The State Historical Museum informs about the progress of work on the restoration of the monument to Minin and Pozharsky on Red Square Automatic translate

Work continues on the construction of a restoration pavilion over the monument to Minin and Pozharsky. As a result of comparing the risks to which the monument will be exposed under various options for organizing work, according to the restoration project, the device of a heated, heated pavilion directly above the pedestal was recognized as the optimal solution. The design decision on the restoration of the monument on Red Square without relocation and the restoration technology were approved by the Scientific and Methodological Council under the Ministry of Culture of Russia.

At present, the metal frame of the pavilion has been installed on the concrete base, and work is underway to test the operation of the crane-beam. After the tests, the pavilion will be sewn up with panels and the engineering equipment will be installed in it. The sculptural group will be transferred to a special restoration table using a crane-beam located inside the pavilion. After that, work will begin to remove the technological frame of the figures and the remains of the molding sand through the technological holes, restore the inner and outer surfaces of sculptures and bas-reliefs, and replace the skirting frame.

The construction of the pavilion is planned to be completed by the end of November. The restorers have already washed the sculptural group and the pedestal, and the dismantling of the bronze monument is scheduled for early December 2021.

In parallel with the large-scale work on Red Square, restorers are working on the manufacture of a model of the helmet earpiece, which had been lost earlier, and the restoration of Pozharsky’s helmet.

The restoration of the landmark for the country monument is carried out by the Interregional Scientific and Restoration Art Department (JSC "MNRHU"). The cost of the work is 55 million rubles.

Historical reference:

The monument to the national heroes of Russia was created with donations from the people, and work on it continued even during the Patriotic War of 1812. On August 5, 1816, a sculptural group was cast in the foundry of the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, consisting of two colossal figures and a round shield. The sculptures with a height of 4, 5 meters were made according to a unique for that time technology of melting from a wax model in one step.

On March 4 (February 20), 1818, in a solemn atmosphere, Emperor Alexander I and members of the imperial family unveiled a monument to Minin and Pozharsky on Red Square. In the summer of 1931, the monument, which became a hindrance to demonstrations and parades, was moved from its historical place, opposite the Upper Trading Rows, to the facade of the Intercession Cathedral.

In 2016, the monument was transferred to the operational management of the Historical Museum. In August 2018, the State Historical Museum announced an all-Russian campaign to raise funds for the restoration of the monument to Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, the first sculptural monument in Moscow, erected on Red Square 200 years ago in honor of the victory of Russian militias over foreign invaders in 1612. Hundreds of Russian citizens, as well as citizens of the CIS countries, became donors. The largest donation was made by PSB Bank. The rest of the funds required for the restoration of the monument were allocated by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

The completion of the restoration work is scheduled for November 2022.