Studying the War-Era Historical and Cultural Heritage Losses in the Hero City of Novorossiysk

Novorossiysk is among the ten cities in European Russia that suffered the most from military action during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. The authors analyzed the scale of wartime architectural loss in Novorossiysk by using materials from central and regional archives, city plans, wartime aerial photographs, online auctions, and private collections dating from the pre-revolutionary to the post-war periods. These materials made it possible to evaluate the damage to the city during the Nazi occupation and subsequent liberation. The article describes the pre-war state of architectural monuments that were completely or partially destroyed, restored, or demolished, such as the Eagle House, the Theater, the Buffet, and the Public Assembly. Some surviving pre-war architectural heritage should be turned into museums to prevent its further deterioration, while other structures could be restored to their original architectural design. The authors also analyzed post-war attempts by city authorities to restore certain architectural monuments. Unfortunately, part of the cultural heritage was irretrievably lost as a result of poor management decisions by local and regional governments.

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