Video footage captured the moment the colonnaded portico collapsed at the Nikolskoe-Uryupino estate. The Investigative Committee has launched a criminal case into the partial destruction of the building. Experts and historians attribute the incident to the incompetence of the contracting company. The estate, a federal heritage site, had previously been sold into private ownership.
The collapse of the Nikolskoe-Uryupino estate, a federal heritage site in the Moscow region, made headlines, featuring prominently in crime reports. The colonnaded portico disintegrated before the eyes of construction workers who were conducting restoration work. The Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case regarding the partial destruction of the building. Those found guilty could face up to three years in prison, though fines are also a possibility.
The video footage of the incident appears more akin to demolition than restoration. The elegant, arched colonnaded portico, which had stood for nearly 200 years, simply crumbled into a heap, with a worker in the background heard shouting, «Get out, it`s collapsing!» While no one was injured in the incident, the federal architectural monument suffered partial destruction, as confirmed by the Investigative Committee.
Preservation specialists have raised questions about why the builders were filming such a catastrophic collapse. It is speculated they might have been recording to prove their innocence in court. The shouts from off-camera suggest the voice of a general laborer, not a seasoned restorer. Typically, heritage sites of this significance are handled by reputable restoration firms, especially since the estate was under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture. Vissarion Alyavdin, director of the Association of Owners of Historic Estates, stated that the incident is clear evidence of the complete incompetence of the team on site.
Vissarion Alyavdin Director, Association of Owners of Historic Estates
«Such an event can only occur due to either complete incompetence on the part of the restorers or malicious intent. The owner of this estate possesses a significant amount of land. Perhaps the individual was more interested in the land itself. This is negligence bordering on a crime. I cannot comprehend how work could be conducted in such a manner. The restoration project was approved by the Ministry of Culture`s relevant department. All work should have been carried out strictly according to this approved project. Responsibility lies with the chief architect of the project and specialists working on the foundations and roofing. This building is not enormous; the volume is not such that the entire portico would simply collapse like that. This is a direct reproach to the Ministry of Culture. This object was always under the Ministry`s oversight. Questions arise as to how it could have been entrusted to an incompetent owner. After all, we have numerous high-quality restoration companies, and a serious firm should have been chosen for such a significant restoration.»
Instead of restorers, forensic investigators are now working at the site. All project documents have been requested from the Main Department of Cultural Heritage of the Moscow Region, and interrogations and construction-technical expertise are planned. Konstantin Zautrennikov, owner of the legal firm `Zautrennikov & Partners,` commented on the potential penalties for those found guilty in this criminal case.
Konstantin Zautrennikov Owner, `Zautrennikov & Partners` legal firm
«The maximum penalty under this article is up to three years of imprisonment, along with fines and mandatory labor. A construction and technical examination is essential to determine culpability. From what I understand from comments, representatives of the developer claim they are not responsible for the collapse of the architectural monument`s load-bearing walls, asserting they followed all norms and building regulations. However, since a case has been initiated, there is evidently doubt. This matter must be investigated by competent builders who will review the work technology, adherence to all standards, and the actual actions of the construction team to ascertain whether the violation was accidental or a breach of work regulations. Establishing whether the actions were intentional or unintentional will likely be a priority.»
Throughout its history, the estate has seen numerous owners. In the 1990s, it was owned by the famous pharmaceutical manufacturer Vladimir Bryntsalov, who promised to restore the estate to an even better state than before. However, he failed to deliver, and his contract was terminated. The estate also survived several suspicious fires.
Following an auction in 2021, where the estate was sold for nearly 830 million rubles, the new owner became businessman Ara Abramyan, president of the public organization `Union of Armenians of Russia,` according to Rustam Rakhmatullin, coordinator of the Arkhnadzor movement and Moscow expert.
Rustam Rakhmatullin Coordinator, `Arkhnadzor` movement; Moscow historian
«Nikolskoe-Uryupino is one of the most remarkable estates in the Moscow region. It retains a functioning and well-preserved 17th-century church. It also features two manor houses, an old one and a `new` one. The `new` one, relatively speaking, is precisely the one that collapsed. Both manor houses changed hands multiple times back in the nineties. Nikolskoe-Uryupino has consistently had bad luck with its owners. According to my information, the current owner is Ara Abramyan, head of the Union of Armenians of Russia. Nothing has improved for the estate under his ownership. The estate can be seen in Gubenko`s wonderful lyrical film `Life, Tears, and Love,` where the white house serves as an old people`s home and the second house across the fence is a pioneer camp. This film perfectly conveys the impression of the estate when it was still in a well-maintained condition.»
The new owner acquired the estate with commercial use rights. By law, he is obligated to preserve and restore the object. At the time of publication, the owner did not respond to Business FM`s calls and inquiries. Media outlets cited representatives claiming `scientific restoration` was supposed to be carried out. However, for unknown reasons, piles that ensured the foundation`s stability were dismantled, which likely led to the collapse.
