The restoration of the bell tower of the Smolensk Cathedral in Vyyezdnoye has been estimated at 92 million rubles.

      April 22, 2026 08:00 Culture and Leisure The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation is looking for a contractor for the restoration of the bell tower of the Smolensk Cathedral built in 1815 in the village of Vyyezdnoye, Arzamas District. The announcement has been posted on the government procurement website.

      The initial price of the contract is 92.3 million rubles. The work will be funded from the federal budget: in 2026, 27.7 million rubles will be allocated, in 2027 — 15.6 million rubles, and in 2028 — 49 million rubles. The restoration is planned to be completed by March 31, 2029. Applications for the competition are accepted until May 8, 2026, and the results will be announced on May 13.

      The project documentation notes that the bell tower is part of the ensemble of the Smolensk Cathedral (Temple in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Odigitria" Smolensk) and is an object of cultural heritage of federal significance. Its area is 78.7 sq. m. The building consists of several levels: on a high two-tiered base, there is an octagonal structure with a ringing tier, topped with a stone tent with a small bulbous dome. In the early 20th century, the tent, which was previously decorated with stone vents, was covered with metal, the vents were lost, and the shape of the dome was changed.

      On the southeast side of the bell tower, a church watchman's building adjoins through a section of brick fencing. On the northern side, during the Soviet era, a one-story boiler house made of silicate brick was added.

      It is noted that the object currently remains an active religious building and is used for its intended purpose. The user is a religious organization — the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).

      According to the diocese, the restoration of the church in Vyyezdnoye is ongoing. Since March 18, 2024, the church has been closed to parishioners due to the start of work. It is expected that the main restoration activities will be completed by the end of spring, after which landscaping of the adjacent territory will begin. The work is being carried out as part of the development of the pilgrimage and tourist cluster "Arzamas – Diveyevo – Sarov."

      It was previously reported that the bell tower of the Feodorovsky Male Monastery has begun restoration in Gorodets.

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