Published on: 2026-07-07
Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –
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Nadezhda Akulova’s speech (on the left) at the round table
In early July, the Restoration Week traditionally took place in Saint Petersburg, dedicated to Restorers’ Day, celebrated on July 1st. The main event of the week was the annual conference “Current Issues of Conservation and Promotion of Cultural Heritage.” This year, its theme was restoration as an economic sector: prospects, challenges, and ways to address them.
The organizers of the events held at the recently opened Restorer’s House on Liteyny Prospekt were the Committee for State Control, Use, and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Government of Saint Petersburg (KGIOP) and the Union of Restorers of Saint Petersburg.
From the Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (SPbSACE), the head of the Department of Architectural and Urban Heritage, Candidate of Architecture, participated in the Restoration Week events. Nadezhda Akulova, Associate professor of the Department of Architectural and Structural Constructions (ASC), Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering for Research, Candidate of Architecture Olga Pastukh and restorer of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, lecturer at the ASK department Olga Kryukova.
At the round table “Restoration as an Industry: Prospects, Challenges, and Ways to Solve Them,” Nadezhda Akulova gave a report titled “Continuity, Complexity, and the Level of Personnel Training for the Restoration Industry. The Leningrad School of Restoration at St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (SPbGASU).” She spoke about the training at SPbGASU of specialists for the development and preservation of the restoration industry, in particular drawing colleagues’ attention to the program starting in September a new direction – training engineer-restorers based at the university’s Faculty of Construction.
“For the common cause of preserving cultural heritage sites, of preserving our history and architecture, we need to unite and combine our professional knowledge and skills so that the work is carried out consistently, in a coordinated manner, at the right time, and in all directions,” believes Nadezhda Akulova. She reminded that in March, as part of VI National Conference “Reconstruction and Restoration of Architectural Heritage”, which took place at SPbGASU, was signed agreement on the establishment of the Consortium “Preservation of Cultural Heritage”, which already unites many educational institutions at the higher and secondary professional education levels, government bodies responsible for the protection of cultural heritage sites, enterprises professionally engaged in restoration work, public organizations, and others. The goal of the consortium is to create a unified center of interaction and communication in the field of restoration, linking science – education – practice.
Olga Kryukova served as the moderator of the round table “Conservation or restoration. On the issue of choosing priorities in preserving cultural heritage sites.”
In addition to the discussion program, participants were given the opportunity to learn about the progress of restoration work at St. Isaac’s Cathedral and the Epiphany Cathedral on Gutuev Island, as well as to take part in a community cleanup day and a tour of the Smolensk Lutheran Cemetery. Olga Pastukh participated in these events.
The culmination of Restoration Week was A ceremonial evening at the State Academic Chapel of Saint Petersburg. Governor of Saint Petersburg Alexander Beglov traditionally recognized representatives of the profession who have made the greatest contribution to the development of the restoration industry.
At the award ceremony, students from specialized educational institutions who demonstrated excellent academic achievements were also recognized. Among those acknowledged with gratitude by the Union of Restorers of Saint Petersburg was a fifth-year student of SPbGASU in the field of study “Reconstruction and Restoration of Architectural Heritage”. Ulyana Gribova.
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