Zinaida Sitkova, director of the Nizhny Novgorod Planetarium, told the Nizhny Novgorod Telegraph Agency that the conflict with the Annunciation Monastery, which had been brewing some time ago, had been resolved. The plan for the new planetarium building, developed in 1997, will be adjusted to reflect December 2004 prices. Construction is expected to begin in 2005.

The building currently occupied by the planetarium is claimed by the Annunciation Monastery. At the beginning of the year there was a threat of eviction of the planetarium "to nowhere". Thanks to the support of the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Volga Federal District, the issue of the construction of a new building was resolved positively. Subject to timely funding, construction should take 9 months. In 2005 within the limits of realization of the federal investment program "Culture-2005" 25 million rubles will be allocated from the budget and five million rubles - from the budgets of the city and the region.

On December 16, Interfax, citing the press service of the presidential envoy for the Volga Federal District, reported that the planetarium building would be handed over to the diocese by September 2005. By that time, it is planned to complete the construction of the new planetarium.

Sources

Construction of a new planetarium building in Nizhny Novgorod is due to start next year // NTA. 2004. November 25.
The planetarium building will be handed over to the Nizhny Novgorod diocese next year // Interfax. 2004. December 16.

The planetarium, located in the premises that previously belonged to the monastery, will be provided with premises