History and culture: The photo exhibition “The preserved is equal to the acquired…” in Saint-Petersburg

The State Museum-Monument “The St. Isaac’s Cathedral” presents a photo exhibition “The preserved is equal to the acquired...” the opening of which is confined to the 195-th anniversary of the Grand Duke Alexander Nikolayevich (Alexander II).

The photo exhibition reflects the main activity of the State Museum-Monument “The St. Isaac’s Cathedral” to preserve the unique arts and artistic decoration of temples, monuments that are part of one of the most significant and unique museum complexes in Russia.

In 2011 and 2012 with the participation of the museum partners - participants of the project “Meeting of friends of the St. Isaac's Cathedral” was held a series of large-scale restoration works. On the roof of the St. Isaac’s Cathedral returned after the restoration of the sculpture “Angel with a lamp” and “St. Paul” by I. Vitali.

In 2011 began works on the restoration of the statues of angels on the balustrade of the Cathedral, as well as the elements of the balustrades. Twenty-four figures of angels were made in 1839 by the sculptor J. Herman and cast in bronze in factories of C. Byrd and Baron P. Klodt.

Unique in the execution works were the rebuild ones of the lost in the second quarter of the twentieth century, the King’s Gate Church of the Resurrection (Savior on Spilled Blood). Royal Doors were manufactured by jewelry association “I. P. Khlebnikov, Sons & Co.” from wrought silver and enamel decorated with icons of the drawings H. Bruni. With the help of modern computer technology as accurately have been found and designed decor items and models of deciration. Icons in Kyoto made in the technique of enamel painting, the complexity of which is to re-create that almost all the secrets of Russian jewelers have been lost. March 13, 2012 King’s Gate Church of the Resurrection was installed at the historic site and on 14 March was consecrated by Bishop Ambrose of Gatchina.

A great event for St. Petersburg was the return of voice of the Isaac’s Cathedral. Temple bells, cast in the middle of the XIX century of copper Siberian pyatki were lost in 1930. One of the first was cast the Large (polyeleos) bell weighing more than 10 tons. After eight years of silence the Isaac’s Cathedral found his voice.

Exclusive photos taken during the restoration by Petersburg photographers reveal usually invisible for visitors pages of his extensive and diverse activities, provide an opportunity to see the various stages of the reconstruction works of art, hard work, talent and professional skills, which help to preserve the cultural and historical heritage of temples, monuments for future generations.