17th-18th century churches destroyed by siding?
Officials and builders reckon churches in the siding look more beautiful, while some priests abandon semi-ruined old temples and build new churches nearby (pictures). “The church was repaired long time ago. It was covered with the siding. Is it bad?, asks Kazimir Lapich, the chairman of the Malarytsa district administration. Apparently, builders wanted to make it look more beautiful and reliable. All the cultural monuments -- seven churches in the district -- have been brought to a normal condition. I have no problems", the official talks about an ancient church in the village of Khotsislau in the Malaryta region.
In the view of the district official, builders just wanted to beautify the church with the siding. Only after a critical story in the Vecherniy Brest newsaper, the official allegedly realized what had been done.
Kazimir Lapich: “If we were told that this should not be done, we would definitely have not done it this way. But, nobody has formulated a policy on cultural heritage sites. Now we will know that there is a topic that requires attention”.
The European Radio for Belarus has learned that using the siding for ancient churches is not a one-off incident. It is a wide-spread thing. Historians Hleb Labadzenka and Andrei Dybouski traveled across the country and detected the facts of criminal "eurorepairs". The church in the village of Porplishcha in the Vitsebsk region was constructed in 1627. Its upper part was covered with the siding. Builders could possibly destroy the ancient wood.
Experts maintain this "eurorepairs" is in contradiction with all the laws.
“According to the international convention that deals with architecture, this is a violation of all the rules, continues Hleb Labadzenka. The churches are covered by the siding nevertheless. Priests describe it as a good repair, while architecture experts are simply terrified”.
In another development, a 1678 church in the village of Vistychy, Brest region is about to get demolished. Local priest Fr. Mikalai decided to build a new church in a neighboring village instead of restoring the cultural heritage site.
“He keeps running around, trying to a get a plot for a new church", laments Aliaksei Alesik, the chairman of the village council in Charnauchytsy. The first priest built a church in Matykaly. The new one also wants to build in another location”.
In his view, the church authorities should pay attention to this issue.
“This is a historical parish with a cemetery. Everything remained like it was in the ancient times. It is a serious building”.
ERB: “What should be done to prevent the church from getting ruined?”
Alesik: “Church authorities should pay attention to this church”.
In the view of the district official, builders just wanted to beautify the church with the siding. Only after a critical story in the Vecherniy Brest newsaper, the official allegedly realized what had been done.
Kazimir Lapich: “If we were told that this should not be done, we would definitely have not done it this way. But, nobody has formulated a policy on cultural heritage sites. Now we will know that there is a topic that requires attention”.
The European Radio for Belarus has learned that using the siding for ancient churches is not a one-off incident. It is a wide-spread thing. Historians Hleb Labadzenka and Andrei Dybouski traveled across the country and detected the facts of criminal "eurorepairs". The church in the village of Porplishcha in the Vitsebsk region was constructed in 1627. Its upper part was covered with the siding. Builders could possibly destroy the ancient wood.
Experts maintain this "eurorepairs" is in contradiction with all the laws.
“According to the international convention that deals with architecture, this is a violation of all the rules, continues Hleb Labadzenka. The churches are covered by the siding nevertheless. Priests describe it as a good repair, while architecture experts are simply terrified”.
In another development, a 1678 church in the village of Vistychy, Brest region is about to get demolished. Local priest Fr. Mikalai decided to build a new church in a neighboring village instead of restoring the cultural heritage site.
“He keeps running around, trying to a get a plot for a new church", laments Aliaksei Alesik, the chairman of the village council in Charnauchytsy. The first priest built a church in Matykaly. The new one also wants to build in another location”.
In his view, the church authorities should pay attention to this issue.
“This is a historical parish with a cemetery. Everything remained like it was in the ancient times. It is a serious building”.
ERB: “What should be done to prevent the church from getting ruined?”
Alesik: “Church authorities should pay attention to this church”.
Unique wooden churches could bring the country's tourism industry millions of dollars. But because of the thoughtless "eurorepairs", we lose both the money and the historical heritage.
Photo labadzenka.by і globus.tut.by
Photo labadzenka.by і globus.tut.by
