Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands

• Inadequate coordinated management between national, local and religious authorities
• Lack of appropriate legal measures and rules for conservation, restoration, management and use of World Heritage properties of religious interest
• Poor state of conservation of the monastic irrigation system
• Inappropriate location of the planned Museum Complex
• Construction of an airport building
• Lack of adequate development control processes and Master Plan

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On 1 December 2022, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, an executive summary of which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/632/documents. Progress on a number of conservation issues addressed by the Committee at its previous sessions is presented in this report, as follows:

• The Ministry of Culture is finalizing the documentation necessary to have the Solovetsky Archipelago designated as a religious-historical site under federal law;
• Detailed attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) are to be defined, following which the draft Master Plan will be adjusted to ensure compatibility with these and the religious-historical site designation;
• Following approval of the Master Plan, a Management Plan will be prepared;
• Repair and restoration of the buildings and structures of the main monastery and sketes on Muksalma and Anzer Islands are being promoted by the Solovetsky State Historical, Architectural and Natural Museum-Reserve with approval of the Solovetsky Museum, Solovetsky Monastery and the Russian Orthodox Church, and with the support of the Ministry of Culture, which licensed specialised contractors;
• Restoration of the 18th century Nikolskaya tower (Cathedral Bell Tower) to allow the hanging of a new set of 23 bells has been completed, as has the restoration of the 19th century St. Herman’s Chapel, including reconstruction of its iconostasis based on historical photographs, while restoration and adaptation of the monastery's power plant, seaplane hangar and vegetable storage facility are underway;
• Conservation surveys will be undertaken on the foundations of the fortress wall;
• Restoration of parts of the main island’s hydrological systems is being planned based on scientific and design documentation;
• Extensive landscape surveys will be used to update the inventory of sites, views, landscape modifications, lost routes, etc. as a basis for sound conservation;
• Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) have been introduced for new constructions;
• Studies of ‘lost’ monastic sites of religious significance (temples, chapels, bow crosses, the monastery’s economic activities, etc.) will be carried out and, in accordance with the recommendations of the 2019 ICOMOS Technical Review, will aid in the preparation of a reconstruction (restoration) concept;
• Restoration project for the derelict Preobrazhenskaya Hotel (incorrectly referred to as the ‘St. Peterburg Hotel’ in the previous state of conservation report) is being adjusted to reflect additional studies and, once completed, will be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review.

On 12 May 2022, the World Heritage Centre sent a letter to the State Party requesting comments on third-party information in relation to reported changes to the legal status of some elements of the property. At the time of preparation of this report, no reply has been received from the State Party.

Progress towards the designation of the property as a religious-historical site is welcomed. This approach was supported by ICOMOS missions to reinforce the conservation of the archipelago as a living sacred cultural landscape with intertwined culture/nature/people processes. The detailed landscape inventories that have been undertaken are also welcomed, including studies of ‘lost’ monastic sites and areas related to former economic activities. The proposed reconstruction (restoration) concept for these sites should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies.

The Master Plan for the settlement part of the archipelago is nearing completion. As the State Party finds the term Master Plan difficult to translate, it would prefer the term Development Strategy, as this implies a strategy for spatial development whereas Master Plan translates as a General Plan for planning and development. To ensure equivalence with other properties, it is suggested that ‘Master Plan (Development Strategy)’ be used in state of conservation reports and ‘Development Strategy’, locally.

The Master Plan (Development Strategy) will define an integrated approach to preserving and reviving the key historical spatial elements of the cultural landscape, including the network of monastic roads, dikes, lake and canal systems and agricultural landscapes. Once finalised and approved, a management plan will be developed.

All restoration projects are now supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Solovetsky Museum, Solovetsky Monastery and the Russian Orthodox Church, and are undertaken by contractors who are licensed by the Ministry. This approach is welcomed.

The extensive list of projects undertaken over the past two years includes routine conservation work, emergency repairs and large-scale projects such as the extensive restoration of the Cathedral Bell Tower, adaptation projects for the 19th century monastic power plant, the seaplane hangar and an airport development project. For all these large projects, the State Party has been in dialogue with ICOMOS, and technical reviews have been provided. In 2022, ICOMOS provided technical reviews on the possible reconstruction of St. Onuphrius’ Church and a new waste management facility, and in 2023 on the conversion of the Soviet-era vegetable storehouse and the redesign of the museum building.

At its 40th session in 2016, the Committee requested the State Party to halt work on the construction of a major museum building in light of the adverse impact this project would have on the OUV of the property, to demolish what had already been built and to submit new proposals. Under the current plans, the existing half-built structure will be reduced to one storey, covered with a grass roof and screened by new trees planted to minimise light pollution. This creative approach is commendable and results in an acceptable, if not ideal, building that does not impact adversely on the OUV. The solution should be seen as a one-off solution, appropriate to these circumstances.

A start on the scientific documentation necessary to support the restoration of those parts of the main island’s hydrological systems that present serious problems is welcome. Covering some 52 lakes and several kilometres of canals, this single system dating mainly from the 15th and 16th centuries underpins the cultural landscape of the main island, supplies water for the monastery from the Sacred Lake and once provided power for mills.

It is noted that HIAs have been introduced for all new constructions. These should also apply to major restoration projects and, when submitted, should include proposed plans.