Sphinx Statue Put Back on Egyptian Bridge in Russia after Restoration

The Department of Antiquities and Museums in the Russian city of  Saint Petersburg has re-installed the Sphinx statue on the Egyptian bridge over the Fontanka River in the city, after undergoing a delicate restoration process.

The museum's press service told reporters: "The sculptures were dismantled in September, to be carefully examined by specialists from the Urban Sculpture Museum. Metal corrosion were detected, and the gold layer was lost from some details of decorative elements such as the crown and the "Nemes". Extensive damage was recorded in the colored coating that protects the metal from corrosion.

The museum indicated that the restoration process, in which the most careful methods of metal treatment were used, showed the city guard who suffered more than others and remained steadfast despite World War II. 

During the restoration process, all the Sphinx's corrosion were treated with a phosphate compound that prevents rust. It was anodized bronze, and the four-micron-thick gilding layer was renewed.

The Sphinx sculptures were first erected in August 1826, and were cast in Charles Beard's workshop in St. Petersburg. The weight of one sculpture with the base is about 2 tons.