Ostankino

a late-18th-century architectural ensemble in Moscow. From the time of Ostankino’s construction as the country estate of the Sheremetev counts until the end of the 19th century, its site was considered to be outside the Moscow city limits. In 1918 the ensemble was converted into the Ostankino Palace-Museum of Serf Art.

Ostankino consists principally of a complex of attached wooden structures in the late classical style, which are situated along a single axis and have stucco facades (1791–98, architects F. Kamporesi and P. I. Argunov; reliefs by F. G. Gordeev and G. T. Zamaraev). Low galleries link the central element of the complex, the palace-theater, with the concert hall in the Egyptian Pavilion and with the banquet hall in the Italian Pavilion.

The interiors are filled with gilded carving (craftsman I. Mochalin, the workshop of P. P. Spol’), parquetry (craftsman F. I. Priakhin), crystal chandeliers, paintings (including works by I. P. Argunov, N. I. Argunov, and la. I. Argunov), engravings, sculpture, and handsome furniture.

The landscaped park (1793–95, architects A. F. Mironov and P. I. Argunov) has been partially preserved. It is now the F. E. Dzerzhinskii Moscow Park of Culture and Rest. Ostankino is also the site of the lavishly ornamented Church of the Trinity (1678–92, architect P. Potekhin), whose bell tower is an example of the pseudo-Russian style (1877–78, architect N. V. Sultanov).