Urbanization as the process of inhabitants’ concentration in town centers became actual one at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and it raises new questions of conservation of urban environment as a part of urbanization in the beginning of 21st century.

Urban environment is the complex social and cultural space that includes architectural and town planning components as basis in it. The components define cultural aspect of a big settlement in total that is certain collection of the values which can be opposed to each other: luxury of epoch and traditions, dense conglomeration of the objects of various historical periods and comfort of residence, caring for cultural heritage’s conservation and neglect of its importance for modern youth generation.

Such conflict is so typical for Russian megapolis that the problem of urban environment look’s conservation in traditional view, that would be similar to correct perception of urban cultural traditions, becomes apparent more than forming of urban environment every year. It is special for such city as St Petersburg.

Restoration activity is integral part of the conservation of urban cultural look and national cultural heritage. So, restoration has ancient sources that ascribe us to the epoch of antiquity. The first criticism of restoration appeared in the 3rd century. But restoration became more fundamental direction in the Middle Age and especially in the 15th and 16th centuries when the scale work of the conservation of religious pictures and public prayer’s icons was. The modern epoch of restoration and conservation began in the middle of the 19th century when the scientists of the leading countries of the world were concerned with the conservation of pictures, frescos and icons and the unique objects of cultural heritage which were discovered many excavations in Egypt, Greece and Italy. Just sensation of disappeared cultures, which were new for the society of the 19th century, made the specialists of culture and art to draw direct attention on conservation of the cultural heritage of later of Renaissance and the Age of the Enlightenment that filled the urban environment of those towns.

The urban environment of St Petersburg began being formed in the 18th century and developed during 19th century created the great cluster of cultural heritage’s objects included in the list of the UNESCO. They preserve unique look of the city of Peter of the Age of the Enlightenment and the accumulation capital that made a major contribution to in architectural development of the modern city in the form of patronage and investing. The central part of the city is a place of the conservation of Petersburg society’s cultural soul that creates comfort and inspiration for cultural and art figures, special northern comfort of Imperial Russia of the time of creation and cultural progress as a symbol of Northern Capital’ cultural greatness in mental level.

Conservation and renewal of cultural heritage’s objects of St Petersburg are important for restoration of cultural soul and power of Russian state as social process of upbringing of such integral spiritual notions: love of native place, respect of own history and culture, admiration and forming of pride sense for achievements of the society that a citizen is a part in.

Thus, restoration can be shown by complex of events directing to prevention of following destructions and achievement of optimal conditions to protect material culture’s objects long time. And also restoration can be shown by process of renewal of original urban environment in spiritual view that creates inimitable background making more comfortable development of art.

Alexander G. Buychik
Ph.D. Social Sciences
Associate Professor of St. Petersburg Institute of Arts and Restoration