70% of damaged Dormition Cathedral roof in Lavra already covered

Restoration work on the roof of the Dormition Cathedral. Photo: Suspilne Kyiv

Specialists have now completed the installation of an emergency covering over 70% of the damaged roof area of the Dormition Cathedral. Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture says these measures are necessary to protect the church’s unique historical and artistic interior from precipitation and further deterioration, according to Ukrinform.

A special commission has begun assessing the extent of the damage. The commission includes experts from the National University “Lviv Polytechnic,” among them Ihor Bokal, Mariana Kaplinska, and Mykhailo Volynets. Based on their findings, a damage assessment report and a cost estimate for the installation of a full conservation covering will be prepared.

First Deputy Minister of Culture Ivan Verbytskyi stressed that the restoration of the UNESCO World Heritage shrine requires the combined efforts of the state, benefactors, and international partners.

According to Maksym Ostapenko, Director General of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra National Reserve, the complete restoration of the cathedral could take up to two years. Despite the ongoing work, the reserve is gradually restoring visitor access. The Near Caves, the Great Lavra Bell Tower, the Refectory Church, and the Church of the Savior at Berestove are currently open to visitors. Group tours have also resumed.

As the UOJ reported, Zelensky showed Trump photographs of the burning Dormition Cathedral of the Lavra.

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