From day to night mode
Likening myself to Marcello Mastroianna, or rather, to the ego character in Fella's famous film "Sweet Life", I decided to try on the role of a journalist studying the nightlife of society, and also go to a party. Only where?
Photo: Baptiste Mg on Unsplash
The times when parties were associated with tasteless music and drunken debauchery remained in the dark nineties along with the architecture of the clubs of that time. Castle and museum complexes, factories and entire industrial zones, which were dormant during this period, today have enormous potential and need to be awakened from lethargy. Modern initiators are looking for original ways to organize not just a party, but a cultural event with lectures, discussions, exhibitions of modern art, performances, film screenings, live music and a lot of other interesting activities in the most unusual places. The historical and cultural context, on the one hand, and idle "boring" squares on the other, provide a symbiosis for new ideological inspirations. They save architectural monuments and night life culture of cities.
In the first part of this story, we will talk about castles.
Part one
Locks
There is some charm, a romantic atmosphere in the integration of castles into the modern life of the city. People are attracted to walls that store legends and myths, secrets and riddles. And under the cover of night, interest in these stories only increases. No matter how dangerous they may seem, people, like the characters in Charles Band's film "Meridian" (1990), are ready to plunge into a mystical extravaganza to meet their ghosts.
Castle in the village Svirzh, Ukraine. Photo: Muraszka. Wikimedia
elusive beauty
Historians report that there are about 5 castles on the territory of Ukraine. Of course, few have survived to this day. However, there are a number of objects that have been well preserved or have been qualitatively restored.
Among them is the Zbarazh castle in the Ternopil region, the project of which was developed by the world-famous Italian architect Vincenzo Scamozzi. In this row is the Akkerman fortress (Odessa region) - a fortress above the Dniester estuary on the ruins of the ancient city of Tire, which was founded by the Genoese in the 2001th century. One of the smallest in size, but the best preserved, is the Olessky Castle in the Lviv region, which has stood for more than six centuries. Among the large spectacular castles is Medzhibozhsky, which was included in the historical and cultural reserve in XNUMX. Lutsk Castle is perhaps the most striking representative of medieval defensive architecture. The castle in Uzhgorod is beautifully preserved. Although it does not have high walls and towers, it remains one of the most visited tourist sites in Transcarpathia.
The attempt to record their fragile value is reflected both in the demand for conservation and renovation of monuments, and in the cinematic fixation of their greatness.
The best way to preserve architecture physically is to continue to use it
Once upon a time in 1995, the great director Bernardo Bertolucci found the three-story Villa di Geggiano in Tuscany, visited his old friend, Count Andrea Bianca Bandinella, for the filming of his "Escaping Beauty". Khilkevych immortalized the Svirzhsky Castle in the Lviv Region, where the film about d'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers was shot, and the Palanok Castle in Mukachevo was temporarily transformed into Dubinsky thanks to the super screenwriter Vladimir Bortko. Wernigerde Castle (Germany) served as a filming location in 1979 for the film "That Munchhausen", in which Oleg Yankovsky played, and Alnyk Northumberland Castle (England) is a place that Harry Potter fans will immediately recognize.
But the best way to preserve architecture physically is to continue using it. Restoration and adaptation for the modern use of the monument are processes that are continuously connected with each other.
History knows the sad experience of adapting monuments after the 1917 revolution, not only in Ukraine, but also throughout the entire post-Soviet space. Income houses were turned into communal apartments, castle and palace ensembles into psychiatric clinics and sanatoriums. The medieval castle in the Czech Republic, Styrzhyn (XIV century), passed from the hands of monarchs for a long time and in the 40s. XX century used to house a rehabilitation center for children who survived Nazi concentration camps, and the Emnyšte Castle (Czech Republic) housed offices and warehouses around the same period. For a long time, the Sharovsky Castle in the Kharkiv Region housed a tuberculosis dispensary, the Shenbornov Palace not far from Mukachevo is still a sanatorium with depressing Soviet interiors, and a vocational school was once built on the territory of the Palanok Castle.
Ronneburg Castle. Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Photo: Sven Teschke. Creative Commons
Fortunately, this type of use of cultural architectural heritage, if observed, is very limited. He was replaced by more humane methods of renovation. Knight tournaments, live music, souvenir shops, museums, exhibitions - this and not only traditionally fill castle complexes today.
Ronneburg Castle (Germany, Frankfurt am Main) welcomes tourists who can meet blacksmiths and spinners in historical costumes. Chambord Castle (France) houses not only a museum, but also a nature reserve. There are horseback riding, boat rentals, and modern art exhibitions. In Blarney Castle (Ireland), the owners themselves hold garden fairs and organize photo exhibitions. In the castle of St. Angelus (Rome), which was a tomb, a military fortress, and a prison, there is now a military history museum.
But the new function is not always directly connected with the historical context of architecture. Sometimes the contrast works effectively. Old castles seem to be the favorite place of the Dior fashion house for the demonstration of cruise collections. Luxurious Blenheim Castle in London, Chantilly Castle near Paris, palace-castle of the XNUMXth century. Kasr al-Bady, one of the main attractions of Marrakech... Such colorful architectural masterpieces inspire the creators of clothes, and the emotional perception of the audience at such shows is sharpened to the limit.
Another common practice of adjusting locks is hotels. Usually this is due to the fact that modern owners belonging to a noble family, the heirs of their predecessors, allocate funds to maintain architectural monuments and prolong their lives. In the West, you can often find examples when a castle is half a residence, part museum, part hotel for tourists. Among these examples are the XNUMXth century Eltz fortress (Germany), Anholt castle (Germany), Alnyk castle (Great Britain), Chateau Kotera castle in the Czech Republic, and others.
Elz fortress, Germany. Photo: Tim Rebkavets on Unsplash
In Ukraine, too, there are many positive examples of prolonging the life of castles. So, an air-swimming festival is held on the territory of the Khotyn Fortress. The Uzhhorod castle has a wonderful collection of musical instruments. In the historical and cultural complex "Radomysl Castle" there is the only Museum of the Ukrainian domestic icon in the world. Guests and tourists here will be delighted by individual and collective excursions, solemn ceremonies, artistic and cultural events, master classes, plein airs, etc.
What do the most beautiful castles of Europe turn into at night, and where do you go to the party anyway? Fellini sends Marcello to a castle belonging to aristocrats in Bassano di Sutra outside Rome. Maybe I should visit Bran Castle in Romania and celebrate Halloween with the ghost of Count Dracula or go to the Salzburg Castle for a classical music concert? Watch a light and sound show at Chambord Castle in France?..
Frozen music
Goethe called architecture "frozen music." Music is capable of reviving, awakening sleeping, frozen architecture. Just as the 22-year-old DJ Franky Knuckles in the early eighties in Chicago reconstructed the ruins of a withering disco at the time, creating a new direction - house, so modern kings of electronic music try to breathe life into dilapidated walls with a centuries-old history with new beats, turning them into their residence.
Returning to the night life of the city and the method of focusing on monuments through the transfer of "daytime architecture" to the night mode, we can talk about the world experience of using these spaces for holding festivals and concerts. A widespread practice is the adaptation of cult architecture for organ halls and musical evenings. So, in the church of St. Mark in Florence, performances are arranged, in the Gothic chapel of St. Chapelle and in the church of St. Ephrem in Paris, in the church of St. Peter in Vienna - concerts of classical music, often accompanied by dinner.
Banff Castle. Bontida, Romania. Photo: Electric Castle. Glamcult
Adaptation of fortifications and palace complexes for holding rock concerts and electronic music festivals is relevant today. In the context of such a task, it is necessary to focus attention not only on the ethical and aesthetic aspects of the use of the above objects, but also on the technical features associated with these activities. This is the convenience of a planning decision for a new function, and research in the field of acoustics, and the calculation of the load of the necessary engineering equipment to be placed. After all, modern electronic music festivals are not only high-quality sound and the best DJs in the world, but also a large-scale spectacle. These are laser shows, pyrotechnics, video sequences and other special effects that require appropriate support.
Gothic rock festival Castle Party
Castle Party Gothic Rock Festival in Bolkuwe (Poland) is traditionally held in a "Gothic" place, on the territory of a medieval fortress. At first, he settled in Grozdetsk Castle in the south-west of Poland, but over time it became crowded for fans of gothic rock. The festival lasts three days. They will listen to metal, industrial, dark wave, psychedelic, goa-trance come from all over Europe: Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Spain. In addition to the musical program on the territory of the castle, you can enjoy spectacular performances, dance at a themed club party.
Festival Forte. Photo: Filipe Pinto
Festival Forte. Photo: Filipe Pinto
Forte techno music festival
The Portuguese festival of techno music Forte was included in the top ten festivals taking place in the most interesting places, thanks to the fact that it chose a castle of the XXI century as its residence. in a small old town not far from Coimbra. Artists such as Front 242, Ben Klock, Manu, Paul Kalkbrenner, Sabaret Voltaire, Ben Frost, Apparat, Marcel Dettmann, Helena Gauf, Ancient Methods, Rrose, Rødhåd and others take part here. The atmosphere of the Middle Ages also inspired artists. While music lovers enjoy techno tracks, an exhibition of modern art is held on the territory of the castle.
Port Eliot Festival
The Port Eliot Festival in Britain also takes place within the walls of an ancient castle. It was once conceived as a series of literary evenings, but over time it turned into a large-scale fair of creative ideas. People come to the estate not only to listen to DJs, but also to enjoy books, culinary masterpieces, and movie screenings. Here you can meet Kate Winslet, Martin Scorsese, and other representatives of starry bohemia. The organizers themselves dubbed Port Eliot a "festival of ideas." No wonder, because in such a creative atmosphere, and even against the background of "medieval decorations" you can get a huge dose of inspiration.
Port Eliot Festival, Great Britain. Photo: Louise Roberts / porteliotfestival.com
Port Eliot Festival, Great Britain. Photo: Louise Roberts / porteliotfestival.com
FLY Open Air electronic music festival
Twice an hour fans of electronic music are delighted by one of the largest festivals — FLY Open Air. In 2017, the organizers decided to place the entire action on the territory of elegant Georgian architecture. Hoptown House made a strong impression on residents and guests of the festival. The palace in the suburbs of Edinburgh has preserved interiors with a three-hundred-year history, the building itself is surrounded by a beautiful landscape park. The owners of this ancestral estate still live in the palace and can boast of a fine collection of furniture, tapestries, paintings, sculptures and other works of art. Thanks to the festival, the XNUMXth and XNUMXst centuries magically met here.
FLY Open Air Festival on the territory of the Hoptown House Palace, a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. Photo: FLY Open Air
The king needs a castle!
Marcello will seduce Maddalena in the ruins of the castle, but in my version it is impossible in the suburbs of Rome, because the borders are closed due to the pandemic, and in the Lviv region you can take a chance.
The Night Ambassadors creative team, which has been famous for five years now for organizing large-scale (500+ people) events in unusual places (tram depots, abandoned buildings, a botanical garden), this time chose Svirzhsky Castle in the Lviv Region. Here, with the support of the "Powder Tower" Center for Architecture, Design and Urbanism, on October 31, 2020, the organizers invite you to celebrate Halloween with house music.
Castle in the village Svirzh, Ukraine. Photo: SviatoslavKM. Wikimedia
"The king needs a castle! And we found him", - this is how the initiators of the party position their invited DJs. Such artists as Brawther, Lazare Hoche, Robert Dietz, Powder, as well as one of the best, according to the organizers, house DJs iO (Mulen) will take part here. "After his unreal debut in our city at the Dzvin series in 2018, many here asked to bring him back to Lviv at least once more. And we managed to do it (and to catch him in Ukraine at the remote control is a huge rarity)," the organizers write on their Facebook page. Alex Pervukhin and the co-organizer (from Náni) of the Dzvin series — Lstn will make up his company. In addition to the main stage, Mike Trofimov, Fat8 and Náni will present a mini show case.
To my question, why exactly Svirzh, the organizer Chad Zoratly answers as follows: "We have long wanted to have a party in the castle, our guests always expect something unusual from us. And Svirzhsky Castle was chosen because it is an ideal location for a party. It has a large closed space, it is very atmospheric and it is the closest to Lviv."
Festive events and receptions have always been held in castles. Why not continue now?
The beginning of the construction of the Svirha Castle as a stone fortification is attributed to the second half of the 2th century. From that period, only fragments of the foundation and lower masonry have survived. During the time when the castle was owned by the Cetnerov family (in the 70nd half of the XNUMXth - beginning of the XNUMXth centuries), the complex acquired a modern look, turning into a luxurious residence. Built in the style of the late Renaissance, it was proud of the magnificent spacious enfilad system of the internal layout, an elegant terrace with a balustrade and baroque stone vases. A drawbridge and forged gates in the center of the two-story building with triangular gables with loopholes open the entrance to the castle. The architectural monument suffered during the time of the Cossack troops, during the Second World War, changed hands and was restored by different owners. Since the XNUMXs it turned into a reserve museum.
"It is extremely important for architectural monuments that as many people as possible can enjoy them. We do not travel to Ukraine that often. And it is rich in beautiful architecture. It must be cared for and financed. Therefore, such events - from concerts to private events - could support the vitality of these locations. In addition, receptions and various festive events have always been held in castles, so why not continue this in our time?", Chad Zoratly shares his thoughts.
Of course, there are many obstacles on the way to the goal. This is primarily due to the sequence agreed in the governing bodies. "As for technical support and logistics in general, it is much more difficult here. New location — new challenges. You always leave your comfort zone, but that's interesting. And the most important thing is to agree with the people who own this location. In general, these are state facilities, and everything is complicated there. It is necessary to walk, agree for a long time that we will not destroy the premises and leave it cleaner than it was before. It's difficult, but real," says Zoratly.
Castle in the village Svirzh, Ukraine. Photo: SviatoslavKM. Wikimedia
We can only hope that local authorities will meet the organizers, sponsors will provide support, and everything will be held at the highest level, because it is worth it. "You can even go to the club every day, but there is a completely different atmosphere and attitude. Such locations create a completely different vibe. You can turn them into a fairy tale overnight. And it is perceived and appreciated by people much better. This is a separate kind of aesthetic pleasure," summarizes Chad Zoratly.
Who is to blame and what to do?
On the territory of Ukraine, there are a huge number of architectural monuments that remain neglected. And there are several reasons for this. Firstly, because most of them live in a "day mode" or are completely empty. Secondly, many people do not know about the existence of individual unique complexes and whole complexes, paradoxically as it may be, they are not interested. Thirdly, unfortunately, we do not have a culture of traveling around Ukraine. Having broken away from the work rhythm, having watched the episodes of the "Eagle and Tails" program, we, as a rule, fly to admire the European beauties, and forget about our own. This year, misfortune helped, as the saying goes. Due to the pandemic and the closing of borders, Ukrainians focused on local attractions, many spent their vacation traveling around Ukrainian cities for the first time, social media feeds were filled with photos of our ancient museums, castles, nature reserves, mountains, rivers and lakes. It's a shame that there are so few reasons for attention.
Palanok Castle, Mukachevo, Ukraine. Photo: Maria Golubka
If in Europe fortifications, palaces, castles, fortresses often remain the property of the descendants of noble families, in Ukraine they are in the hands of the state. There, the owner strives to take care of his home and, in order to preserve the life of architectural monuments, turns them into hotels, holds various cultural events, and in our country, unfortunately, the simplest way to "save" architecture is to hang a sign "Museum. It works from 9:00 a.m. to 18:00 p.m. It is already better than the warehouse, as it was in the Soviet period, but not as interesting as it might look in modern realities. Who is to blame and what to do?
We fly to admire European beauties, but forget about our own
Of course, for all this to work, support is needed. But most often, unfortunately, this is "the work of the hands of the drowning people themselves." The process of changing the object's function - even temporarily - requires long coordination, circles of bureaucratic hell, which we still cannot get rid of, everything turns into a simile of Franz Kafka's "Castle". What to do if the functions of such spaces are not allowed to expand? Fight Must fight.
Castle of Counts Shenbornov, Zakarpattia, Ukraine. Photo: Maria Golubka
Castle of Counts Shenbornov, Zakarpattia, Ukraine. Photo: Maria Golubka
"12 guards" is a social project to restore Ukrainian castles. Its initiator, Lala Tarapakina, a Ukrainian traveler, author of guidebooks and the expedition project "Found in Ukraine", chose 12 Ukrainian castles for a step-by-step labor-intensive renovation. "You can't change the past, but you can help preserve it" - this inspiring slogan greets us on the first page of the charity foundation's website. The project team strives to change the approach to the preservation of cultural heritage monuments, because, according to the preliminary assessment of experts, if measures are not taken, the castles have no more than 60 years left before their complete destruction. Repair work and subbotniki, searching for archival materials, making souvenirs, organizing tourism, shooting films about these unique objects, and many other things are the ways the organizers of the fund will stop the process of destruction and share the problem with the world. The stories of individual heroes - volunteers - are simple and deeply touching. Journalists of the project talk about some of them on the site. 85-year-old Stefania lives in the wing of the fortress of Mykulynetsky Castle, and on her own pension she keeps dogs that protect the castle from the theft of bricks. Vladimir, who has been working for 37 years as the director of the Svirzhsky Castle, with a salary of UAH 2, carries out all the repairs of the building himself. For more than a quarter of a century, Sister Simona has been taking care of the territory of Yazlovetskyi Castle, which is located next to her monastery. These "supermen" and other people who are not indifferent to architecture are probably the real kings of castles who save our heritage.
"A single person is looking for a muse" is an unusual project of a charity fund to popularize Ukrainian castles on Tinder
It is curious that today in the popular dating network Tinder you can find profiles of registered Ukrainian castles. "A loner is looking for a muse" - that's how the organizers of the charity fund "12 Sentinels" named their unusual project. And it must be said that those who wish to "get acquainted" with single architectural structures are no less than with persons of the opposite sex.
Castle in Uzhhorod, Ukraine. Photo: Maria Golubka
There are quite a few ways to save architecture. Modern technologies and informational opportunities make it possible to attract mass media, government services, sponsors, patrons, create creative collaborations and various cultural events. And this is demonstrated not only by Western European ideological inspirers who arrange grandiose festivals, shows and performances, but also by ordinary people with warm hearts who live here, next to us. Everything is in our hands.
