October 1, 2010
The jury chaired by the head of the Presidential Business Management Department, V. Kozhin, approved in France the terms of an architectural contest for the best design of the Russian Orthodox Religious and Cultural Center in Paris, the Interfax-Religion website has reported on October 1, 2010.
The jury includes 15 members, 8 from Russia and 7 from France. Among its members are Russian and French ministers of culture A. Avdeyev and F. Mitterrand, Russian ambassador to France A. Orlov, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Office for Institutions Abroad Archbishop Mark of Yegoryevsk, president of the Russian Union of Architects A. Bokov, as well as representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Paris City Council and the public in Paris.
It is planned to sum up the contest in the middle of January, 2011.
On February 3, 2010, Russia won the tender for a plot of land on the Quai Branly in Paris. In March 2010, Mr. Kozhin signed the title to the land for building an Orthodox church and several buildings for cultural and religious purposes.
Earlier, Russian Ambassador A. Orlov stated that as this project should meet special requirements, it was decided to hold an international architectural contest for the best design of the center. ‘It should be a really interesting design which would adorn Paris and fit in the unique image of Paris’, he said.
The center will begin to be built in 2012. It is intended as a place for meetings, cultural events and spiritual nourishment for the Russian community and for introducing Parisians to the Russian Orthodox culture.
