4) Denigration of the historical environment. Often even beautifully restored buildings become hostages of modern urban life, which spoil their appearance. Here we can only note that any preserved object of architecture must be "alive", ie, functioning or looking like one. However, it should look, firstly, as functioning within the framework of the epoch it represents (i.e. services are held in the cathedral, flags are flying on the towers of the fortress, and the fortress itself looks as if it is taken care of), and secondly - the modern environment is foreign to the traditional way of life itself, and a cheap plastic poster can never compare to an old (or looking like that) wooden sign.
In conclusion, I would like to note that treating heritage as dead museum objects, or as old antiquity that is inferior in everything to its modern analogue and is kept only due to its significance, leads to the gradual loss and destruction of this heritage. It is worth taking an example from our ancestors back in the Middle Ages, who tried to preserve the original and fix it in case of loss, but did not remake it to their liking, and carefully tried to restore what was lost to the best of their abilities.
In conclusion, I would like to note that treating heritage as dead museum objects, or as old antiquity that is inferior in everything to its modern analogue and is kept only due to its significance, leads to the gradual loss and destruction of this heritage. It is worth taking an example from our ancestors back in the Middle Ages, who tried to preserve the original and fix it in case of loss, but did not remake it to their liking, and carefully tried to restore what was lost to the best of their abilities.
Examples of bad attitude to legacy
1)Church of Saint Sophia in Nesebar, Bulgaria - example of museification.
2)Church of natyvity in Hyrcassy, Russia - example of poor quality restoration.
3)Сosmatesco mosaic in church of Saint Sophia in Mystras, Greece. Example of incomplete restoration.
1)Church of Saint Sophia in Nesebar, Bulgaria - example of museification.
2)Church of natyvity in Hyrcassy, Russia - example of poor quality restoration.
3)Сosmatesco mosaic in church of Saint Sophia in Mystras, Greece. Example of incomplete restoration.
While looking for content for the channel, I began to notice certain trends in the restoration of cultural monuments in Orthodox countries, and I can't say that these trends please me. Before listing these trends, I would like to draw attention to one unpleasant feature that accompanied the architecture of most Orthodox countries. Almost all of them had a troublesome period in time when their old architecture was destroyed, and new buildings were either not made, or were much inferior to the old ones. In the South, this period was caused by Muslims, in the North - by Mongols and Catholics, and both regions suffered from the communists. This is why many monuments, even those that have been preserved, have been rebuilt many times, and radically. Each era often left its mark on a particular structure, and neither the locals, nor their enemies especially did not reflect on this. As a result, we have a lot of either destroyed, disfigured, or distorted monuments. And now I want to move on to the problems associated with what I consider to be unsuccessful solutions for the preservation of these monuments.
1) The museification. This is a whole complex of problems, mainly due to the fact that ancient buildings are not restored as the object they are, but rather as an open-air Museum, as if they are the ruins of an ancient city. The main scheme is to conduct excavations/study of the object, conservation, place signs and leave it as it is. The most striking examples for me personally are the Stara Pavlica monastery in Serbia, church of Saint Sophia in Nesebar, Bulgaria и Annunciation church in Rurik Gorodishche, Russia. All these buildings have significant cultural importance and have been preserved very well, but they are not in a hurry to be restored. And there are quite a lot of objects like these. The problems of museification also include the attitude to ancient frescoes, mosaics, carvings, etc., discovered during excavations/repairs, or simply partially preserved. As a rule, if an object is discovered recently, only the most impressive part of it is exposed to the public, and it is not restored (even if its original details are nearby). If an object has been opened all the time, it is, again, not restored, but only preserved (but is displayed fully).
2) Poor quality restoration. Restoration made using modern materials (eg, modern brick instead of plinthite, iron roof instead of tile), without preserving the original appearance of the building, new techniques (eg, murals). In addition, the "replacement" restoration (restoration that does not restore the original parts of the monument, but reproduces similar ones from others) in cases where you can do without it (information about the original appearance of the monument has been preserved).
3) Incomplete restoration. Most common in the Balkans. Very often, during the restoration of Byzantine monuments, only the most functional elements (columns, capitals, blocks of doorways, lockstones, etc.) are restored in the poorest possible form - without carving and interesting forms, although the original elements preserved in the same buildings often have all this. The main justification for such restoration is "to help people distinguish the old from the new without destroying the general view," but it is this view that destroys original and creates a completely new appearance of buildings. Elements of excess decor (carved slabs, mosaics, colored stone slabs) are not restored at all. The same can be said about frescoes. Incomplete restoration can also include restoration, where heavily damaged parts are restored in important objects and preserved analogues from less significant buildings are used as a basis for restoration, thus impoverishing the restored building.
1) The museification. This is a whole complex of problems, mainly due to the fact that ancient buildings are not restored as the object they are, but rather as an open-air Museum, as if they are the ruins of an ancient city. The main scheme is to conduct excavations/study of the object, conservation, place signs and leave it as it is. The most striking examples for me personally are the Stara Pavlica monastery in Serbia, church of Saint Sophia in Nesebar, Bulgaria и Annunciation church in Rurik Gorodishche, Russia. All these buildings have significant cultural importance and have been preserved very well, but they are not in a hurry to be restored. And there are quite a lot of objects like these. The problems of museification also include the attitude to ancient frescoes, mosaics, carvings, etc., discovered during excavations/repairs, or simply partially preserved. As a rule, if an object is discovered recently, only the most impressive part of it is exposed to the public, and it is not restored (even if its original details are nearby). If an object has been opened all the time, it is, again, not restored, but only preserved (but is displayed fully).
2) Poor quality restoration. Restoration made using modern materials (eg, modern brick instead of plinthite, iron roof instead of tile), without preserving the original appearance of the building, new techniques (eg, murals). In addition, the "replacement" restoration (restoration that does not restore the original parts of the monument, but reproduces similar ones from others) in cases where you can do without it (information about the original appearance of the monument has been preserved).
3) Incomplete restoration. Most common in the Balkans. Very often, during the restoration of Byzantine monuments, only the most functional elements (columns, capitals, blocks of doorways, lockstones, etc.) are restored in the poorest possible form - without carving and interesting forms, although the original elements preserved in the same buildings often have all this. The main justification for such restoration is "to help people distinguish the old from the new without destroying the general view," but it is this view that destroys original and creates a completely new appearance of buildings. Elements of excess decor (carved slabs, mosaics, colored stone slabs) are not restored at all. The same can be said about frescoes. Incomplete restoration can also include restoration, where heavily damaged parts are restored in important objects and preserved analogues from less significant buildings are used as a basis for restoration, thus impoverishing the restored building.
Forwarded from Christianity in Albania
Apollonia Church and Monastery in Apollonia Archaeological park, Albania