Regional Specificity in the Restoration of Wooden Architecture Objects in the Territory of Museums and National Parks in Russia

• Published in: Археология Евразийских степей
• Main Author: Oleg A. Romanov
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Russian
• Published: State institution «Tatarstan Аcademy of Sciences» 2023
• Subjects: architecture; wooden architecture; restoration/conservation; Archaeology; CC1-960; Dikson; The Monument; Russian North; Siberia
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2023.4.66.72; https://doaj.org/article/f598e1cc776544c78650a6a752824777

The article deals with the problem of preservation of wooden architecture in Russia, the issues of protection and restoration of architectural sites in the Russian North and Siberia. The reasons why wooden architecture is facing an extremely high risk of extinction are revealed and options for conservation monuments are presented. The article concludes that it is necessary to rethink the concept of cultural heritage protection and improve the work of open-air museum complexes. Objects of wooden architecture are purposefully brought to a ruined state, no measures are taken to preserve. A striking example is the wooden buildings of the island and the urban locality of Dikson. Objects removed from the balance are destroyed naturally. The purpose of such activity is to maximize the capitalization of works on future restoration by inaction of the monument protection bodies of a subject. The reconstruction of wooden architecture objects and the creation of museum quarters often contradict the basic principles of consevation. An example of this is the museum quarter of Krasnoyarsk. The lack of a critical understanding of UNESCO requirements for wooden architecture objects in the Russian Federation leads to a decrease in the number of domestic professional carpenters and joiners. Artisans are left without necessary quality of scaffolding due to bureaucracy at the level of directors of national parks or administrations of the settlements. It is prohibited to carry out thorough repairs of wooden architecture objects by authorized bodies for the protection of sites. The method of rolling collection of fines from owners of houses, located in protected areas is used.