Moscow’s coat of arms, featuring St George the Victorious, appeared above the Tretyakov Gallery’s main entrance when the new façade was built in 1902–1904. By then, the Tretyakov brothers’ collection already belonged to the city: the high relief above the central portal marked the formerly private collection’s new public role. You can find it above the entrance facing Lavrushinsky Lane.
#MoscowInOneDetail · a weekly feature.
What is depicted at the centre of the façade?
Above the central portal is a high relief of St George the Victorious, a horseman slaying a dragon. The museum’s analysis of the façade describes it as the focal point of the composition. Art historian Alla Vershinina attributes the façade’s decorative tiles to P. K. Vaulin’s work at the Abramtsevo factory: the ceramic ornamentation was made separately from the sculpture.
The high relief of St George the Victorious above the Tretyakov Gallery’s main entrance. A historic view from a city album dating to 1910–1915. Wikimedia Commons, Municipal Album 1.050 Tretyakovka (cropped).jpg, author: anonymous photographer of P. P. Pavlov phototype, licence: Public domain source
Vasnetsov’s design included a semicircular arch over the main entrance and two side porches. Beneath the band of decorative tiles, an inscription in old ornamental script on a white background records the Tretyakov brothers’ gift to Moscow. The inscription names the donors, while the coat of arms identifies the city that received the collection. These two details reflect different stages of the story: the transfer of the collection to Moscow in 1892 and the creation of the new façade in 1902–1904.
Who designed and made the relief?
Viktor Vasnetsov conceived the Tretyakov Gallery’s façade in the ‘Russian style’, while the high relief of St George was made by the carver Markov in V. I. Orlov’s sculpture workshop. In Alla Vershinina’s study the artist’s drawings, architect Vasily Bashkirov’s design and the carver’s work are credited separately. The researcher does not give Markov’s full name.
By the museum chronicle, in May 1900 the Gallery Council discussed building in the ‘Russian style’ and entrusted the concept to Vasnetsov. Elena Terkel, writing in The Tretyakov Gallery magazine, provides further details: on 10 August 1900, Vasnetsov presented the design to the Council, which approved it and recommended it to the Moscow City Duma. He prepared the drawings in 1900–1901, and construction took place between 1902 and 1904. The museum publishes his watercolour from 1901: it shows the proposed design rather than the completed building.
Pavel Tretyakov died in 1898; it was the Council that commissioned the new appearance. Oksana Melnichuk, in a museum publication, writes that Vasnetsov worked without payment as a tribute to the founder’s memory. Elena Terkel’s study also explains the practical aim: the family’s former home was to be united with the gallery’s main building behind a shared façade. The sources do not support the claim that Pavel Tretyakov chose the relief himself.
Why did the city’s emblem appear above the gallery?
The coat of arms signalled the collection’s municipal status: in 1892, Tretyakov gave Moscow his own collection, that of his late brother Sergei, and the house. On 31 August, the collector submitted a statement of his gift to the Moscow City Duma. The museum chronicle records that the Duma accepted the gift in September and resolved to petition for the name ‘Pavel and Sergei Mikhailovich Tretyakov City Art Gallery’. The name thus brought together both brothers. The institution officially opened to visitors in August 1893.
Viktor Vasnetsov’s design for the Tretyakov Gallery façade, 1900. Above the entrance is a relief depicting a horseman slaying a dragon. Wikimedia Commons, Design for the Tretyakov Gallery Façade (1).jpg, author: Viktor Vasnetsov, licence: Public domain source
Vasnetsov worked on the city gallery’s façade years after the gift. The high relief marked this status, but the artist also invested the image of the Dragon Slayer with another meaning: a museum publication quotes words from his correspondence about ‘Russia’s triumphant deliverance and salvation through help from above’. This is Vasnetsov’s interpretation, rather than documentary evidence of the coat of arms’ official meaning.
The horseman has a longer history than the relief. The Presidential Library dates his appearance on grand princely seals to the 13th century, while the Moscow encyclopaedia dates the city’s emblem to the second half of the 14th century. The encyclopaedia explains that the image came to be associated with St George later, and that Moscow’s coat of arms was officially approved in 1730. The history of the symbol is thus distinct from that of the detail on the façade.
Where can you see this detail, and what should you look for there?
The Tretyakov Gallery’s historic building is located at 10 Lavrushinsky Lane. Find the central portal on the façade and look above it, beyond the band of decorative tiles: that is where the high relief is located. It is on the outside, so you can view this detail without entering the museum galleries.
On Zamoskvorechye tour The Tretyakov Gallery is included in the route; at the main portal, you can find the coat of arms and recall the story of the gift. In the next instalment of ‘Moscow in a Single Detail’, we will explore another detail of the city that is easy to walk past.
Sources
- The Tretyakov Gallery: Viktor Vasnetsov’s ‘Joy of Architectural Creation’
- Alla Vershinina: ‘Sculptural Decoration on Moscow Building Façades in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries’
- Elena Terkel: ‘Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev and the Tretyakov Gallery’
- The Tretyakov Gallery: The Building on Lavrushinsky Lane
- The Tretyakov Gallery: The Gift of the Gallery to Moscow
- The Tretyakov Gallery: Historic Building, Address
- Presidential Library: The History of the Horseman on Grand Princely Seals
- The ‘Moscow’ Encyclopaedia (1980): Moscow’s coat of arms
- Museum of Moscow: symbols of Moscow
- Radius Tour Bureau: a walking tour of Zamoskvorechye
- Wikimedia Commons: façade of the Tretyakov Gallery, Wmpearl, CC0
We took a tour of Taganka designed for 12-year-old children. It was an excellent programme. We covered a great deal of ground and learnt so much. We discovered the story of Dryanaya Street and discussed the Vladimir Highway, the surrounding monasteries and churches, and the Old Believers. We now know where Korovin was born, where Stanislavsky was born and raised, where the Morozov merchant children lived, and why Arseny Morozov was considered such an outrageous figure in his day. We also discussed Solzhenitsyn, discovered where Stalin Avenue was supposed to be built, saw the bunker, walked to the Russian metochion of the Mount Athos Monastery, and learnt why the Illuzion cinema made Taganka famous. Of course, no tour would have been complete without Vysotsky and Lyubimov. We also touched briefly on Taganka Prison, although naturally we did not go there. All in all, it was an exceptionally rich and informative tour! Our guide Alexander was superb!
Our thanks to our guide Alexander for a magnificent sightseeing tour. Alexander’s love for Moscow and its history, his wide-ranging knowledge, elegant and engaging delivery, and personal charm make the tour not merely interesting and informative, but truly delightful! Thank you, Alexander! Tatiana and Tatiana, St Petersburg
On July 18th, we participated in the "Soul of Moscow" group tour led by Alexander. Kitay-gorod and its surroundings revealed a new side to us, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Some of us began intensively studying related materials to broaden our horizons. We'll be back, and we highly recommend it! You won't regret it.
Good afternoon, on June 23rd we had a tour called " The Soul of Moscow ," led by Alexander. He's a very pleasant young man. We visited such lovely courtyards and alleys with him that we never even knew existed, and we learned so much. We really enjoyed everything, and we hope to continue our acquaintance. Alexander! Thank you! We had a great time with you, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. See you there!
This isn't my first time with Radius. This time, I took the Moscow metro . The goal was not only to admire the underground palaces but also to learn how to navigate the metro. As a resident of a region without a metro, I was a bit apprehensive and didn't understand how to navigate the metro. Of course, the internet helps, but live communication is much better. Tour guide Yulia handled this task perfectly. The information was accessible and interesting, the presentation was calm, and the communication style was very friendly. Thank you very much for the tour and the practical experience.
Good afternoon! I gave the "Soul of Moscow" tour to some of the capital's guests. We were thrilled to hear our guide, Anton. It was so informative and engaging, and very warm. To say we were absolutely delighted is an understatement. It turned out to be a truly family-friendly excursion. We learned so many interesting facts. The material was presented professionally, all our questions were answered, and we saw so much. It was simply WOW! Thank you so much, Anton, he's the best!!!!! From now on, I'll only come to you, the Radius team. I highly recommend it. I promise we'll see each other again soon on other tours.
Overall, the tour left a positive impression! Thanks to Alexander for the walk through the courtyards and atmospheric spots of Kitay-Gorod; we certainly wouldn't have done it on our own. The tour was comfortable, and the guide spoke confidently and calmly. One thing we personally missed: we would have liked more of the historical part, relating to ancient Moscow and the history of Kitay-Gorod. There were quite a few stories about the Soviet period and the bar scene, but for our group, this wasn't particularly relevant. We think the program could be a little more tailored to the age and interests of the group. It would also have been interesting to add more historical facts, monuments, and details about old Moscow and the area itself. That said, the tour was still interesting, and some places and churches were truly memorable. These aren't really "cons," but rather suggestions for an even more comprehensive program.
Hello! We had a corporate group of 10 people. Our guide was Anton, and we had a tour of Bulgakov. I would like to point out the excellent organization; everything went smoothly. The managers were very accommodating to our changes in the number of participants. The bus was very comfortable. Anton is a super-engaged and motivated guide. He lives this history and is delighted to share his knowledge and create an unforgettable experience. Everything went well. I highly recommend it!
Thank you for a fascinating tour! It gave me so much food for thought to explore! Note: Review of the "Zamoskvorechye" tour with guide Maria.
I'd like to express my gratitude on behalf of our team! Thank you for keeping to our scheduled schedule despite our lack of organization. Our colleagues appreciated your preparation for the tour! It was informative. Note: Review of the "Modern Residential Complexes, Factory Past, and Avant-Garde" tour of the ZILART residential complex with guide Maria. Maria prepared and conducted a customized tour for employees of the Samolet Group of Companies development company.
Thank you! You have great talent. Good luck! ☺️ You're a wonderful guide! Thank you again! Note: This is a review of the corporate tour "The Heart of the Capital" with guide Maria.
Thank you for a wonderful day today!!)) Note: review of the excursion "The Soul of Moscow" with guide Maria
On behalf of the whole family, I want to thank you for a very informative and interesting tour! Note: This is a review of the "Palace Dungeons" tour with guide Maria.
Good afternoon! I'd like to express my gratitude and that of my guide for organizing the tour! We were very pleased. We'd like to do it again in October, but on a different route — ZIL. Note: This refers to the tour for Samolet Group developers, led by guide Maria.
Thanks to Alexander for the bar tour of Baumanka ! It was fun, exciting, and we discovered so many new places! Awesome! May we reach new heights!
Good afternoon! I was on a tour of Sukharevskaya Square — we went all the way to Tsvetnoy Boulevard. I didn't expect it to be so interesting! For those wondering whether to go — go for it! It truly became one of my most memorable summer memories!
Anastasia, good morning! Thank you and Masha for yesterday! The speakers are happy. The connection through the headphones was often lost, especially at the checkpoint, but that's just our current situation. You could hear if you were standing close, no more than 1.5 meters away. Colleagues have already asked for your contact information. I'd be happy to share it and look forward to another opportunity to work with you. Special thanks to the Director for the Bureau . Note: " Heart of the Capital " tour for participants of the 2025 Moscow Oncology Forum. Guides: Anastasia and Maria.
We'd like to thank Anton and Alexander for leading the tour! It was fascinating to hear how the Krasnaya Presnya district developed and how Prokhorov's influence on our city's development. It was a pleasant immersion into a quiet, previously unexplored area!
Good afternoon, thank you so much, Anastasia. The " Uncle Gilyai " tour was fantastic. Even though we're Muscovites and know a lot about Moscow, the experience was amazing, so much new and interesting happened. We'll definitely be back.
Thank you for the " Heart of Moscow " and " Khamovniki " tours. Anton, a knowledgeable and passionate Moscow guide, gave me the tour. He's a great storyteller, intelligent, well-read, and captivating. You've truly opened up my Moscow to me! I'll definitely be back next summer to explore Moscow with you. I'll recommend your wonderful tour program to all my friends!
Excursions with the Radius travel agency are always a positive experience if you choose them. We planned a tour of Zamoskvorechye on our next visit. We've worked with our guide, Anton, before. We'll definitely recommend him to everyone we know. The tour is informative, not overloaded with dates, and the information is comprehensive yet easy to understand, as it's presented in a light, narrative manner, not like a history textbook, dry and academic. Thank you for this approach. We'll definitely use the Radius agency again on our next visit to Moscow.
Thank you so much for the tour of Zamoskvorechye . Despite the weather, it was very interesting and informative! Note: this refers to the tour with guide Anton.
A huge thank you to Anastasia. We had a fantastic tour of the Patriki district. We learned so much. Anastasia is a true master of her craft. The tour was captivating, not at all boring, lively and interesting. Everyone was delighted. We were full of new impressions. I definitely recommend it. You won't be disappointed!
We explored the Soul of Moscow with my family and Radius on my birthday. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the walk! Anton shared so many interesting facts about the capital and its history, taking us into spiritual depths no one else had even suspected. Most of us were either born or longtime Moscow residents who spent a lot of time walking around. It was educational, heartwarming, and unforgettable. 🙂 Overall, this wasn't my first time walking around Moscow with Anton, and each time was a real adventure!