А Russian architect of German origin. Since 1713 he worked in the baroque style in St. Petersburg and Kiev. About his family, childhood and youth there are known only that he got his architectural skills from the German craftsmen, builders and architects stylistically closed to the school of the famous architect Andreas Schluter. Later he perfected his skills in the Netherlands and Italy.
Gottfried Johann created the works, which took an outstanding place in the architecture. Many of them were preserved until present day and they attracts attention by the originality of its forms and architect's skills. These works are worthy examples of the baroque style and they characterize Schedel, as a good, experienced architect, able to solve complicated architectural tasks and carry out large-scale construction.
Despite this, his works and the creative biography are little researched and studied. There is no information about the life, activity and work of Schedel in German literature. His name had not been mentioned neither in the general works on the architecture of the Baroque nor in the monographs about the German artists of this time.
His creative development could be divided into 3 stages. Work in St. Petersburg and the surrounding area, in Moscow and Kiev.
It is difficult to say exactly why did Menshikov invite to work this unknown architect. But it was not a mistake. And Gottfried Johann was able to build in Russia and Ukraine the architectural wonders.
Schedel Johann Gottfried
The architect G. Schedel designed a simple building with a pyramidal roof and one small dome. On its eastern side the church was connected to the altar apse, while on the western side it joined a refectory with an antechurch and a porch opening onto a staircase which led to the Lower Garden.
Российский архитектор немецкого происхождения. С 1713 года работал в стиле барокко в Санкт-Петербурге и Киеве.
Шедель приехал в Санкт-Петербург в 1713 году по приглашению Меншикова. Строил дворцы Меншикова в Петербурге (построил западное крыло и заложил восточное) и в Ораниенбауме; перестраивал дом Меншикова в Кронштадте (совместно с И.Ф.Браунштейном).
После опалы Меншикова Шедель в 1727—1729 годах состоял в штате Канцелярии от строений; с 1729 году переехал в Москву, где начал строить Благовещенскую церковь в Кремле.
С 1731 года активно работал в Киево-Печерской лаврe.
О Шеделе режиссёром Валентином Соколовским в 1995 году снят телевизионный фильм (Национальная телекомпания Украины, творческое объединеие «Укртелефильм»).
The ensemble of the Grand Oranienbaum Menshikov Palace is an outstanding architectural monument and an example of the early Baroque style of the first half of the XVIII century. It was commissioned by the aristocrat Menshikov in 1711 and designed by the architects Fontana, Schadel and Braunstein.
In 1740, the architect Schedel completed the construction of the cathedral, crowning it with seven blue domes with golden stars.
