THE SOCIOCULTURAL EVOLUTION OF URBAN YARDS AS PUBLIC SPACES
The article analyzes the sociocultural evolution of urban yards as public spaces during three periods of Russian history: the pre-revolutionary period (the late 19th - early 20th centuries), the Soviet period (the major part of the 20th century) and the post-Soviet period (the late 20th - early 21st centuries). The analysis focuses on the changing socio-cultural functions of urban yards as public spaces (namely, communicative, socializing, signifying, and protective functions). The article treats urban yards as public spaces and focuses on communal yards.