This book addresses the effects of the environment on Saint Petersburg's cultural heritage. It summarizes the results of long-term, large-scale monitoring of monuments in, and the environment (air, soil, vegetation) of, the historical Saint Petersburg Necropolis. The book offers detailed descriptions of the unique collection of decorative stones in the Necropolis and discusses the deposits that were most likely used to create them. In addition, it characterizes the processes of stone and bronze monuments' degradation in response to physical, chemical and biogenic influences. Special attention is paid to describing the monitoring methodology and the structure of the monitoring information database. Drawing on the methodologies and cases presented here, the book subsequently puts forward a strategy for the conservation and restoration of these unique monuments.
This book approaches practical questions of monuments preservation that will be of interest to museum staff, restorers and experts in various fields (geologists, biologists, chemists, engineers, etc.) whose work involves problems of cultural heritage preservation. The book is interesting for everyone who is not indifferent to the history and preserving of the world culture.

Enriches readers' understanding of a wide range of problems concerning cultural heritage preservation in urban environments Details the interactions between the materials used in monuments and the environment (air, soil, vegetation) Equips readers with the latest approaches and methods for monitoring and preventing monument degradation

Inhalt
Introduction.- Museum Necropoleis of Saint Petersburg. A Brief History.- Stone Materials of the Necropoleis Monuments.- Outdoor Environment of the Monuments in the Necropoleis.- Decay of the Monuments.- Changes in the Necropoleis Monuments' Status Over Time.- Monitoring of the State of Stone and Bronze Monuments.- Methods of Monument Protection from Damages and their Performance.- Conclusion.