Archaeologists find remains of main structures of Orenburg Fortress

According to Orenburg Media, citing Darya Bogachuk, a research fellow in the Department for the Preservation of Archaeological Heritage at the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, scientists were able to study in detail the construction features of defensive, residential and religious buildings of past centuries despite the high degree of destruction of the monuments. The data confirm archival records and significantly enrich knowledge of the history of fortification and urban planning in Orenburg.

So far, an area of more than 1,200 square metres has been explored and five fragments of historical foundations have been identified. Finds include coins, bronze objects, pottery and smoking pipes dating from the 18th to the early 20th century.

The research is the first stage of a large-scale project to restore the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral, whose foundation stone was previously consecrated by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.