The Wooden Architecture of Kizhi

Obverse

in the center — the Emblem of the Bank of Russia (the two-headed eagle designed by I.Bilibin), the letters under it indicate the metal sign, the fineness, the mint trademark and the fine metal content. The inscriptions along the rim framed by a circle of dots: at the top — «3 РУБЛЯ 1995 г.» (3 RUBLES 1995), at the bottom — «БАНК РОССИИ» (BANK OF RUSSIA).

Reverse

a view of the XVIIth-XIXth century wooden architectural monuments of Kizhi, in the center - the Transfiguration Church, the inscription at the top along the rim in two lines - "АНСАМБЛЬ ДЕРЕВЯННОГО ЗОДЧЕСТВА. КИЖИ XVIII-XIX в.в." (THE WOODEN ARCHITECTURE OF KIZHI. XVIIITH-XIXTH CENTURIES).

Authors

The artist: A.V. Baklanov
The sculptor: S.M. Ivanov
St. Petersburg Mint (ЛМД)
The edge: 300 corrugations

Kizhi, an island on Lake Onega in northern Russia, is famous for its wooden churches, chapels, mills and peasant cabins created by unknown builders. The principal monument, "the wonder of wonders" of the island's architecture, is the wooden Transfiguration Church erected in 1714 by Russian builders using the most primitive tools, such as the axe and the chisel.