The restoration of the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Polotsk has already reached the upper tiers of the facade
– This is a very responsible, complex, and at the same time interesting job. It provides an opportunity to touch history, to contribute to the preservation of national heritage. After all, time will pass, and someday everyone who works here will be able to proudly say: "I restored the Saint Sophia Cathedral!" – emphasizes the significance of the builders' mission, Alexander Balobaev, director of CJSP "Gravelit".
Not every construction organization is capable of performing high-quality restoration work. But "Gravelit" already has successful experience in such activities. Five years ago, for the reconstruction of the old buildings of the Polotsk Jesuit Collegium, the company was awarded a diploma of the winner of the republican competition "For the Best Achievement in the Construction Industry of the Republic of Belarus".
Reaching for the Heavens
The towers of the Saint Sophia Cathedral soar 51 meters high. During the previous restoration, work at height was carried out by climbers, and now – with the help of three aerial platforms. Two of them are domestic, with a boom length of 30 meters. Highly skilled operators Vladimir Maslakov and Maxim Petrovsky skillfully operate the complex equipment rented from the Novopolotsk construction and installation trust No. 16.
And the most powerful 60-meter aerial platform was rented from OJSC "Naftan". There are only two such expensive imported machines in Belarus. The entire work process is monitored here by an onboard computer. Thanks to a special stabilization system, the basket is always kept in a level position.
Before ascending to height, plasterers-painters Natalia Prygun and Natalia Kozirskaya load tools and materials onto the working platform. Driver-operator Yuri Baranchuk will accompany his colleagues, operating the lift directly from the basket. To feel the responsibility of the moment, I also ask to go up with them.
Since the basket cannot hold more than three people, Natalia Kozyrskaya gives me her place and also hands over a safety harness that attaches to the railing. Having followed the safety rules, we begin a smooth ascent. The first, second tiers – and here we reach the level where only birds are found.
From here, a breathtaking view of the surroundings opens up, and the domes of the temple soaring in the sky look even more majestic. At the same time, signs of damage are noticeable. Therefore, the builders are carefully restoring the walls of the monument centimeter by centimeter so that many generations of our descendants can admire its beauty.
The area of the facades of St. Sophia Cathedral is almost 6.5 thousand sq.m. First, the old paint and poorly adhering plaster were removed from the walls, then it was primed and subjected to bioprotection against mold, followed by puttying, another priming, and a two-layer painting.
There are mandatory technological breaks between the application of each layer. The process is complicated by the presence of numerous decorative elements (cornices, pilasters, pylons), and bad weather also makes its adjustments. But the main difficulty is the fact that the work must be done at height.
By the way, not only in the literal sense of the word. After all, the creators of unsurpassed architectural masterpieces set a standard for modern builders, a height that every professional should strive for. One can learn from them creativity, love for their work, and the ability to keep up with the progressive trends of the era. And for each of us, the spires of St. Sophia Cathedral reaching for the sky remind us of the high purpose of man.
– The skill of ancient architects is amazing – you want to take your hat off to them. If they built, they built for centuries, and what beauty they created! Their creations still delight the eye and soul, – says Alexander Balobayev, not hiding his admiration.
Object of Special Significance
St. Sophia Cathedral is one of the pearls of the historical and cultural heritage of Belarus, a monument of the highest category of value, in the fate of which the main milestones of our country's history are reflected.
According to the customer's representative, Tatiana Orlova, Deputy Director of the National Polotsk Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve, special requirements are imposed on the restoration of such an object.
In accordance with the legislation, project and estimate documentation must be developed with the permission of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus based on recommendations for the protection of the monument in order to create conditions for its long-term preservation.
In particular, a very careful approach is required when choosing materials. For example, cement as a primary binder became widespread only in the last century, while in ancient times, lime-based mortars were used.
If modern building mixtures are incompatible with those used in previous centuries, the historical object may be harmed. To prevent this, scientists take samples of old plaster and paint layers and analyze their physicochemical properties. Lime-based compounds that allow walls to "breathe" are recommended as optimal.
The project and estimate documentation for the object, as noted by Tatiana Orlova, was developed by specialists from OJSC "Vitebskproektrestavratsiya". The general contractor is KUPPSP "Polotskselstroy", "Gravelit" is performing general construction work as a subcontractor, and the private enterprise "Ventmontazh" has already installed the supply and exhaust ventilation to normalize the temperature and humidity regime inside the building.
In addition, part of the windows in the church will be replaced, the drainage system will be repaired, and the roof will be insulated. The cost of construction work under the general contract is over 464 thousand rubles, and it is planned to complete it in mid-August.
By the way
As part of the preparations for Belarusian Written Language Day, renovation work is underway at seven sites of the historical and cultural reserve in Polotsk. Among them are the Museum of Belarusian Book Printing, the Local History Museum, the Art Gallery, and the repository building. All construction work is financed from the regional budget and partly from the museum-reserve's own funds.
Open to Visitors
Despite the restoration, St. Sophia Cathedral remains the most visited tourist attraction. In the height of the season, up to 14.5 thousand people visit per month, up to 200 excursions are conducted, and on Saturdays, the number of groups reaches 20 per day.
– We do not plan to close. We are fully conducting excursions for tourists, classes for children, and congratulatory ceremonies for newlyweds. Every Sunday, you can listen to an organ concert performed by Ksenia Pogorela or Nelly Borovik, – said Marina Chernyshova, head of the St. Sophia Cathedral Museum of Architecture.
By the way, recently a married couple from Russia, deciding to enjoy the sounds of the organ, ordered a concert exclusively for themselves, paying its full cost of 200 rubles.
During the holidays, the landmark is actively visited by schoolchildren from different cities of Belarus. Among foreign tourists, Russians dominate; residents of Germany, Italy, Spain, and Poland visit. Recently, neighbors from Latvia have shown great interest.
5 Facts We Should Know About St. Sophia Cathedral:
1. This is the very first stone building in our country, which marked the beginning of the history of Belarusian stone architecture.
2. The cathedral personified the independence, strength, and power of the Polotsk land. Treaties of peace were concluded here or war was declared, the archbishop's see was located here, religious relics and the princely treasury were kept, receptions of ambassadors were held, chronicles were written, and an archive and a rich library were housed here.
3. In ancient times, the appearance of the cathedral was different. Over almost ten centuries, it has survived many dramatic events, fires, and destructions. It had seven domes, then it was rebuilt into a defensive-type temple, and on May 7, 1710, it was reduced to ruins as a result of the explosion of a gunpowder depot located in the basements. It was restored in 1750 in the style of late Belarusian Baroque.
4. The cathedral was an active church until the early 1920s. It initially belonged to the Orthodox Church. In 1596, after the conclusion of the Union of Brest, it was transferred to the Uniates, and in 1839, it was returned to the Orthodox.
After the closure of the church, the building housed a local history museum, then a grain storage, a book depository, and a branch of the Vitebsk Regional Archive. In 1969, large-scale architectural and archaeological research and restoration work began. In 1983, a concert hall for chamber music opened, in 1985 – for organ music, and in 1987 – a museum of the history of the cathedral's architecture.
5. Currently, the cathedral is a significant cultural center of the region, a branch of the National Polotsk Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve. Its concert hall, one of the best in Europe, is renowned for its unique acoustics. The lower hall allows visitors to see fragments of masonry, the foundation, and fresco paintings of the 11th century, some of the oldest on the territory of Belarus. The temple remains a symbol of the thousand-year history and the rich cultural traditions of our land.
Larisa MALASHENYA, photos by the author. "Vitebskiye Vesti".