THE INFLUENCE OF THE WESTERN EUROPEAN SOCIO-CULTURAL PROCESSES ON GALICIA-VOLYN STATE’S CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The article deals with the correlation between the western European and Ukrainian cultures in the period of Galicia-Volyn state ХІІІ-ХІV centuries.

Galicia-Volhynia state was the second great state of the Ukrainian people after Kyiv Rus. It kept its traditions and became the centre of economic, political and cultural life in Ukrainian land.

The cultures of Kyiv Rus, Byzantine, Western and Central Europe,Eastern Eurasiainfluenced upon the Galicia-Volyn culture due to its geographic location and historic fate. It led to the formation of the specific Galicia-Volyn culture, which inherited traditions and innovations of the neighbor countries and got special features in art, architecture, oral and written folklore.

This mutual influence of cultures shaped the atmosphere of external confidence and peaceful international relationship in a brutal feudal period of wars and robberies. None civil wars nor attacks of various conquerors could stop the development of the cultural process.

There were many cultural centers in cities and orthodox abbeys. At the same time they functioned as the educational centers.

The main centers of rewriting the books wereVladimirand Holm. Many well-educated people with knowing of foreigh languages (Latin) worked there. Many books covered by silver and written by gold were made at that places. For example "The Gospel – aprakos", sent to Chernihiv episcopia, was covered by silver and pearls. The most expensive books were decorated by the skin gold, metal plates depicting the enamel.

In the literature the most widespread genres were war stories, the lives of the martyrs, sermons appealing to moral purification as a prerequisite for the future releasing from the Mongols. The chronicles successfully developed. The Galicia-Volyn chronicle is an outstanding written monument of the XIII-th century.

In theGaliciaand Volyn landsLatinaspread as an universal language of the Western European civilization space and official language of the cultural, Intellectual life in abbeys and cathedrals.

After Kyiv declineGaliciagot the mediating role in trade between East and West. Many merchants fromPoland,Germany,Hungary,Greece, the Balkans come toGalicia, purchase products of the local economy and bring their merchandise. It influenced on the prosperity and the enrichment of cities, the development of urban culture, applied Arts, the facilitation of folk rituals, etc. The western monarchs and Volyn and Galician princes often visited each others. There were main ways of spreading of the western Europe monuments in Galicia-Volyn state.

Especially we can see a notable impact ofWestern Europein the local features the architecture of the XII-th century. The stone temples and monarch palaces were decorated with relief images. That relief decoration characterized the Romanesque style of architecture inEuropein the X-XII centuries. It shows us the proximity of Galician and Western European Romanesque architecture.

The bright example of theGaliciaschool which borrowed many of the European Romanesque style, is the largest church inGalicia– the Assumption Cathedral.

From the chronicles we knew about magnificent temples in Hill, built of white limestone using decoration of green stone, by Daniel Galician. Hill was the capital of Galicia-Volyn state since 1237. The chronicles brightly describe the stonechurchofSt. John-Baptist, decorated by the sculptor Owdia. There were carved sculptures, covered with golden domes and windows of the "Roman glass".

In 1256, Prince Danylo founded city Lviv in honor of his son Leon. For the construction of castles and temples Daniel Galician invited the best European masters who implemented European fortification and architectural innovations.

The iconography occupies a special place in the visual arts Galicia-Volyn state. It included Kyiv traditions and got more realistic forms. The high level of iconography inGaliciais evidence of the fact that after the capture of the city in 1349, the Polish King Casimir invited Lviv artists to paint a royal palace inKrakow.

Galicia-Volyn state’s Art is presented by a book miniature. Its prosperity was in the XIII-th century.

The jewelry art achieved a high-level of its development inGaliciaand Volyn too. Meanwhile, during VIII – IX centuries in the Carpathians, blacksmithing, woodworking, weaving and saddlery and potter's craft were well-developed.

The original mix of Slavic heritage and new features, connectedEuropemanifested itself in a folk art of Galicia-Volyn state such as carving, carpet weaving, embroidery, egg-painting etc.

Since the thirteenth century inGaliciaand Volyn spread a new kind of culture for Rus territories, it was a culture of Western European knighthood. It is well-known, that Galicia-Volyn princes and nobles often held the knight tournaments, called "games".

So, the article clearly shows that after the disintegration of Kyiv Rus and the Mongol invasion for a centuries Galicia-Volyn state protected the southern and western branches of theEast Slavsfrom the conquest and assimilation, contributed to their consolidation and awareness of their own identity. It played the important role in the formation of Ukrainian culture and facilitation our relatives with the cultures of other nations. The western orientation ofGaliciaand Volyn state promoted the spreading of Western cultural influences. Keeping its original features without losing Slavic specificity in architecture, art, literature and historical works, it has been enriched as a result of internal development and the cultural influence ofWestern Europe, where the Galician-Volyn princes and nobles sought protection from the East aggression. Galicia-Volyn state’s culture proved its viability, showed their creative impulses, which enriched the whole modern European culture.