Yekaterinburg Approves Demolition of Building with Legendary Inscription
Experts have approved the demolition of a former instrument plant in Yekaterinburg, finding it poses no risk to adjacent heritage sites.
Feb 3, 2026 0
The rooftop art piece with a philosophical message dates back to 2017.
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In Yekaterinburg, demolition has been approved for four buildings of the former Ural Instrument-Making Plant at 17 Gorky Street.
Demolition approval follows an assessment that safeguards nearby historical monuments.
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Experts concluded that the demolition will not damage nearby cultural heritage sites or the discovered cultural layer.
The assessment states, «The expertise concludes that it is possible to ensure the preservation of cultural heritage objects during demolition and related work,» as indicated in the study materials.
Demolition is planned to start from the end section, proceeding according to a «top-down» scheme.
A tracked excavator will be used for the work.
The expert conclusion is currently open for public discussion.
The owner of the territory is the company UGMK (Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company).
Previously, the corporation reported that a cultural center will appear on the site of the plant.
The project will include:
- music and art studios;
- spaces for dance and pottery;
- sculpture workshops;
- a transformable hall for events.
The instrument-making plant building was constructed in the 1930s.
In 2017, an art object with the philosophical inscription «Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?» was created on its roof, which became a local landmark.
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