Russia spends €75 mln to build a spiritual center in Paris

Moscow, December 22, Interfax – It cost €75 mln to buy a land lot for building Russian spiritual and cultural center on Branly Embankment in Paris, the Kommersant daily reports on Monday.

The edition notes that conditions of the contract were not voiced earlier. As to the price of the building, it is remains unknown. According to French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte involved in the project design, it may total to €100 mln.

On December 24, 2013, the prefect of Paris and the Ile-de-France region signed permission for the construction of a Russian Orthodox spiritual and cultural center on Branly Embankment in Paris.

The center will appear on a land plot that was acquired by the Russian Presidential Property Management Department in March 2011.

The center’s architectural design, which was created by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, has already passed all of the required procedures and fully meets the requirements of France’s legislation and urban development standards.

The 4,000-square-meter compound is expected to include a Russian-French school for 150 students, an exhibition hall, an Orthodox church and a number of administrative buildings.

A presentation of the project for Paris residents, society and the media has been set for the middle of January 2014. Construction is expected to begin in June 2014 after the existing Meteo France buildings are demolished.

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