What is the parish-2

Novaya's columnist Boris Vishnevsky talks about why the dictatorship doesn't know how to deal with crises

medical workers have died in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (*according to the “Memory List”)

Rowan, in white in spring, red in autumn; wild rose that smells amazingly on summer evenings; a spherical willow, the shape of the dome... Apparently, the initiators of the “positive protest” action, which took place on Sunday afternoon near the Prince Vladimir Cathedral in the Petrograd region, decided to stock up for all seasons, weekdays and holidays.

The cult object intends to expand. Residents, with all due respect, offer the churchmen more modest options for the development of events

BG, having planted a tree, entered into a debate about the lofty and the vain

Novaya spoke in detail about the threat that really loomed over one of the most famous St. Petersburg churches, a masterpiece built in the 18th century, in August. Let us remind you: right at the foot of the cathedral, it is planned to erect two buildings for “cultural, educational and educational purposes”, and in fact - an office center, which, according to a number of experts, will irreparably distort the appearance of the historical part of the city (not to mention the fact that the square will be destroyed).
Soon after the publication of the NG issue, we received a call from Rosokhrankultura, representatives of the Office for the Northwestern Federal District, and reported that, based on our publication, they had sent a request to the Committee on State Control, Use and Protection of Monuments of the Government of St. Petersburg. Where, in particular, it says: “In Novaya Gazeta No. 63 of 08/21/06, in the article “What is the parish”, information is given about the intentions to construct buildings of 4 floors with an attic in the security zone of a cultural heritage site - the Cathedral of St. Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir (Prince Vladimirsky) at the address: St. Petersburg, Petrogradsky district, st. Blokhina, 26. In addition, the Department has a situational plan of the area around the cathedral with the allocation of a site for the construction of new buildings with the approval of KGIOP dated January 12, 2005.
The United Protection Zone (project of 1988) and the General Plan of St. Petersburg (Law of St. Petersburg dated December 22, 2005 No. 728-99) do not provide for development in the protective zone of the cathedral.
I ask for clarification on the basis of what documents the KGIOP approval for the above-mentioned development was issued, and if it was issued justifiably, then why the corresponding changes were not made to the Law of St. Petersburg dated December 22, 2005. No. 728-99."
As of the end of last week, there was still no response from KGIOP (although more than a month has passed). But during this time, local residents received a letter from Vice-Governor Alexander Polukeev - vague, but somewhat encouraging: “Taking into account that the placement of these objects in the immediate vicinity of the cathedral may have a negative impact on the visual perception of a monument of federal significance and on the surrounding urban planning environment, the KGA will consider alternative sites for the construction of church buildings, the functional significance of which corresponds to the design solutions of the General Plan of St. Petersburg.”
There is also a document from the Department of Landscape Management, from which it follows that department employees are ready, hand in hand with the local population, to “carry out additional improvement” on the disputed land plot. Well, in fact, yesterday it came true. Residents of the surrounding houses, activists of the environmental movement “Green Wave” planted bushes and trees near the temple to replace the lost ones (sixteen, according to the clerk, were cut down here in 2003 alone). The personalized tree was rooted under the camera lenses by Boris Grebenshchikov. The specially arrived writer Mikhail Weller was also noticed among the planters. There were conflicts: the “greens” were tried to be thwarted by not entirely sober advocates of “godly needs” from among the flock. And the rector of the temple admonished the action with an unkind word...
Meanwhile, professional architects (from a support group for the local opposition) created a model that clearly shows the absurdity of monumental modern construction near the walls of an ancient temple. In addition, they developed alternative projects for the development of the territory: the first, most preferable, is simply a green zone; the second (if the cathedral needs to expand) is a compact one-story building with a flat roof. All this can be seen in axonometry and, as they say, you can feel the difference.
Moreover, having apparently gained a taste, the initiative group of defenders of the square is also planning to announce a competition for the best design of a monument to Prince Vladimir - the historical character in whose honor the temple was named - and install it near the Sportivnaya metro station. Is it also necessary to immortalize Vladimir in this way, a cruel despotic ruler, a personality, to put it mildly, ambiguous (take at least the fact that, according to the chronicles, his brother Yaropolk was killed on his orders) and who has a very distant relationship with our city? Opinions are polarized from total rejection to complete delight.
However, with Vladimir, this is still at the level of an idea, but the mountain ash and willow trees - here they are, have already materialized. In the spring, we hope, they will make noise to the delight of believers and atheists.

Valeria STRELNIKOVA
Photo by Alexander BANKOV