Protection of historic buildings sparks 'war' in Moscow
by Nina Achmatova
For two weeks, citizens have set up barricades near the Patriarch's Ponds against the demolition of a nineteenth century building to make way for a luxury condominium.
Moscow (AsiaNews) - A few meters from the famous Patriarch's Ponds in Moscow, where the Devil appeared for the first time in Bulgakov’s 'Master and Margarita', barricades have been erected in what local media have already dubbed "the Bolshoi Kozikhinskij street war". On one side, citizens of the historic district, on the other a construction company that want to raze an entire block to make way for a luxury condominium with a three floor garage attached.
Since mid-July, residents and activists of the "In Defense of Moscow" movement have been picketing the area, where excavators arrived on July 16 knocking down a wall of the nineteenth century building at number 25. A young protester, throwing himself against the bulldozers, stopped the demolition. There was another attempt to continue with the demolition, July 26, but again popular resistance blocked it. The activists argue that the construction company, Vektor, does not have the necessary permits to build on the ruins of a building deemed historic and denounce the presence on site of "mercenaries who attacked the demonstrators, and threatening them verbally." For his part, Vektor, claims to have the law on its side and the authorities deny that the building at No. 25 has any artistic value.
The standoff continues between the two parties in the silence of Mayor Sergey Sobianin, who is increasingly beginning to resemble his predecessor Luzhkov, forced to resign last year due to differences with the Kremlin.
In Moscow, speculation on architectural heritage is an incendiary issue question. Dozens of noble houses and villas dating to the 1600’s and 1700’s, which survived the Napoleonic fire of 1812, have fallen under the blows of greedy contractors, with the complicity of the municipal administration. According to the Moscow Architecture Preservation Society, this is cultural "genocide": there are over 400 historic buildings have disappeared over the past 12 years.
A concert was held on July 30 in defence of the No. 25 Bolshoi Kozikhinskij alley and some of the leading Russian figures in the world of art and architecture are mobilizing. On the 'social information website democrator.ru, a petition has been launched addressed to President Dmitry Medvedev which calls for "a moratorium on demolition of historic buildings in Moscow" so that "civil society, the business world and authorities can develop and implement a program for their recovery. "
Since mid-July, residents and activists of the "In Defense of Moscow" movement have been picketing the area, where excavators arrived on July 16 knocking down a wall of the nineteenth century building at number 25. A young protester, throwing himself against the bulldozers, stopped the demolition. There was another attempt to continue with the demolition, July 26, but again popular resistance blocked it. The activists argue that the construction company, Vektor, does not have the necessary permits to build on the ruins of a building deemed historic and denounce the presence on site of "mercenaries who attacked the demonstrators, and threatening them verbally." For his part, Vektor, claims to have the law on its side and the authorities deny that the building at No. 25 has any artistic value.
The standoff continues between the two parties in the silence of Mayor Sergey Sobianin, who is increasingly beginning to resemble his predecessor Luzhkov, forced to resign last year due to differences with the Kremlin.
In Moscow, speculation on architectural heritage is an incendiary issue question. Dozens of noble houses and villas dating to the 1600’s and 1700’s, which survived the Napoleonic fire of 1812, have fallen under the blows of greedy contractors, with the complicity of the municipal administration. According to the Moscow Architecture Preservation Society, this is cultural "genocide": there are over 400 historic buildings have disappeared over the past 12 years.
A concert was held on July 30 in defence of the No. 25 Bolshoi Kozikhinskij alley and some of the leading Russian figures in the world of art and architecture are mobilizing. On the 'social information website democrator.ru, a petition has been launched addressed to President Dmitry Medvedev which calls for "a moratorium on demolition of historic buildings in Moscow" so that "civil society, the business world and authorities can develop and implement a program for their recovery. "
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