President Medvedev speaks up for endangered architectural heritage

For the first time, a Russian leader addresses the issue

By John Varoli | Web only
Published online 29 Oct 09 (Conservation)

St Petersburg. At the end of September, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev took up the cause of the country’s endangered architectural heritage during a government meeting, paying attention to the illegal destruction of nearly 2,500 listed buildings over the past decade. This was the first time a Russian leader has addressed this issue.

“More than half of the monuments need urgent renovation or mothballing,” said Medvedev. “Experts believe that in the past decade Russia lost more than 2,500 historical and cultural monuments that were under state protection.”

Some buildings were destroyed by real estate developers, as well as by neglect, lack of financing, ageing and natural elements. Since the structures were officially protected, all these cases of destruction are a violation of Russian law.

Preservationists have said they are happy that a Russian leader is finally addressing this issue, but they believe his estimate of damaged buildings was too low. “The president’s figure is an understatement of the true state of affairs, and in fact even the culture ministry has a figure of 3,000 listed buildings that have been destroyed over the past decade,” said Alexander Margolis, a St Petersburg preservationist.

Margolis said that the north of Russia is especially hard hit, and has lost many important historical wooden structures. According to the St Petersburg preservationist group Zhivoi Gorod, around 100 listed buildings have been destroyed in that city over the past decade. In Moscow, more than 200 listed buildings are believed to have been destroyed over the past 15 years, most the victims of developers.