Yesterday, on 23 October the first stage of restoration of the Metropolitan’s Residence was presented in the National reserve Sophia Kievskaya.
It was announced at the presentation that by October 1, 2006 UAH14 million 673 thousand 736 had already been utilized out of UAH15 million that were provided by the Foundation for Development of Ukraine.
The restoration works included anti-wreck operations, mounting internal engineering services, hydro-isolation, repair and decoration works.
In the course of the restoration project the Foundation initiated establishment of the Board of Trustees of the National Reserve which will be searching finance for further restoration of the building.
According to Natalia Izosimova, the Deputy Chairperson of the Board of the Foundation for Development of Ukraine, the foundation will remain in the Board of Trustees but will not sponsor the project in future.
The Head of the Advisory Board for Sophia Kievskaya Nikolay Zhulinsky pointed to the high level of quality of the restoration works and promised that the Board will be trying to find about UAH 15 mln. to continue the restoration project.
In his turn the First Deputy Minister of Construction, Architecture and Housing and Communal services Anatoly Berkuta said that the Ministry would apply to the Kiev Mayor Leonid Chernovetsky with a request to earmark UAH6 mln. from the city budget for restoration of the Metropolitan Residence. An the Ministry is planning to find additional UAH8 mln. in the next year. Mr Berkuta also requested aid from patrons of the arts and asked them to donate funds to complete the reconstruction in the next year. His appeal was supported by the General Director of the National Reserve Nelya Kukovalskaya, who said that there was still enough space in the Metropolitan’s Residence for commemorative plaques with the sponsors’ names.
Mr Berkuta said that UAH70 mln. was allocated in the budget for 2007 for restoration of the objects of cultural heritage. Out of this funds UAH13 mln. will be used for restoration of 13 national and state reserves. It is planned to provide the greater part of this money for restoration works in Sophia Kievskaya.
The corporate Foundation for Development of Ukraine is a non-commercial organization established by SCM Group (SCM Company and Donetsk-based football club Shakhtyor) on 15 July 2005. The budget of the Foundation is formed of the capital of SCM Company. The areas of activity of the Foundation include contemporary education, nation's health and cultural heritage. Participation in restoration of the Metropolitan’s Residence in the National Reserve Sophia Kievskaya is a part of the Cultural heritage programme of the foundation.
The Metropolitan’s Residence was built in 1722-1730 and is an example of the late Ukrainian baroque architecture. Initially a one storey building, it was added with the second storey in 1738-1748 and later - with an attic and a new "twisted" roof. There are sumptuous baroque pediments on the eastern and western facades. The building looks like a luxurious palace with its eastern facade facing the cathedral square and the western one - to the former Metropolitan’s church.
The restoration has been carried out by Kiev Inter-oblast Special Science and Restoration Design and Production Company. It is planned to use the reconstructed Metropolitan’s Residence as a venue for official State and summit events and to open a School of Graphic Art.
The first Ukrainian Museum of Architecture will be the central exposition of the Metropolitan’s Residence.
The Museum of Architecture exposition will feature items from the National Reserve Sophia Kievskaya collections: samples of building materials of X - XX centuries (authentic plinths, resonators, inlay plates, mosaic and fragments of X - XII centuries frescos), copies of monumental paintings of XI - XII centuries and collections of architecture drawings of the Soviet times and models of architecture monuments.
The museum will have an exposition of the restored architecture models of the famous monuments of architecture - unique hand made miniatures. Besides the museum will feature a collection of photos of the most important architectural sights of Ukraine, which will start the project of creation of the architecture encyclopedia "Ukraine. The Country of Live Architecture". Besides in the museum will display unique exhibits from the reserve’s archives, in particular, the project  drawings of the leading architects of XIX and XX centuries.

Paralel-Media
24.10.06