The foundation and cellars of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, destroyed in 1961, could be transformed into a museum under Sennaya Square. This proposal comes from Sergei Semenov, a researcher at the Center for Rescue Archeology of the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IIMK RAN), who led excavations at the site.

Semenov suggests that preserving and showcasing these underground structures is a viable alternative given the current lack of plans to rebuild the church.

Excavations conducted by IIMK in previous years, during a period when authorities considered restoring the square’s historical appearance, revealed significant remnants of the church’s foundation and cellars. Archaeologists uncovered floors, furnace bases, air ducts, wall sections, and fragments of cellar vaults, providing valuable insights into the temple’s construction and subsequent modifications. The collection of artifacts unearthed during the dig comprises roughly 2,200 items.

Among the discoveries was a granite base of a half-column that once adorned the outer wall of the church. This architectural detail now stands on Sennaya Square, serving as the base for an information board outlining potential restoration plans for the temple.

Furthermore, over 600 human skeletal remains were recovered, representing approximately 20 individuals, including adults and children aged 3-6 years. These remains likely include burials from the 18th century, possibly including the reinterred ashes of merchant Savva Yakovlev-Sobakin’s parents, the church’s builder.

Semenov laments that the skeletal remains serve as a somber reminder of the disrespectful demolition of the church in 1961, during which those buried within were not reinterred. The site suffered further damage during the construction of city utilities and the Ploshchad Mira metro station pavilion.

The archaeologist believes that museification of the foundation and cellars could contribute to the revitalization of the Savior on Sennaya project. He draws a parallel to the Catherine Cathedral in Pushkin, where the excavated foundation has been museified and is displayed alongside exhibits in the lower level of the restored church.