of the redevelopment of the world.

In the Latvian capital Riga, there are a number of Masonic symbols on the buildings of the 17th century.

And this is Ukraine. One of the houses on Knyazheska street in Odessa. On the facade there is a square and a compass sign, and under it is another Masonic symbol - a hammer.

The hammer is a Masonic symbol, which means the power and strength of the order. On the monument to the dead Cossacks in Poltava, on top of the cross is the all-seeing eye. An eye in a triangle is depicted above the central entrance of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Kyiv (see photo below). All these objects have practically nothing in common with each other, except for Masonic symbols.

This list presented in the article is a drop in the ocean, despite the fact that the Freemasons are not going to dwell on architecture.

Modern cinema is filled with Masonic symbols. Here are just some of the films where they meet: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Gangs of New York, The Blurred, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Even in cartoons there are Masonic symbols: "Monsters Corporation", "DuckTales", "The Simpsons" and many others.

According to the researchers, Freemasons seek to instill in people the idea that they are an integral attribute of life in all its manifestations. Allegedly, when this thought is firmly rooted in the minds of all earthlings, they will be perceived as air or water, and Masons can take control of the planet in their own hands.

The influence of Masonic symbols on a person

In 1957, the American researcher James Vikeri put forward a theory according to which the human subconscious absorbs not only what we want, but also the information that somehow passed our attention. It is firmly fixed in the subcortex of the brain and corrects the desire and behavior of a person. Our unconscious operates in the language of symbols. There are symbols that evoke positive or negative emotions, thoughts and feelings in a person, and there are symbols that are simply destructive. When we repeat some information several times, the first unit of consciousness “rolls” into our unconscious and there it becomes our feeling. Allegedly, it is for this purpose that Masons fill the world with their symbols.

According to magicians and psychics, in addition to the psychological effect, Masonic symbols also affect the energy of a person. Some of the sorcerers use Masonic symbols in magical rituals and claim that the energy that these signs emit hides some danger. The energy of the symbol affects the bio-information field of each person, laying in it a program that should turn on at a certain moment and encourage a person to certain actions. However, magicians cannot determine this program, as well as the time when it will turn on, therefore they simply advise to be more careful about what we, ordinary people, do not know anything about.

In many historical documents that have survived to this day, evidence has been preserved that the Masonic Order is a kind of successor to the secret organization of the Templars, which was almost completely destroyed in 1312 by the French king Philip IV the Handsome.

Who are they?

The Order of Freemasons, or Freemasons, is not a public organization with any religious bias. Some researchers believe that they secretly influence the activities of economic and political elites, which means that they secretly control our planet. In addition, it is believed that members of the Order are in the highest circles of power in all the leading countries of the world, since they sometimes manage to coordinate and find a common language even on the most insoluble issues. Also, Masons are often identified with a large financial elite, which holds in its hands all areas of investment banking.

The Order, like many other organizations, has its own hierarchy. The highest level is the Grand Lodges, which have branches of the lower level, and these, in turn, are divided according to geographical characteristics. As for the role of Freemasons in ruling the planet, skeptics tend to consider their influence greatly exaggerated, and many claims are unfounded.

Their goals

Researchers are inclined to the version that initially the meaning of the activities of the Masons was to change the world for the better, that is, they wanted to make it more perfect so that everyone living on earth would feel happy. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to change the whole society and each person individually. But when Adolphe Cremieux became the head of Freemasonry in 1870, the policy of the Order changed dramatically. A certain program was developed aimed at establishing the dominance of the members of this secret society over the whole world. Some researchers are sure that the First and Second World Wars were planned by Masons. But as can be seen from history, the final goal has not yet been achieved either peacefully or by military means.

From the very beginning, the members of the Masonic Order tried to understand how to influence the world, and finally, they came to the conclusion that it was immediately impossible to forcefully change society and make each person behave differently, guided by different values. To do this, it will be necessary to influence the consciousness of each individual individual, and, according to psychologists, this can become possible only in the case of gradual re-education.

This method requires a lot of time, since more than one generation of people must change before the necessary values ​​become the norm of social life. It is believed that members of the Order came up with the fastest method of influencing the desires and thoughts of people through specially designed secret symbols of the Masons.

Basic signs and their meaning

Today there are a large number of symbols that are associated with the Order of Freemasons. It is simply impossible to describe all of them in one article. Therefore, we will consider only the main symbols of the Masons and their meaning.

The Radiant Delta, or the All-Seeing Eye, is one of the most famous signs of the Order. Most experts believe that this symbol has nothing to do with total control. On the contrary, he is the personification of the wisdom and truth that the student masters, as well as the victory of good over evil. The reason that contributed to the fact that the All-Seeing Eye began to be perceived as a symbol of total control was its placement on the coins and banknotes of many countries of the world.

The fact is that almost from the very beginning, Masons were surrounded by a certain aura of mystery, so many people wanted to become members of their Order. Some of them were very rich, and as you know, no organization refuses good funding. Therefore, in the ranks of Masons began to accept not only architects and masons, but also those who had considerable money and great power. Thus, monarchs, lords, nobles, bank owners and big businessmen appeared in the Order. A little later, they began to place the symbols of the Masons (there is a photo in the review) - the All-Seeing Eye and others - directly on banknotes, buildings that they built, and on a large number of other items, thereby showing their power and might.

Square and compasses - a sign that is interpreted differently depending on the lodge. Most often it is associated with heaven and earth. Sometimes it is supplemented with the letter G, denoting God or geometry (from the English word Geometry). The mutual arrangement of the square and the compass is important in all kinds of rituals and ceremonies.

Depending on the lodges, the Masonic symbols may have some differences from each other. For example, instead of the letter G, a cross and a rose are depicted. This means that this symbol belongs to the Rosicrucian Order - one of the Masonic branches, which, unlike the Illuminati, did not become an object of persecution by society and the church.

The book of the sacred law is a symbol depicting an open tome with a square and a compass superimposed on it. This is not necessarily a bible, as many might think, but the main scripture of those beliefs professed by members of a particular lodge. Presumably, it was introduced in order to maintain good relations with all religious denominations that have a fairly large influence in the world.

Various Masonic Symbols and Their Meanings

● The two pillars, called Jachin and Boaz, are a pair of brass or copper pillars that once stood in the city of Jerusalem, in the Temple of Solomon. They symbolize creation and destruction, or the Earth and the Cosmos.

● The steps located between the columns are tests and purification by certain elements while receiving initiation into Masons.

● Mosaic floor with staggered black and white checkerboards. So this symbol denotes the area of ​​\u200b\u200bhuman feelings, which are balanced with amazing accuracy: good and evil, sorrow and joy, etc.

● Three rings - a sign of the trinity of religions - antiquity, Judaism and Christianity.

● Pearls and shells are symbols of self-development. Masons believed that a person in this world is just a grain of sand, which should independently turn into a pearl.

● Chimeras are the personification of a pipe dream to which you must strive with all your heart.

● Acacia branch symbolizes immortality.

cruciform signs

The symbols of the Masons, which were made in the form of crosses, were very important. These include the kabbalistic or trefoil, equilateral, Roman or Greek, swastika or gammed (all variants), six-pointed, Tau-cross and others in combination with a triangle, five-pointed or six-pointed stars and a snake.

The sign belonging to the Order of the Rosicrucians looks very unusual. It is a Tau-cross with a snake nailed to it. This symbol means the dark side of a person, which is destined to die if the spirit can fulfill its destiny. Another sign of the Order - the cross and the rose - represent respectively the fire of earthly suffering and the divine light of the Universe, as well as the male and female foundations.

Masons in Russia

According to legend, the first representative of this organization on Russian soil was Tsar Peter I the Great, who went to England with the Great Embassy in 1699. It is believed that it was there that he received initiation from Christopher Wren, but there is no such information in any of the documents. But nevertheless, this seems to be true, given that the founder of St. Petersburg was not indifferent to all the newfangled Western trends, and Freemasonry, as you know, was based on humanistic principles and enlightenment.

According to documents, the first representatives and symbols of Freemasons in Russia appeared in the 30s of the 18th century. At first, the organizations were headed by foreigners, but already in 1750 a lodge was operating in St. Petersburg, led by Count Vorontsov. By the end of the century, several Masonic societies already existed in the capital of the Russian state, consisting mainly of guard officers. At that time, the lodges "Happy Accord", "Silentness" and "Permanence" were known. It should be noted that the government always felt some kind of threat, and therefore tried in one way or another to control the Masons.

The heyday of the Russian secret society falls on the 1770s, when the historian, poet and statesman I. P. Elagin became the master of the Grand Lodge in St. Petersburg. Before him, Freemasons engaged in rituals traditional for such organizations, insignificant charity, spent time in empty disputes, and the meetings themselves often ended in feasts. Yelagin also introduced a stricter procedure for the work of the lodges, since by that time he was a fairly experienced freemason, an adherent of the Swedish system and a passionate admirer of Cagliostro. Under his leadership, there were 14 lodges, which consisted of about 400 initiates. A little later, he became the owner of the whole island, where the TsPKiO them. Kirov.

Secret signs in the Northern capital

Masonic symbols in St. Petersburg can be found even just walking around the city. Perhaps the most famous building with a clear sign of a secret society is the Kazan Cathedral. Many guests and residents of the city are immediately struck by the obvious discrepancy between the impressive size of the mystical symbol, which is located on the pediment of the building, and the Orthodox Cathedral. Above the entrance is a sign known as the All-Seeing Eye. It can be found on all porticos: on two it is carved from Pudost stone, and on one it is gilded.

Kazan Cathedral was built just in the heyday of freemasonry in Russia (1801-1811). The connection between the temple and the secret society is also evidenced by the fact that its origins were the notorious Count Alexander Stroganov and his former serf Andrei Voronikhin, who also shared the views of the Masons. By the way, under Emperor Alexander I, the All-Seeing Eye symbol as a design element was used in the manufacture of orders and medals that were awarded to the heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812.

As you can see, the symbols of Masons in the architecture of St. Petersburg are present in many places. The pediment of the Trinity Cathedral (Alexander Nevsky Lavra) is also decorated with a mystical sign with rays diverging in all directions. In addition, the Sampson Church in its external decoration also has signs of a secret society.

There are many legends about the Stroganov Palace - a truly luxurious building belonging to the Russian Baroque. Its author was the famous architect Rastrelli. This G-shaped building, located on the corner of Nevsky Prospekt and Moika, was erected in 1753. After the fire, which almost completely destroyed the original decoration, Stroganov architect Andrey Voronikhin was engaged in its restoration.

According to legend, the symbols of the Masons adorned the entire interior decoration of the palace. Even the sequence of the state rooms, as well as the private chambers, represented the ritual path of secret Masonic initiations. As for the patterns on the tapestries, they consisted entirely of emblems, personifying spiritual ascent. It is believed that in this house the freemason A. S. Stroganov, the son of the owner of the palace, held multiple meetings of his lodge. It is assumed that these events took place in the Egyptian (Physical) office, from the windows of which a beautiful view of the Kazan Cathedral opens. Even in our time, among the wall paintings of the Stroganov Palace, one can find symbols of Masons - crossed keys and a pomegranate flower.

Secret signs in the heart of the country

Some symbols of Masons in the architecture of Moscow are quite well preserved and have survived to this day. It is worth noting that even now there is an active lodge in the capital. One of the most common symbols is the cornucopia. It was in this form that the architect Bazhenov planned his last building - the Yushkov House, which currently houses the Russian Academy of Sculpture, Painting and Architecture. At one time, Masons often gathered here in order to perform their secret rites. Later, in this house, the publisher Novikov, also a member of the Order, organized a reading room where people could come, regardless of their origin.

Symbols of Masons in Moscow are quite common. For example, Pashkov's house. This is perhaps the most famous Masonic building in the city. It is believed that it was from the roof of this house that the heroes of the once-forbidden work by M. Bulgakov “The Master and Margarita”, Azazello and Woland admired Moscow. In the last century, Masonic meetings were held within the walls of this building. It is relatively easy to find secret symbols on it: salamanders and chimeras, a plumb line and compasses, acacia branches and pearls.

On the buildings where the Masonic meetings were held, there are many symbols left by the Freemasons. Such buildings include the Menshikov Tower, the temple of the icon "Joy of All Who Sorrow", a museum dedicated to the work of A. S. Pushkin, the Sklifosovsky Institute and others.

Secret signs in Sochi

Whether or not they were at the Olympic Games, some not only foreign, but also Russian media nevertheless saw in some events a connection with the Order of Freemasons. First of all, this concerns the unopened ring, symbolizing America. No one expected that this event would cause such a huge scandal.

Some argued that this was done on purpose and to please the company that sponsored this sports event. Others saw a resemblance to some kind of ritual procedure, where the symbols of the Masons were used. At the Sochi Olympics, there was another incident that surprised many people. The fact is that during the closing ceremony of the games, Valery Gergiev, who conducted the children's choir, quite clearly and clearly pointed to one of the Masonic signs - the so-called "goat", which looked like a raised index finger with a little finger with a clenched fist.

Signs on money

If you look closely at the reverse side of the American banknote, then you can find the symbols of the Masons on it. There are several of them on the dollar, but it is impossible to say with absolute certainty that these signs refer specifically to this Order.

● All-seeing eye. There is no doubt that this symbol is directly related to Freemasonry. But one cannot fail to note the fact that Christians, Buddhists and Hindus had a very similar sign.

● Pyramid. Her image is used not only by members of the secret society in question, but also by other organizations.

● The constant presence of the number 13, which has long been considered Masonic. For example, it corresponds to the number of steps of the pyramid depicted on the banknote, the number of olives and leaves, as well as arrows in the claws of an eagle. In addition, if you count the stripes on the shield and the stars above the bird, then there will also be 13 of them. Moreover, the phrases Annuit coeptis and E pluribus Unum have the same number of letters. But there is a reasonable explanation for this - in the beginning America had only 13 states, so this fact may be just a mere coincidence.

● At the base of the pyramid there is an encrypted inscription MDCCLXXVI, indicating the number 1976. This date is the year of the emergence of the secret Order of the Illuminati, but at the same time the signing of the declaration of independence of the United States took place.

● If you take and draw a star of David around the pyramid, then the word Mason is formed. This is a coincidence that is quite difficult to explain.

There are other patterns, or coincidences with other secret signs. But they are not only on dollar bills. Masonic symbols on money can be found everywhere. They could be seen both on Russian tsarist coins and on modern Ukrainian banknotes - the All-Seeing Eye is depicted on a bill of 500 hryvnias.

Today we can say with confidence that the symbols of the Masons (we presented the photo in the article), which were developed a very long time ago and were expressed in certain rituals, not only have not been lost over the past centuries, but their role is still preserved and has a huge impact on modern world.

The symbols on the facades of houses not only decorate the building, but also turn it into an open book. They can tell a lot about the history of the house and its owners. Some symbols are used as amulets, others - to attract good luck, others - reveal their secrets to the initiates. You just need to be able to read the sign language.

Cupid (Cupid) appears as a charming winged baby. It symbolizes love. His traditional attributes are a bow, arrows and a quiver. But often Cupid is unarmed (then he is called "Putti"). This means that love can hit anyone. Often Cupid is blindfolded because love is blind. It is also a hint of the darkness associated with the sin of love.

Angel (archangel)- messenger, "bringing news." These are spiritual beings, more perfect than man, who proclaim to people the will of God and carry out his commands on earth. Traditionally, angels are depicted as anthropomorphic creatures with wings behind their backs. They symbolize divine deeds and the connection of God with his creations.

St. Andrew's Cross also called diagonal or oblique. Apostle Andrew was martyred on such a cross. It symbolizes perfection and is also present on the flag of the Russian Navy. According to legend, the Apostle Andrew visited the territory of the future Russia, therefore he is the patron saint of Russia.

Atlant- a mighty titan holding the vault of heaven on his shoulders. In architecture, this is a sculpture of a man, supporting the ceilings of buildings, balconies, cornices. Atlas symbolizes endurance and patience.

Bull- a symbol of fertility, sexual strength, as well as violence and rage. This is the embodiment of power, power, male fertility.

Wreath- an annular plexus of leaves and flowers. The wreath represents life, success, abundance, prosperity, triumph, celebration, glory, reward, victory, perfection. But funeral wreaths serve as a reminder of mortality and, at the same time, eternity. Plants from which it is woven add additional significance to the wreath.

Grape- one of the oldest symbols of fertility, abundance and vitality. This sign is actively used in Christianity, since the vine is one of the symbols of Christ, and grape juice is the personification of human blood.

All-Seeing Eye (Radiant Delta)- a complex allegory denoting the All-Seeing God. Often the All-Seeing Eye is called an eye inscribed in a triangle - a symbol of the Trinity. Masons borrowed this symbol, supplementing it with divergent rays. It became known as Radiant Delta. This is a sign of enlightenment and attention, symbolizing the Great Architect of the Universe, watching the work of freemasons (a triangle is a sign of fire and enlightenment, an open eye is a sign of truth and conscience). Also, the Radiant Delta reminds initiates that everyone has his own star, which shines on him in his labors and guides him in his search.

Pigeon- peace, purity, love, serenity, hope. It is also a traditional Christian symbol of the Holy Spirit and baptism. At the same time, pigeon cooing is associated with sex and the birth of children. That is why the dove has become the personification of a tender wife.

Griffin- a mythological creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. These animals personify power over air and earth (the king of birds and the king of beasts), so the griffins symbolize strength and vigilance. According to legend, the griffins guarded the gold of India and the Scythians, so even now they act as guards.

Power is one of the attributes of the supreme power. The round shape of the orb is associated with the globe.

Unicorn- a mystical creature with the body of a horse or deer and a long sharp horn. According to legend, it can only be caught by a chaste maiden sitting alone in the forest: feeling her purity, the unicorn can come up to her, lay her head on her lap and fall asleep. Therefore, the unicorn symbolizes purity, purity and chastity.

Five-pointed star (pentagram) interpreted differently. It symbolizes joy and happiness, the victory of the spiritual over the material, security. It is also a symbol of a perfect man standing on two legs with outstretched arms. And among the Freemasons, the five-pointed star symbolizes the mystical center.

Corn- the main food for many peoples, which is why it symbolizes fertility and abundance. Another meaning is the renewal of life, resurrection. The grain thrown into the ground (“buried”) seems to be dead, but in the spring it wakes up to a new life and gives a rich harvest.

The snake wrapped around the bowl, is a common symbol of medicine. For all peoples, the snake personifies youth, wisdom, the infinity of life. Serpents were considered to have magical healing powers. They lived in the healing center of the god of healing Aesculapius. At the same time, medicines were made in a ritual vessel - a bowl. Also in arid countries, life-giving moisture was collected in bowls. In addition, the bowl is an ancient vessel for storing snake venom, from which various medicines were made. That is why now the image of a snake wrapped around a bowl is used by pharmacies and medical institutions.

Caduceus often referred to as the rod of Mercury, the god of trade and thieves. This is a "magic" wand with small wings, which is wrapped around two snakes. They symbolize the fusion of two polarities: good and evil, right and left, light and darkness. The image of the caduceus, as an attribute of the god of trade, is traditionally used in the symbolism of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry. But the caduceus is also a sign of protection from cunning and deceit, which often accompanied trade transactions.

Caryatids- female sculptures supporting ceilings or cornices. They are named so from the girls of the city of Caria, in Arcadia, who, on holidays in honor of the goddess Artemis, performed religious dances with baskets on their heads. Caryatids symbolize the feminine and, often, the Virgin Mary.

Square, due to its stability, began to symbolize the earth and matter, and its four corners - the four cardinal points, the four elements and the four seasons.

Book- knowledge. The open book symbolizes the book of life, teaching, revelation and the wisdom of the scriptures. Also, the book can mean a hike and a search.

Wheel- a symbol of solar energy (the center is the solar disk, the spokes are rays). It also personifies the life cycle, rebirth, renewal, variability. Often they use the wheel of fortune - a symbol of ups, downs and unpredictability of fate.

Chariot- a symbol of power, power and speed of movement. Also, the chariot personifies the human essence: the charioteer (consciousness), using the reins (willpower and mind), controls the horses (vital forces) carrying the cart (body).

Horse (horse) some peoples was a sacred animal. According to ancient beliefs, the sun moved across the sky in a chariot drawn by fiery horses. Other gods and heroes also rode horses. This explains the generally accepted symbolic meaning of the horse - fidelity, speed, energy, movement, diligence, endurance, chivalry, freedom, heroism.

ship (boat, boat, ship), according to legend, was a means of transportation for celestial bodies and gods, and also served to ferry the dead to the other world. Images of ships can be interpreted as symbols of travel, crossing, immortality and life's journey. When considering life as a dangerous journey, the boat becomes a symbol of safety: it resists the sea of ​​passions. Hence, in Christianity, the Church is likened to a ship. Also the ship and the ark are vessels of hidden knowledge.

Crown- one of the ancient symbols and embodiments of supreme power (head decorations similar to the crown made of horns, feathers, branches and grasses are found among the peoples of pre-literate cultures). The crown rises above its wearer and, at the same time, elevates him above those around him. Thus, the crown becomes a sign of higher, superhuman powers and powers. Also, the closed circle of the rim of the crown is a symbol of immortality and eternity in relation to power.

Cross- an ancient universal symbol of the connection between spirit and matter. In Christianity, the cross symbolizes Christ. But if you inscribe a cross in a circle, then we get a Masonic cross. It means a holy place and a cosmic center.

A circle- perfection, unity, eternity. The circle represents space and the globe.

Corn, like almost all grains, is a generally accepted seed image, personifying abundance, nutrition, peace.

laurel symbolizes immortality, triumph, victory and success. According to ancient Greek myth, the god of poetry Apollo pursued the nymph Daphne, who, running away from him, turned into a laurel bush. Apollo adorned his head and lyre with its branches. That is why in ancient Greece musicians, poets and dancers were awarded laurel wreaths. And the Romans extended this tradition to military victors.

a lion- one of the most used symbols of strength, royal power, justice, patronage.

Bat- nocturnal mammal of dual nature (mouse and bird). In the West, bats are considered sinister creatures that feed on blood. They symbolize nightlife, black magic, the wandering of souls, rapacity.

Lotus- a symbol of fertility, birth and rebirth (it is believed that it personifies the ideal shape of the vulva). Also, this flower, perfect in beauty, became a symbol of the gods who created the world. The lotus symbolizes the past, present and future, as each plant has buds, flowers and seeds at the same time.

Maltese cross also called eight-pointed. This is the emblem of the Knights of the Order of Malta (Order of the Hospitallers), who moved their headquarters to Malta in 1529 - hence the name. The eight ends of the Maltese cross represent the eight beatitudes awaiting the righteous in the afterlife.

Bear- a symbol of good nature and rage, heroic strength and clumsiness, laziness and tender maternal feelings. It is also considered an unspoken symbol of Russia.

Sword- one of the most common characters. On the one hand, it is a formidable weapon that brings life or death, on the other hand, it is a symbol of power, justice, and higher justice.

Hammer and square, along with other Masonic symbols, served as a reminder to the initiate of his duties and qualities. So, the ruler and the plumb line symbolize the equality of estates. The goniometer is a symbol of justice. The compass serves as a symbol of the public, and the square means conscience. A wild stone is a rough morality, chaos, and a cubic stone is a “processed” morality, close to the ideal. The hammer is used to process wild stone and is a symbol of silence and obedience, as well as a symbol of power, since it belongs to the Master. The spatula symbolizes condescension to human weakness and severity towards oneself. Acacia branch means immortality, and the coffin, skull and bones - contempt for death. In general, Masons strove not to leave written and clear traces of their activities, resorting to symbols and signs understandable only to members of the order. Hence the great variety of objects to which the Masons have given symbolic meaning.

Muses- in ancient Greek mythology, the patroness of the arts and sciences. Each of the nine muses personified its direction in art and was depicted with its characteristic attributes: Calliope - epic poetry, Euterpe - lyric poetry and music, Melpomene - tragedy, Thalia - comedy, Erato - love poetry, Polyhymnia - pantomime and hymns, Terpsichore - dances, Clio - history, Urania - astronomy.

Olympic gods can be depicted both in the form of sculptures and in the form of mascarons. In ancient Greek mythology, these are the supreme deities who lived on Mount Olympus. Traditionally, the Olympian gods included:
Zeus - the supreme god of the ancient Greek pantheon, the god of the sky, thunder and lightning;
Hera - the wife of Zeus, the patroness of marriage, family love;
Poseidon - the god of the sea element;
Hades - the lord of the kingdom of the dead;
Demeter - goddess of fertility and agriculture;
Hestia - goddess of the hearth;
Athena - the goddess of wisdom, justice, sciences and crafts;
Ares - god of war and bloodshed;
Persephone - goddess of spring, queen of the Kingdom of the Dead;
Aphrodite - goddess of love and beauty;
Hephaestus - the god of fire and blacksmithing;
Hermes - the god of trade, cunning, speed and theft;
Apollo is the god of light, the patron of the arts, the god of medicine and the patron of oracles;
Artemis - the goddess of hunting, the patroness of all life on Earth;
Dionysus is the god of winemaking and fun.

Eagle- the lord of the air, the embodiment of power and speed, a symbol of rulers and warriors. The eagle is associated with greatness, power, dominance and courage. Therefore, double-headed eagles mean omniscience and double power - heavenly and earthly.

Weapon personifies strength, power over the world, justice, determination, defense, military booty. In the legends and myths of many peoples, one can find an indication that the weapons were given to the heroes by the Gods, and it endowed its owner with extraordinary abilities. In this sense, the weapon becomes a symbol of struggle and victory over oneself.

Sign "Osoaviakhim" can still be seen on many buildings. This sign was placed where most of the residents were members of the Society for the Promotion of Defense, Aviation and Chemical Construction (abbreviated as OSOAVIAKHIM) - the Soviet socio-political defense organization that existed in 1927-1948, the predecessor of DOSAAF.

peacock tail- a symbol of eternal cosmic cycles, the starry firmament and, as a result, unity and interconnectedness.

Pegasus- This is the winged horse of Muses, which appeared from the neck of Medusa when Perseus cut off her head. It symbolizes the superiority of the spiritual over the material, eloquence, poetic inspiration and contemplation. Pegasus is now used as the emblem of air transport.

Pyramid- a symbol of hierarchy and unity. It is believed that the initiates chose the shape of the pyramid for their sanctuaries because they wanted the lines converging to the top, rushing towards the Sun, to remind humanity of unity.

Feather symbolizes truth, lightness, heaven, space, soul.

Sink- a symbol associated with prosperity, birth, life and marriage. So, the born Venus was already depicted on the Pompeian frescoes standing on a shell.

Cornucopia- a symbol of abundance and wealth. It is usually depicted as curved, filled with flowers, fruits, and the like.

Horns, being sharp and piercing, are a phallic and masculine symbol, while being hollow, they mean femininity and receptivity. Therefore, the horns represent warriors and fertility.

Rose has polar symbolism: it is heavenly perfection and earthly passion, time and eternity, life and death, fertility and virginity. It is also a symbol of the heart, the center of the universe, divine, romantic and sensual love. Rose - beauty, grace, happiness, but also voluptuousness, passion.

Lynx, due to its sharp eyesight, symbolizes vigilance.

Knight- a rider belonging to the military class, order or noble level. The knight personifies courage, fidelity, generosity, prudence, honor, and is also a guard.

Salamander- a mythical creature that is usually depicted as a small lizard among flames. It is believed that the salamander can live in fire as it has a very cold body. It is a symbol of the fight against sensual temptations. Salamanders are also used by insurance companies.

Swastika (kolovrat) a straight line is a cross with the ends bent to the left (rotation is considered to occur clockwise). It is a symbol of the movement of life, the sun, light, good omen, prosperity, good luck and the aversion of misfortune, as well as a symbol of longevity and health. The reverse swastika is a cross with the ends bent to the right (the rotation is considered to be counterclockwise). It is associated with negative energy. In general, the swastika has many meanings, and in most nations they were positive until the Nazis compromised the swastika.

Hammer and sickle- a symbol that personifies the unity of workers and peasants. It became the main state emblem of the Soviet Union and one of the main symbols of the communist movement. In general, the hammer was actively used as an emblem for various crafts, and the sickle was the most widespread common peasant tool, symbolizing harvest and harvest.

Scepter (wand, staff)- an ancient symbol of supernatural power. The staff was also an attribute of pilgrims and saints, which may mean knowledge as the only support of a person.

Owl)- a traditional symbol of wisdom. But because of its silent night flight, glowing eyes, and eerie screams, the owl is sometimes associated with death and occult powers. Nevertheless, the gift of prophecy is always attributed to owls, so she personifies insight and book erudition.

Falcon (petrel)- a sign of superiority, strong spirit, light, freedom, strength, courage.

Thyrsus- rod of the Greek god of wine Dionysus. It is a spear-shaped pole topped with a pine cone or a bunch of grapes. Thyrsus symbolizes fertile power - both sexual and vegetable. The bump is present on the thyrsus, probably because fermented pine resin was mixed with the wine that was drunk during bacchanalia - it was believed that this enhances sexual sensations.

Axe- a symbol of power, correction of errors, sacrifice, support, help. The double ax (double-sided ax) denotes the unity of opposites, supreme power and strength.

Herbal, floral ornament actively used to protect the home. The sprout is a symbol of the awakening of life.

Themis (libra) personifies justice, impartiality, judgment, assessment of the merits and demerits of a person. Therefore, Themis is most often depicted blindfolded.

Bread- the most important food product of the peoples cultivating grain crops. It symbolizes life, the body of a deity, fertility, livelihood, work, and in combination with salt - hospitality.

Chimera- This is a monster with a lion's head, a goat's body and a snake's tail. It symbolizes danger and delusion, as it can give rise to illusions.

Chalice (cauldron, goblet)- a symbol of abundance, maintenance of life, rebirth. Also, the cup can represent the Holy Grail - the cup that Jesus used at the Last Supper, and in which the blood of Christ was then collected after the crucifixion. It is believed that he gives eternal life to those who drink from him, and therefore symbolizes the spiritual search, spiritual knowledge, enlightenment and redemption.

Cone- phallic sign. The cone was an attribute of Dionysus (Bacchus) and personified masculinity, fertility, health, family life, wealth.

Shield symbolizes protection, shield and sword - the emblem of courage.

Anchor personifies hope, salvation, security, strength, stability, stability, calmness, reliability, fidelity, devotion, support, caution, faith. The symbolism comes from both the form and the function of the anchor.

The number of architectural elements has no less symbolic meaning:
1 - unity, wisdom, beginning;
2 - duality, alternation, balance, sometimes - difference and conflict;
3 - Trinity, creation, renewal, growth, good luck;
4 - integrity, earth, stability, order;
5 - five senses, individuality, activity;
6 - union, balance, perfection;
7 - confidence, abundance;
8 - harmony, justice;
9 - strength, energy, fulfillment, achievement.