Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Moscow Government –
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Moscow is implementing a large-scale restoration program, unprecedented not only in its scope but also in the quality of the work. Launched in 2011, it has resulted in the restoration of over 2,300 cultural heritage sites over the past 14 years. Each year, work is completed on over 150 historical and cultural monuments. Moscow's cultural heritage protection system is well-established, and since 2011, the city has seen consistent positive progress across the entire restoration industry. The Russian capital remains a global leader in the pace and quality of historical and cultural monument restoration. The program's primary goal is to preserve and revitalize all sites in the city that possess genuine historical and architectural value.
Restoring a landmark is always complex and multi-stage. Depending on the condition and size of the building or structure, it can last from several months to several years. Specialists work to restore and preserve the historical appearance of the cultural heritage site, the one originally envisioned by the designer at the time of its construction—100, 200, or 300 years ago—or the one shaped at some point during its lifespan. This is the main difference between restoration work and regular renovation, the purpose of which is to maintain the building's current condition.
All stages of restoration
Every restoration of an architectural monument begins with its initial inspection. For this purpose, the capital's Department of Cultural Heritage (Moscow City Heritage) issues the conservation assignment and then grants permission for scientific research and survey work. This includes the study of various archival and reference materials, providing information on the building's construction and use over various periods. This work is carried out by historians and art historians.
At the same time, architects and restorers conduct an on-site survey of the building. They visit the site and study the building's engineering and structural features, take architectural measurements and probes (testing the plaster layers), dig pits (deep holes along the foundation), take samples of historical materials used, for example, for decorative elements, and so on.
The results of the historical, archival, and engineering research become the starting point for preparing a restoration and adaptation project for the architectural landmark. This project is a set of methodological recommendations for the work. It contains a sketch of the site and an explanatory note listing and justifying all architectural, structural, and spatial solutions necessary for the restoration of the landmark. The project describes in detail the restoration stages and outlines the methodological solutions for the restoration. An important part of the project is the plan for adapting the historic building to modern needs. For example, to accommodate a café, library, museum, public space, and so on.
After this, the design documentation is carefully reviewed and approved by specialists from the Moscow City Heritage Department. The next step is to select a contractor who will directly handle the project. Permission to carry out restoration work can be obtained by an organization holding the appropriate license for this type of work. Regardless of who owns the monument, the city maintains oversight at all stages. Department employees regularly visit the sites and closely monitor the quality of the work and its compliance with the design.
There are two major professional associations of restorers operating in Moscow: the all-Russian public organization "Union of Russian Restorers" and the non-profit partnership "Russian Association of Restorers." These associations include research and design organizations, restoration firms, and individual architects and restorers who specialize in specialized work. For example, there are restorers of monumental paintings, stucco specialists, gilders, and others.
The final stage of each restoration is the submission of a scientific restoration report to the Moscow City Heritage Department for approval and subsequent state acceptance of the work.
How monitoring and control save monuments
Moscow has a well-established system for regularly monitoring cultural heritage sites and overseeing ongoing work, which allows for timely implementation of necessary measures to preserve historical and cultural monuments.
Since the beginning of 2025 alone, the Moscow City Heritage Department has conducted over 1,800 inspections and oversight activities. As a result, over 600 orders to correct violations of legal requirements have been issued, 133 administrative offense cases have been initiated, and administrative fines totaling approximately 10 million rubles have been imposed. Furthermore, the Department has issued over 200 warnings regarding the inadmissibility of violating cultural heritage protection laws. Thanks to the Moscow City Heritage Department's oversight and oversight activities, the capital's architectural monuments are being restored to their historical appearance. Examples of recent years include the apartment building with a tea shop belonging to the D. and A. Rastorguev trading house, the Fedorov-Plokhovo chambers from the late 17th–19th centuries, and the main house and outbuilding of the R.R. Koshelev-S.A. Maltsev city estate.
The apartment building housing a tea shop, owned by the D. and A. Rastorguev Trading House, is located in the very center of Moscow on one of its busiest streets, Solyanka Street (Building 7, Building 1). It had long been in poor condition. Many Muscovites remember how the building was covered with construction netting, its façade was crumbling, and the stucco decoration and unique Atlantean sculptures, for which the building is known to locals as the "House with Atlanteans," required special attention from restorers. There were concerns that the building could be irretrievably lost. For several years (in the 2000s), attempts were made to challenge its protected status in the courts, but these were denied. The Moscow City Heritage Department sought restoration of the historic building, and an administrative case was opened due to the owner's inaction. The architectural landmark was put up for auction, during which it found a new owner, who began the necessary work.
The building has a very interesting history. The famous house with the atlantes on Solyanka Street was designed as a commercial and residential building and belonged to the renowned tea merchant Alexei Rastorguev. It was built in 1882 according to the designs of architect Vasily Karneev. The ground floor was intended for a tea shop, and the upper two levels were occupied by apartments. Its lush façade, decorated with stucco, became a recognizable feature and a distinctive advertisement for the trading house. It's no coincidence that the four atlantean sculptures supporting the second-floor balcony are positioned directly at eye level. The decorative embellishments immediately draw attention.
After the October Revolution, the building was nationalized. Part of the building was occupied by laboratories of the Research Institute of Roentgenology and Radiology. The former tenement apartments were converted into communal apartments. In 1911, Alexey Lyapunov, a renowned mathematician and one of the founders of cybernetics, was born in this building. Renowned scientists such as physicist and radiologist Pyotr Lazarev and chemist Sergei Nametkin also lived in the building.
Now, the house with its complicated history has been completely restored. Restorers paid special attention to the stucco and Atlantean sculptures, and even recreated the family cartouche. With the completion of this comprehensive restoration, the building once again graces the historic Kitay-Gorod district and is being preserved for future generations of Muscovites.
The Fedorov Chambers – Plokhovo, dating from the late 17th to the 19th centuries (Tverskoy Boulevard, Building 17, Bldg. 4) is one of the oldest buildings on Tverskoy Boulevard. It is based on chambers dating back to the late 17th century. Among the estate's owners were the Fedorov brothers, who held prominent positions under Peter the Great. The wealthy Major Kazimir Ostashevsky created a large pleasure garden with a pond here, which was described by Leo Tolstoy and Mikhail Zagoskin. An artistic circle founded by Nikolai Rubinstein, playwright Alexander Ostrovsky, and Prince and writer Vladimir Odoevsky gathered here. Pyotr Tchaikovsky and writer Alexei Pisemsky frequented the estate. The building survived the fire of 1812 and has undergone numerous architectural changes, from Classicism to Baroque and Eclecticism. The interiors even retain four Ionic columns, characteristic of the Empire style. For a long time, the house needed high-quality restoration, and 10 years ago it was declared unsafe and the residents were evacuated.
Before restoration began, the building was in a state of disrepair. The foundation had subsided, the walls were leaning, the floors were sagging, and cracks in the brickwork were up to four centimeters wide. The mezzanine walls, constructed of vertical beams, were rotted, and some decorative elements were lost. The owner had failed to comply with orders to preserve the building. In 2022, the Moscow City Heritage Department filed a lawsuit to seize the building. Only after this, following a settlement agreement between the parties, did the owner prepare a restoration project and begin work.
The first stage involved emergency response work. Specialists reinforced the foundation, dismantled the dilapidated roof and rafter structures, and removed the reinforced concrete staircases and partitions. They then repaired the brickwork, repaired cracks, and improved the building's load-bearing capacity with a metal frame. During the restoration, the walls were stripped of old paint and plaster, the brickwork was repaired, and vertical waterproofing was installed. Existing decor was restored and lost ones were recreated, and the roof, windows, and doors were repaired.
The main work is now complete. Moscow Heritage specialists and restorers have accomplished a tremendous amount of work. The results are already visible—the house has been restored to its original appearance.
The main house and outbuilding of the R.R. Koshelev-S.A. Maltsev town estate and the house church of the Usachevsko-Chernavskoye School (Zubovskaya Street, Building 14/2, Bldg. 1) are located at the very beginning of Devichye Pole, a historic district. These are among the oldest buildings in the area. The history of the estate's main house is linked to the name of Yuri Nechayev, a manufacturer and philanthropist. He spent his childhood here. During Soviet times, the building was expanded to five stories and adapted to house the command staff of the M.V. Frunze Military Academy.
For a long time, the building was in disrepair; the facades were hidden behind construction mesh, and the structure deteriorated over time. Now, the restoration of the facade and vaults is complete. The Moscow Department of Cultural Heritage supervised every stage. At the department's insistence, the white stone and stucco decoration were preserved, and the original color of the facade, discovered by restorers, was restored. Specialists decided to visually separate the historic section from later additions and annexes to clearly display the building's most valuable elements, which represent historical and cultural significance.
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