The Demidov estate fence in Moscow was cast in 1750 at Nizhny Tagil from a sketch by Argunov

The most beautiful fence in Moscow is not the Kremlin wall but the railing of the Demidov estate in Bolshoy Tolmachyovsky Lane. And although this eighteenth-century estate was owned by various families, it is called Demidov's precisely because of its outstanding railing, cast at the Demidov works. Yes, it is cast iron! An exceedingly complex and highly artistic piece of work. The railing was cast by the serf craftsman Sizov to a design by the artist Argunov in 1750 at the Demidov works in Nizhny Tagil

Report a translation error

September digest: archaeological finds, exhibitions, museums, theatre and the Church

In the finale of the Strugatskys' Roadside Picnic, the Golden Ball is told: "Happiness for everybody, free, and let nobody go away unsatisfied!" I do not promise to offend nobody, but the digest really does come free of charge. So, here is the main business of the

Frederic Leighton

Frederic Leighton. “Daedalus and Icarus”, 1869 Daedalus warns his son not to climb too high: the heat of the sun may melt the wax, but Icarus is already gazing into the distance, and the lamentations of a foolish old man interest him not in the least

The Demidov estate fence in Moscow was cast in 1750 at Nizhny Tagil from a sketch by Argunov

Read more

September digest: archaeological finds, exhibitions, museums, theatre and the Church

Frederic Leighton

Attempts to resolve the problems of many years of uncontrolled mass migration

Characters from Gogol's "Petersburg Tales" on the pedestal of the monument to Nikolai Gogol on Nikitsky Boulevard, photograph of the 1960s