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Grodno gives start to Kalozha restoration project

Let Us Restore Kalozha Together campaign was launched in Grodno during the European Heritage Days, BelTA has learned.

The opening ceremony of the European Heritage Days took place in Grodno on 3 September. This year the theme of the Days is the Renaissance of Manor and Park Complexes. The string of events opened with a roundtable highlighting the problems of restoring the Old Castle in Grodno, the Oginskis estate in the village of Zalesie, Smorgon District, and a manor and park complex in the village of Krasny Bereg, Zhlobin District, Gomel Oblast. The reports of scientists and experts covered the problems of historical and archeological study of the Gomel Oblast fortifications and the historical and cultural heritage of the oblast on the whole.

The campaign Let Us Restore Kalozha Together launched on 3 September was initiated by Chairman of the Grodno oblast executive committee Semyon Shapiro. The reconstruction of Sts Boris and Hleb Church (Kalozha Church) in Grodno will become an all-community project. Every company, organization and resident of the region will be able to contribute to the project. The funds will be raised in numerous ways, with the help of charities, lotteries, and days of voluntary work.

Sts Boris and Hleb Church is a calling card of Grodno. This specimen of the Orthodox architecture of the twelfth century is located on the Neman river bank. There are no direct analogues to the church, which is a masterpiece of the Grodno Architecture School anywhere.

The church was badly damaged by floods and landslides in the nineteenth century. The restoration works in 1896-1906 gave the church its present look. The first steps to return the church its original appearance were made in 2000-2005. The bank of the Neman River was reinforced. The architectural design was developed and examined. The work was underway on designing a construction estimates. Yet, the works were brought to a standstill due to the lack of financing.

The final exploration phase will be held to choose the most appropriate variants of reconstruction. Grodno residents, architects and scientists are taking an active part in the debates. According to research adviser of the project Gennady Lavretski, graphic reconstruction of the lost fragment of the walls seems to be the best option. The restored part of the wall will not be antique, but serve as a protection from destruction.

The European Heritage Days were held in Belarus on 3-5 September. The Belarusian regions conducted various cultural events, roundtables and associated campaigns.