Conservation of Artefacts
In accordance with the laws and government regulations and in the aim of conserving the entirety of immovable monuments and sites of the National preserve "Kyiv-Pechersk lavra": conservation work is carried out based on field and archival research; corresponding materials are processed for preparation of documentation records for these objects; monitoring of the technical conditions are carried out; the terms of use of these monuments and sites of the historical and cultural heritage as well as the territory of the Preserve and its buffer zone activities are reviewed; repair, restoration, museification and adaptation.
Issues of the Great Restoration Program in the National Preserve «Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra» (July, 2022)
UNESCO World Heritage Site “Kyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” (the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Component) 527bis, Ukraine
The cultural heritage of Ukraine is an integral part of the world cultural heritage. The preservation and augmentation of cultural values are among the priorities of the state policy in the cultural sector.
The Great Restoration Program launched by the President of Ukraine in 2020 is a huge step towards the restoration of historical and cultural heritage sites.
In 2021, the National Preserve “Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” submitted 14 applications to the Great Restoration Program. In 2021, the following six monuments were selected for restoration in the framework of the Program:
- Trinity Gate Church, the architectural monument of national and world importance (building Nr. 27, protection Nr. 4/3) – the restoration had to be completed in 2022;
- Defensive Walls around the Near and Far Caves, the architectural monument of national and world importance (section Nr. 3, building Nr. 93, protection number 867/3) – the project was completed;
- Monastic Walls, the architectural monument of national and world importance (section Nr. 1 from Ivan Kushnyk Tower to the South Tower) (building Nr. 92, protection Nr. 4/14) – the restoration had to be completed in 2022;
- Ivan Kushnyk Tower, the architectural monument of national and world importance (building Nr. 88, protection Nr. 4/16) – the restoration had to be completed in 2022;
- St. Onufriy Tower, the architectural monument of national and world importance (building Nr. 83, protection Nr. 4/15) – the restoration had to be completed in 2022;
- Library of Metropolitan Flavian, the architectural monument of local importance (building Nr. 5, protection Nr. 893/14-Kv) - the restoration had to be completed in 2023.
The implementation and coordination of the Great Restoration Program are carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.
As of today, the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monuments have not been directly damaged during combat actions caused by Russian hostile attack of Ukraine, the cultural heritage monuments are indirectly at risk of destruction due to the lack of state funding to complete the restoration. The funds that had to be allocated to the implementation of the Great Restoration Program were directed to the defense needs of the country.
Restoration projects of the following monuments were intended to be completed in 2022:
1. Trinity Gate Church, the architectural monument of the 12th century of national and world importance.
The restoration of the monument started in 2018. The total cost of the project is
€1 344 851,75.
As of July 2022, the completion status of the project is 75.5%.
The full completion of the project involved the adaptation of part of the premises of the first and second floors of the building for exhibition purposes; landscaping of the territory; completion of the renovation of facades and restoration of monumental painting of the western and eastern facades; conservation of monumental painting in the interior of the church.
In 2022, it was planned to complete the repair and restoration work and commission the project.
It was supposed to proceed with the following:
- to complete the restoration and renovation of the entrance porch to the church;
- to restore the finishing, monumental painting and icons on a metal base of the eastern facade;
- to complete the restoration of the monumental painting in the interior of the Church. The amount of funding necessary to complete the work is €340 000,0.
2. Monastic Walls (section Nr. 1: from the Ivan Kushnyk Tower to the South Tower), the architectural monument of the late 17th-early 18th century of national and world importance.
The restoration of the monument started in 2021. The total cost of the project is
€ 672 111,4.
As of July 2022, the completion status of the project is 15,6%.
The project provides for the implementation of emergency repair, restoration, renovation, and rehabilitation work.
The project is aimed to eliminate the emergency state of the monument and includes the rehabilitation of the authentic wooden galleries.
In 2022, it was planned to complete the repair and restoration work and commission the project.
It was supposed to proceed with the following:
- to complete the repair and restoration work;
- to complete the strengthening of the foundations of the walls;
- to restore the brick masonry of arches;
- to make the injection of cracks;
- to arrange wooden structures and shingle roofing of the gallery;
- to make the interior finishing of the gallery.
The amount of funding necessary to complete the work is € 570 000,00.
3. Ivan Kushnyk Tower, the architectural monument of the late 17th-early 18th century of national and world importance.
The restoration of the monument started in 2021. The total cost of the project is
€ 430 000,00.
As of July 2022, the completion status of the project is 22,11%.
The project provides for restoration with maximum preservation of authentic architectural elements and structures of the monument with the reconstruction of the inter-level floor on the basis of historical documentation. The project also involves strengthening the foundations, installation of waterproofing, strengthening the tower structures by installing hidden inter-level metal braces in the outer walls, and injecting existing cracks.
In 2022, it was planned to complete the repair and restoration works and commission the project.
It was supposed to proceed with the following:
- to restore the finishing of the facades of the building;
- to conduct repair and restoration work in the interior of the tower (including partial joining replacement, restoration of brick masonry, plaster and painting work, etc.);
- to install internal engineering systems.
The amount of funding necessary to complete the work is € 335 000,00.
4. St. Onufriy Tower, the architectural monument of the late 17th- early 18th centuries of national and world importance.
The restoration of the monument was resumed in 2018. The total cost of the project is € 960 000,00.
As of July 2022, the completion status of the project is 54,4%.
The project provides for the restoration of the monument, improvement of its surrounding area, and defines technological solutions for the adaptation of the tower's premises for exhibition purposes.
In 2022, it was planned to complete the repair and restoration works and commission the project.
It was supposed to proceed with the following:
- to complete finishing work in the interior;
- to perform finishing of the facades;
- to make repair and restoration work of the gallery;
- to landscape the surrounding area;
- to install the external engineering systems.
The amount of funding necessary to complete the work is €440 000,00.
5. Library of Metropolitan Flavian, the architectural monument of the early 20th century of local importance
The restoration of the monument started in 2021. The total cost of the project is € 1 414 390,00.
As of July 2022, the completion status of the project is 6,75%.
The project provides for a complex restoration work of the monument with the installation of modern utility systems, and adaptation of the building to multifunctional purposes (office, exhibition, and conference halls).
It was planned to complete the repair and restoration work in 2022, and commission the project in 2023.
It was supposed to proceed with the following:
- to complete the piles' installation;
- to replace the roof of the building;
- to make the finishing of the facades;
- to install the external and internal engineering systems;
- to make finishing work in the interior.
The amount of funding necessary to complete the work is € 1 320 000,00.
In addition to the mentioned projects, in 2022, in the framework of the Great Restoration Program, it was planned to start restoration of other cultural heritage monuments of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra that require immediate preservation measures. These are, in particular:
1. Restoration of the monumental painting in the interior of the Church of the Savior at Berestove, the architectural monument of national and world importance (building Nr. 84, protection Nr. 2)
Monumental painting in the interiors of the monuments (the total area is approx. 400 m²), has different time layers: fresco painting of the 11th-12th centuries; fresco painting created by Greek masters in 1644; oil over-painting of the 19th century made over the ancient mural painting; later additions and renovations.
During 2017-2019, a complex of conservation and restoration work aimed at stabilizing the humidity condition of the soil foundation of the church and wall structures was accomplished.
The monumental painting in the interiors of the monument is currently in an unsatisfactory, locally critical condition. There is a threat of further destruction of the mural painting (which may lead to its loss in the damaged areas).
In 2022, it was planned to carry out a detailed survey of the state of preservation of the mural painting and as a follow-up to develop a project for its restoration.
The approximate cost of the project is € 1 520 000,00. The amount of funding necessary to develop project design documentation is € 25 000,00.
2. Restoration and adaptation of the architectural monument of national importance – the Church over the Economic Gate (Church of All Saints) (building Nr. 82, protection Nr. 4/12).
The Church of All Saints over the Economic Gate is a masterpiece of Ukrainian Baroque architecture.
The Church of All Saints over the Economic Gate was built in 1696–98 at the expense of Hetman Ivan Mazepa at the same time as the monastic defensive walls of the Upper Lavra.
In 2010, due to the unsatisfactory technical condition of the monument, a project for its restoration was developed but the restoration work has been carried out because of the lack of funding.
Since more than ten years have passed since the development of the project documentation, the state of the monument has deteriorated, and there is a need to adjust the project.
The latest observations fixed a general deterioration of the state of preservation of the external finishing and interior mural paintings of the monument. There have been progressive destructive processes (cracks expansion, peeling and loss of the plaster layer, destruction of painting). The main factors of deterioration of the state of preservation of the monument are the following: sharp fluctuations of internal and external temperature and humidity; increased humidity in the room with low air circulation; lack of timely restoration.
In 2022, it was planned to adjust the project design documentation for the restoration of the monument.
The total cost of work is € 2 527 300,00. The amount of funding necessary to adjust the design documentation is € 35 000,00.
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