The North of Russia is renowned for its lakes and vast landscapes, but also its beautiful architecture, especially the ancient wooden churches. Time has taken its toll on many of them, but a team of specialists in the Vologda region are busy working to re

Secluded and remote, the Kurillo-Belozersk monastery is a natural tourist attraction. With its 11 churches it's one of the largest monasteries in the country, dating back to the 14th century. And it’s just one example of the area’s beautiful architecture. But not all of the ancient buildings have been as well looked after.

The only one of its kind in Russia, a school for restorers teaches the techniques of reverting time. Students learn the basics of drawing and designing architecture but the main skills come on the job.

One of the jobs in progress is the wooden church of Elijah the Prophet, first built in 1755. Like many other churches in the region, this one wasn’t looked after properly for years and is in a bad condition. Restoration started here in 2003 and its 3/4 done with only the top half left to do.

Alexander Popov is the man in charge of this mighty task. He’s the director of the restoration centre which prides itself on repairing the region’s iconic wooden buildings to exactly how they looked in previous centuries. He says the key is in their special technique.

“We study a monument, instruments etc. and make them and use them according to the way of ancient times and then teach our students to use this in their restoration work,” Mr Popov explains.

His team of ten works throughout the year, constructing and replacing timber, a task they feel is highly important.

“It’s our history, its normal to talk about identification nowadays so I would say the people here identify themselves with this land, with this memory,” says one of the students.

But upholding this memory takes time and even more – money. This project is already over budget. The problem apparently lies in insufficient funding.

“It is my impression during my years working here that the federal government doesn’t see the problem. It’s on the last place or even after that,” believes Alexander Popov.

But this doesn’t alter the dedication of the workers here, who are simply concerned with making sure Russia’s history doesn’t fall to the ground.