Refectory | 1519
The refectory (the monastery dining-room) where all monks gathered together played an important role in the life of the monastery community. It was a huge chamber (17 x 17,5 metres) with vaults supported by a central pier. The whole building stands on a high lower storey. It originally combined a massive cubic volume of the refectory and a high faceted pillar of the church of the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple crowned with rows of ogee-arches and a drum.
The project of restoration and adjustment of the church with the refectory was worked out by the State unitary enterprise “Central scientific and restoration design workshops” (Moscow, chief architect of the project S.B. Kulikov). The department of protection of cultural heritage of the RF Ministry of Culture approved it in July 2001.
Large-scale restoration was started in December 2000 by the restoration company with limited liability “Karensi” (Moscow). In 2003 it created a subdivision in Kirillov which was later reorganized into an independent structure-assignee - company with limited liability “Restoration centre – Architecture, Work, Training” (Kirillov, director A.V. Popov).
Considerable restoration work was fulfilled over these years: reinforcement of foundation and wall structures, reconstruction of the roof, restoration of staircases and woodwork. The project specifies fragmentary restoration without changes of the monument structure formed by the 20th century. Some rooms were restored in the 16th century style. The interior of the refectory was made in the Empire style with gilded column feet and capitals, oak wooden flooring.
A distinctive feature of the museum work in this direction is not only restoration, but also adjustment of the monuments (in this case, for an exhibition complex), including assemblage of all engineering systems necessary for modern use, for example, ventilation, fire alarm, floor heating.
In July 2007 the Federal state unitary enterprise “Inter-regional scientific and restoration artistic department” led by D.M. Cheremisin cleared and strengthened the wall painting of the 19th century in the refectory. At present it is conserved with gypsum plaster. In April 2007 a new exhibition “Archaeology of the Belozersk district” was opened on the lowest floor of this building.
Besides, in 2006-2008 “Restoration centre – Architecture, Work, Training” restored the interiors of the belfry adjoining the refectory: floors were reconstructed according to the ancient models, old woodwork was replaced with new one, walls were plastered and whitewashed, heating and lighting were installed. The museum has received a wonderful exhibition complex when all the works were completed.
The restoration work has been financed from the federal budget because this monument forms a part of the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery which is in the List of the most precious objects of the cultural heritage of the Russian Federation. In 2004 money resources from the reserve fund of the President of the Russian Federation were extra allocated.
