Reconstruction of St. Petersburg's monument symbols to be accomplished by city's 300th anniversary

The reconstruction of the monuments - St. Petersburg's symbols - is to be accomplished by the 300th anniversary of the city, Nikita Yavein, the chairman of the committee on state control, use and protection of historical and cultural monuments of St. Petersburg's administration, told journalists on Tuesday.

According to him, the angel from the spire of St. Peter and Paul's cathedral will be put back in its place in December 2002. Probably, restorers will fail to paint the cathedral by the anniversary and will only cover it with coloured plaster. However, it will help to restore the cathedral's originality and won't twist its proper perception, Yavein said.

The reconstruction of other St. Petersburg's sights - the Palace Square and the Alexander's Column - is to be completed by April 2003.

According to Yavein, good quality of work is the priority for restorers, therefore, some monuments can be still in scaffolding by the anniversary celebrations.