MOSCOW, January 19 - RAPSI, Dmitry Shchitov. A regional commercial court will hear on January 26 the Arkhangelskoye Estate Museum's lawsuit to quash the auctioning of a land plot within its preservation area, the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) reports from the courtroom.

The museum sought to invalidate the August 22 land purchase-and-sale contract between the defendants - the Defense Ministry and Gradostroy.

On August 16, Gradostroy won the ministry's auction of 20.67 hectares near the museum for 754.493 million rubles ($23.9 million). Pursuant to the tender documents, the land plot had a number of encumbrances.

The plaintiff believes the ministry was not entitled to auction the land as most of it (12 hectares) is within the museum's preservation zone, while a smaller area (0.78 hectares) is the estate's territory. Therefore, the State Property Management Committee - rather than the ministry - should have the right to dispose of the land.

The estate is a historical palace and park established in the late 18th century near Moscow. Renowned collector and art lover Prince Nikolay Yusupov bought Arkhangelskoye in 1810.