""Our employees took all values from the Troitsky Cathedral, and they guarantee their safety," he said."
Yes, that pawn ticket is under lock and key!
Pathetic forced levity aside, I'm sure this will have implications for Russian/Chechnian relations. posted by lekvar at 2:16 PM on August 25, 2006
Aw, dammit.
I know they can rebuild, but in fighting the fire, there's going to be a tremendous amount of water damage, and irreplaceable artisanship is going to be ruined.
And if this as deliberate act, it's even more shameful than Coventry or the Dresdner Frauenkirche. Those were incidental to the war going on around them; this was totally In Your Face, as we say.
Dammit.
For those of you for whom this is a national treasure: I'm sorry for your loss. I feel like it's everyone's loss. posted by pax digita at 2:23 PM on August 25, 2006
Pathetic forced levity aside, I'm sure this will have implications for Russian/Chechnian relations.
No doubt. The Chechen master strategy of taunting the Russians into slaughtering them all is proceeding according to plan. Their secondary strategy of destroying all international sympathy for themselves when it happens is also going well. posted by Mitrovarr at 2:24 PM on August 25, 2006
A fire raging at St. Petersburg's Trinity Cathedral is continuing to burn and has spread to all the building's cupolas and is now covering an area of 1,800 square meters, the St. Petersburg Emergency Situations Department told Interfax.
"The main cupola has collapsed, and the size of the blaze is hindering efforts to extinguish the fire. Because of the threat to human life, the evacuation of valuables has been suspended," the department said. posted by spock at 2:30 PM on August 25, 2006
"The blaze reportedly began after a spark from a welder's lamp caused gas cylinders to explode."
From the BBC link. posted by chris24 at 2:46 PM on August 25, 2006
.
(haunting images--i can't help being a little nauesated by the exhange in the comments to these photos though. seems like the first thought anybody has anymore when anything goes wrong is "OMG!, was it the terrah?!?" and then when they later learn it wasn't, the new information doesn't make half as visceral an impact as that initial feeling of shock and panic did, and so paranoia increases, tempers flair, and on and on...) posted by saulgoodman at 2:52 PM on August 25, 2006
The blaze reportedly began after a spark from a welder's lamp caused gas cylinders to explode
a chechen welder no doubt. posted by sgt.serenity at 3:27 PM on August 25, 2006
How tragic. I hope they can salvage some of it. I've never been keen on religion, but I've always liked churches for some reason and Troitsky was one of my favorites.
Oh man. For a second I had this confused with Christ the Saviour church in Moscow and thought to myself, "Hey self -- there goes the real estate market in Moscow -- all the ridiculously overpriced buildings in that entire city are priced based upon their view of that church."
I wonder if they do the same thing in St. Petersburg. posted by empyrean at 5:02 PM on August 25, 2006
Wow. It certanly is beautiful. posted by delmoi at 5:36 PM on August 25, 2006
The loss of such a beautiful national treasure is very unfortunate. At the same time, though, I always heartly endorse the burning of churches. Mankind will only be free when the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest. posted by nlindstrom at 5:54 PM on August 25, 2006
When I was in Russia I never got a chance to visit St. Petersburg, but the Troitsky Church was on my list of places I wanted to see if I had gotten to go. Damn.
That's terrible, but very pretty. In an entirely selfish way I wish I could be there to see it burn. posted by Citizen Premier at 6:22 PM on August 25, 2006
The loss of such a beautiful national treasure is very unfortunate. At the same time, though, I always heartly endorse the burning of churches. Mankind will only be free when the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.
Wouldn't it be better if we could just turn them into libraries? Or subways.
In Brisbane, Australia there is a pancake restaurant in a former church. Fabolous place with a ceiling height of 20 meters, pool tables, fully licenced and a goth-themed bar in the basement. Open 24 hours. posted by spazzm at 9:03 PM on August 25, 2006
posted by owhydididoit at 2:04 PM on August 25, 2006