And also in NotMoscow… the legacy under the plaster
It's been six years now Samara Volunteers united in the "We Must Preserve" project are restoring historical signs on the walls of buildings.
Historical Signs: Where It All Began
It all started in 2020, when a local conservationist Mikhail Mityukov I noticed a pre-revolutionary building with a piece of plaster falling off the wall. Mityukov noticed lines and letters visible underneath it, and suggested , that this is something interesting.
Removing the plaster required a special permit and several months of waiting—the building turned out to be an architectural landmark. Mityukov's theory was ultimately confirmed.
“We watched as, letter by letter, an old advertisement from the NEP period appeared under the plaster: ‘Kukhmisterskaya Sad Arkady’,” the city preservationist reported in his report in those days telegram channel (a kitchenette is a small restaurant, canteen or tavern).
How are historical signs protected?
This sign with an old advertisement has been added to the protected list, and now no one can simply paint over it.
Small parts that are easy to lose
Along with the inscriptions, the project team is restoring small details that are rarely noticed and are often simply painted over or removed during renovations. These include, for example, pre-revolutionary metal plaques with insurance company logos, which were placed on the façades of insured buildings. Or the "Strengthening the Defense of the USSR" sign—these began to be hung in 1937 on buildings where all residents (aged 12 and older) had passed air defense and chemical defense standards.
Over six years of work, volunteers have rescued unique lanterns, flag holders, shutter hinges, ceramic insulators, forged nails, ventilation grilles, Soviet neon signs, and mosaic sculptures.
Negotiate with the homeowners
The hardest part, according to Mityukov, is negotiating with the property owners and getting their permission to carry out the work. Sometimes it's necessary assure, using all his eloquence:
"Wait, don't close the door. You have a valuable sign on your house, it's important to preserve it. We don't need anything from you, no money! Just help us talk to the other neighbors. It's our heritage. It's important!"
Photo: "We must save"
The original post contained a video—it won't transfer automatically. Original: https://t.me/c/4471247967/1795
