Ivan Starov

Ivan Yegorovich Starov (Russian: Ива́н Его́рович Старо́в; 23 February 1745 – 17 April 1808) was a Russian architect from St. Petersburg who devised the master plans for Yaroslavl, Voronezh, Pskov, Yekaterinoslav, Nikolaev, and many other towns in the Russian Empire. His radial urban master plan for Yaroslavl (1778), cleverly highlighting dozens historic churches and towers, is recognized as one of the World Heritage Sites.

Starov was one of the first graduates of the Moscow University College (1755–1758) and of the Imperial Academy of Arts (1758–1762). He continued his education in Paris (1762–1767) and Rome (1767–1768), becoming apprenticed to Charles De Wailly and other fashionable architects of his day. Back in Russia, he delivered lectures in the Academy of Arts, which nominated him academician (1769) and professor (1785). Starov held the post of the principal architect of St. Petersburg between 1772 and 1774. After that, he worked extensively for Prince Potemkin, helping him to found the major cities of New Russia.

Biography

Ivan Starov was born into a deacon's family. In 1755 he enrolled into the Imperial Moscow University, a year later transferred to the gymnasium of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 1758 he entered the Imperial Academy of Arts and became the student of Alexander Kokorinov and Jean-Baptiste Vallin de la Mothe. He graduated with honours and received a money grant and a right to travel abroad to study arts. From 1762 to 1768 he travelled, in Paris he studied under Charles de Wailly.