Messages from the past were found by restorers in the historical doors of NNGASU.

      On June 23, 2026, at 16:46 Culture and Leisure Unusual finds were discovered by restorers during work with historical doors in Nizhny Novgorod. Under one of the hinges, the craftsmen found a message from the past, and on the back of the door panel, a pencil note with the date of manufacture and the names of the carpenters. The findings were reported to the ANO "ASIRIS."

      Recall that from June 20 to 30, a Field School for Wood Restoration is taking place in Nizhny Novgorod. The project is organized by the Union of Restorers of Russia with the support of the Moscow government, based at the "School of Restoration" of ASIRIS, with the participation of the company "SMU-77." It involves 12 students from Moscow, Vladimir, and Nizhny Novgorod. Over ten days, the participants of the school undergo a complete cycle of restoration work—from surveying and clearing old coatings to reinforcing the structure, filling cracks, sanding, antiseptic treatment, toning, and applying protective varnish.

      The central object is the doors of the assembly hall of the main building of the Nizhny Novgorod State Architectural and Construction University. The building is the former Mariinsky Women's School from the mid-19th century, a cultural heritage site of regional significance.

      Before the work began, the doors were dismantled and transported to the workshop. At that time, a note was discovered under one of the hinges. It was deciphered by a graduate of the "School of Restoration" of ASIRIS, Maxim Samoylenko.

      The specialists do not dare to date the message precisely; however, they assume it was left by students of NNGASU in the late post-war years. The text mentions the tragedy in the Belarusian village of Khatyn in 1943, information about which became widely known in 1961, and also reflects on the threat of nuclear war.

      On the yellowed sheet are emotional slogans of a generation that experienced the war years: "Remember Khatyn!", "Will we not prevent the nuclear nightmare?", "All the peoples of the world, every inhabitant of planet Earth must say a decisive 'No!' to the looming threat of war." The spelling and punctuation of the original are preserved. ASIRIS added that during the Great Patriotic War, from 1941 to 1944, the building of the current university housed evacuation hospital No. 2820.

      Another find was made during further restoration. On the back of one of the door panels, a pencil inscription was preserved: "In the year 1901, on the 9th of August, the works were done by Galkin, Alferov, Kukin" (the spelling and punctuation are also preserved). This record allowed for the exact date of the doors' creation and the names of the craftsmen to be established.

      As a result of the project, the doors will be returned to their place, and the students will receive diplomas and practical experience working with a cultural heritage object. It was previously reported that by 2030, the region plans to restore 1,000 cultural heritage sites. The NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay informed about the main events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+