The first churches appeared in Russia in the 10th century, built by Byzantines. These constructions served as models for Russian architects. They were models in stone, however. In the forested northern parts, everything was built in wood – a material that was cheap, light and easy to work with. The Russian architects, like translators, had to interpret the Byzantine canon in wood. Gradually, the Russian masters developed their own style of construction. Wooden architecture reached its peak in the Russian north in the 15th to 18th century. Learn how unique churches arose on the island of Kizhi, and hear the legends that surrounded them in a film by RTG TV.