Construction of a five star hotel in the Red Square can destroy St. Basils Cathedral
Posted on Oct 15, 2012
The project to build a luxury hotel complex on Red Square threatened one of the most famous Russian architectural landmarks – St. Basils Cathedral XVI century, the British newspaper The Independent. (The full text of the article at Inopressa.ru.)
Developers bought the XIX century shopping arcade at Red Square, 5, in which they are going to build a posh hotel complex, with hundreds of luxury apartments, auction house Sothebys level and a large underground car park.
Plan for the reconstruction of more than $ 350 million financing United Industrial Corporation, and it was approved by the Russian officials, despite the fact that the Red Square listed as sites protected by UNESCO. Construction work should begin next year, the hotel complex is scheduled to open by the end of 2008.
Although the developers insist that the law will be respected by them, and the facade of stalls will remain unchanged, they are planning major construction work in and the walls at a distance of less than 100 meters from the Cathedral of St. Basil.
Andrei Batalov, head of the commission for the restoration of the cathedral in the Scientific and Methodological Council of the Federal Agency for Culture, believes that the conduct of work can cause serious damage to the foundation of the temple, to change the level of groundwater.
He warned that as a result of the walls can develop cracks and vibration of pile hammers have a negative impact on the structure, which stands on an artificial hill for nearly five centuries.
Batalov believes that the construction of a hotel complex should be eliminated or, at least, the project should be carried out under the strict supervision of experts and the public.
“This is an outstanding monument, the symbol of the identity of the entire Russian culture, he said. Stop refer to Red Square as his own country site. Think of the generations.”
St. Basils Cathedral survived and Napoleon, who ordered to demolish the cathedral, but the soldiers did not have time to fulfill orders, and Stalin, who, despite his dislike of this building, decided not to demolish the cathedral.
Now, however, St. Basils Cathedral is in danger. Threatened, according Batalov, he is not only a building boom, but rock concerts, which were carried out on the Red Square.
Music volume is 100 times higher than normal, said the architect, and the result can happen detached restored murals on the walls. “The best thing to cancel the concerts, he says. And even better, and the reconstruction of the Middle Trading Rows”.
Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God (St. Basils Cathedral) – the main church and the entire Red Square in Moscow. It was built in the middle of the XVI century by order of Ivan the Terrible to commemorate the capture of the Khanate of Kazan – part of the former Golden Horde.
This temple was not only the main character in Red Square, but in all of Moscow, as the geometric center of its urban ensemble. Sorokashestimetrovy his tent was the highest in the medieval capital before the end of the XVI century, when Boris Godunov completed construction of the bell tower of the church of St. John of the Ladder Kremlin to 81 meters, and appeared in Moscow, Ivan the Great.
In November 1990, the temple was the first all-night vigil and liturgy, and the dedication of the Kazan Cathedral rang his bell. In the feast day of the Intercession on October 13-14, here takes office.