Archnadzor, a volunteer organization that advocates for the preservation of historical monuments, said the crumbling statue was evidence of the authorities’ disregard for protecting historical landmarks.
“For years, the authorities have remained deaf to appeals to facilitate the urgent restoration of this monument which has historical significance,” the group said on Facebook.
The neoclassical building, known as the Broido House or House of Writers, was built in 1907 by the architect Nikolai Zherikhov. Alexander Pushkin and Leo Tolstoy featured alongside the stucco frieze of Gogol.