Cultural Potential as a Symbolic Basis of the Memorialization of Heritage Objects in the Space of a Russian Industrial City (by the Example of the City of Novotroitsk, Orenburg Region

Abstract

The relevance of this paper is related to the search for ways and effective methods to ensure the preservation of objects of material cultural heritage of Russia, which is confirmed by the adoption in 2020 of a new Article 67.1 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation on the protection of historical truth, continuity in the development of the Russian state during the millennial history, as well as the proclamation of 2022 — the Year of Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of Russia. The research`s aim is a comprehensive study of the cultural potential of the heritage object as a symbolic basis for its memorialization in the space of the Russian industrial city of the Soviet era. Taking into account the broad perspectives of the study of the phenomenon of “historical monument”, the authors consider the issue through the prism of value-normative, activity-based, symbolic and semiotic approaches to culture, concepts of historical memory and “places of memory”. Russian industrial cities have a unique culture, whose creators preserve and popularize the traditions of professional communities. In many of them, a historical and cultural landscape has been formed for a long time, indicating the possibility of identifying historical ensembles (industrial quarters, individual enterprises) and even entire historical settlements. However, this process requires a clear definition of the memorial value and is understudied so far. In this regard, the authors analyze the potential of cultural institutions of industrial centers that have accumulated solid socio-cultural experience as a basis for memorializing real estate objects, identifying new architectural monuments in the space of industrial centers of the Southern Urals. The study (state historical and cultural expertise) conducted in 2021 in relation to the Palace of Culture of Metallurgists in Novotroitsk, Orenburg region served as the paper`s empirical basis. The results obtained are implemented into the activities of the Orenburg region`s Government. The main results are to substantiate the expediency of using a broad methodological basis for the study of the cultural capital of a real estate object as a basis for its acceptance for state protection as a monument and to prove that cultural potential may act as a symbolic basis for the memorialization of a heritage object.