The State Hermitage Museum announces:

15 July 2009, the press service of the State Hermitage spread the message:

The procedure of transfer of the Alexander Column to the State Hermitage is not completed at the moment. The documents are at the stage of execution.

At the same time the State Hermitage controls the situation involving the column. During carrying out of mass events at Palace Square the Hermitage authorizes security powers to the organization that is responsible for event organization.

On order of the State Hermitage additional fences in the Hermitage Style are manufactured to separate the most vulnerable lattice fence with ornamentations surrounding the column from direct contact with people.

The State Hermitage notes that from the moment when the Hermitage started to observe the column there were no serious losses of the lattice fence elements. Small details of decor were affected. In particular, eighteen knobs of the fence pikes were damaged and deformed. Big and small guard eagles are in place.