In 2004, the famous Moscow Georgian restaurant "Aragvi" closed for major renovations. Before the work began, architect Vyacheslav Osipov inspected the building. At first glance, he noticed nothing unusual, but while tapping the arches, he drew attention to a strange brickwork hidden under the plaster. When the plaster was removed, it turned out that the brickwork dates back to the mid-17th century.

Architects knew that the building was old, dating back to the times of Tsarist Russia, but they did not expect it to be so ancient. The structure had been rebuilt multiple times, and before the revolution, it housed the "Dresden" hotel, where Surikov suddenly passed away in 1916. During the era of Stalinist Empire style, an imposing high-rise was built nearby, which made the ancient house inconspicuous among the massive buildings.

It has not yet been possible to determine to whom the mid-17th century chambers belonged. It is known that this area was once the estate of the voivode Dmitry Donskoy, Iakinf Shuba. Perhaps his descendants built luxurious chambers here. The building has a "complex triple" shape: a corridor with three rooms on the left and right. Of particular interest are the small niches in the southwest chamber of the upper floor. They were used as built-in cabinets for storing small utensils or dishes. Attention is also drawn to the brick adorned with images of unicorns and eagles, indicating the high social status of the owner.

The owner paid great attention to painting, and the architects discovered a floral ornament on the arches. This speaks to the good taste of the chamber's owner. Fortunately, all these decorative elements were preserved, without being covered with a thick layer of cement and plaster. Thanks to the accidental discovery by architect Osipov, it was possible to preserve the unique chambers of pre-Petrine Russia.