In Grodno, they are deciding how to restore Kolozha so that it is not refused inclusion in the UNESCO list
The Kolozha Church in Grodno requires a new stage of restoration. The wooden wall of the temple was restored in the last decade, but the processes of destruction of the authentic 12th-century masonry continue. Any mistake by restorers could cost the monument its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List, where it has been attempted to be included since 2006.
The state of the 900-year-old temple was discussed at an international scientific and practical conference in Grodno. As experts note, the overall condition of the supporting stone walls remains satisfactory, but many minor losses have accumulated there over centuries. Specialists state that the processes of destruction continue, so it is time to develop projects for thorough conservation.
Restoration is complicated by the uniqueness of the object.
«The Grodno architectural school of the 12th century differs from those of Polotsk, Novgorod, or Kyiv. It features open facade masonry, majolica tiles, and the inclusion of polished stone in the walls. There are internal wall staircases that run through all the apses. With our materials, we must not destroy its authenticity and color scheme,» — emphasized Sergei Lalazarov, an architect-restorer from St. Petersburg, who previously carried out thorough scientific restoration and conservation of the Church of the Transfiguration in Polotsk.
Let's recall that previous large-scale works on Kolozha were carried out in 2017. At that time, the wooden part of the temple, erected at the end of the 19th century after half of the original stone building collapsed into the Neman River due to a landslide, was in a pre-emergency state.
The wooden wall was raised with jacks to eliminate subsidence, and the cladding was replaced with modern thermally modified board. At the same time, a conceptual decision was made not to rebuild the temple entirely with bricks, but to preserve the wooden wall, as this synthesis of materials had already become a unique historical feature of Kolozha.
Precise preservation of its existing appearance is critically important for granting the church the status of a World Heritage Site. Discussions about including the Saints Boris and Gleb Church on the UNESCO List have been ongoing since 2006. Today, the temple is on the so-called preliminary list.
As reported by Valeryia Yesis, a leading specialist at the National Library of Belarus, active work is currently underway on the nomination dossier, the preparation of which began in spring 2023. Subsequently, the document will be submitted to the World Heritage Centre.
One of UNESCO's main requirements is the preservation of the authenticity and integrity of the object, which makes any restoration of Kolozha a challenging task for scientists and builders.
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