The three-year restoration of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour has been completed. Craftsmen have restored the marble cladding, domes, and hundreds of bronze elements of the crosses.
Over 500 specialists spent three years restoring the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. They cleaned the façades, repaired damaged marble panels, and renovated the domes and roof. One of the most intricate aspects of the work was the restoration of the bronze decorations on the crosses of the main dome and the four bell towers.
Particular attention was given to the crosses situated at a height of approximately 100 metres. Nearly 500 decorative overlays made of cast bronze were removed from them. The average weight of each piece was around 20 kg, with the largest weighing up to 40 kg. Restoration was carried out by a team of 20 specialists, who cleaned the metal, repaired cracks, and applied six protective layers to each element. Each layer was dried for 48 hours. The work was completed with gilding using 960-grade gold leaf, requiring almost two kilograms of the precious metal.
The restoration of the marble façades was no less challenging. Specialists examined nearly 64,000 panels, repaired chips and cracks, and restored damaged sections. They also conducted a separate inspection of the space behind the cladding: where voids were found, craftsmen drilled over 29,000 holes and filled them with a special compound, reinforcing the wall structure.
The most challenging section was the main dome, with a diameter of nearly 30 metres. Completely removing its covering was not an option, as directly beneath it lies a frescoed vault that needed to be protected from rain. Consequently, restorers replaced the old cladding in small segments, carefully fitting the new pieces on site. The updated covering, made of stainless steel with a titanium nitride coating, weighs approximately 15 tonnes and retains its golden hue.
Additionally, craftsmen handcrafted approximately 14,000 metal components for the roof and zakomaras of the cathedral, renovated the belfry domes, restored the bronze bas-reliefs on the gatehouse bell tower, and refurbished four observation platforms. Upon completion of the work, the façades regained their pristine white colour, while the domes and crosses gleamed with gold once more.
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