BAKALSKAYA KOSA /Crimea/, August 20. /TASS/. The issue of the restoration of the ruined monasteries in the Kremlin is to be scrutinized by experts, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday at a meeting with participants in the Tavrida educational youth forum, commenting on an initiative by young architect Alexei Kapustin to restore the Chudov Monastery and the Ascension Convent.
"In general, this is a matter for discussion. Such decision cannot be taken single-handedly. It should be a sustainable expression of society’s will either to re-built what used to be here before or to preserve the environment as it is. A final decision can be made only on the basis of a wide public discussion," he said.
"I do like this idea but only one thing keeps in check - the opinion of our senior colleagues, specialists in architecture and archaeology," he noted, adding that many are against modern replicas.
Another reason against new construction in the Kremlin is that further archaeological excavations are needed in this place, Putin said, adding that he like the idea of restoring lost churches.
"However the problem is that restoring what has been lost we must not harm what we have," he said. "Let us think about that."