Authors

Shishkin Roman V.
FORMER ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL OF ST. CLEMENT IN SARATOV: THE PAST AND THE FUTURE

Architecton: Proceedings of Higher Education №1 (69) March, 2020

The article explores the potential of the German migration heritage in Saratov Region on the Volga river for adaptation to modern use with particular emphasis on the conservation and restoration of St. Clement's Catholic Cathedral in Saratov, which was converted into a public building (a cinema) in the Soviet period. The current context surrounding this object is described, including a retrospective of its multiple reconstructions, its most important features and significance in the history of the Germans in the Volga region and the entire Saratov region. A detailed consideration is given to not only the scientific but also ethical aspect of making a difficult choice of a method of reconstruction in light of the building’s current appearance, which is the result of its radical reconstruction during the previous historical period. The decision of experts to revoke its status of a listed building is reviewed based on value characteristics. A variant of reconstruction is proposed, with the division of the process into stages.