Local Builders Ruin Old Church in Rivne Region

In the village of Rozvazh, in the Rivne region, local builders ruined the Church of Kuzma and Demian of 1781 during restoration. The church is considered a unique example of folk architecture.
 
“The Church of Kuzma and Demian in Rozvazh is an architectural monument of national importance and represents the Volyn school of folk architecture. The church needed to be restored, in particular, the foundations and the central dome. The Institute Ukrzahidproektrestavratsia from Lviv executed an appropriate project. But the local builders ruined the shrine,” explained a candidate of Architectural Sciences of the National University of Water Economy and Use of Natural Resources, Olha Mykhailyshyn.

The cost of the restoration according to the project of the specialists from Lviv totals nearly one million UAH. The parishioners state that for years they repeatedly approached the authorities for help. This year, they decided to restore the church by their own means. They say that the dome and main beam were decayed and might collapse.

“Such actions are illegal and contrary to the law On Protection of Cultural Heritage. The people destroyed the national cultural assets. They removed the old dome and burned it, now, they are removing other fragments of the old building. Along the perimeter of the old church, new walls are being built. The church community only rents the church from the state and has no right to do this,” added Mykhailyshyn.
 
According to scientists, the modern restoration techniques help to maintain such monuments.