This unique three-tiered structure in the style of late classicism consists of a square stone basement, on which a wooden rotunda with elegant columns rises. The columns form a wide covered terrace on the second floor, while the upper tier is surrounded by another colonnade. The building is topped with a roof featuring dormers and a dome, and semicircular staircases lead to the entrance. The portico is adorned with a pair of double columns.

Exact data on the construction of the building has not been preserved. Some historians believe it may have been designed by architect M.F. Kazakov, but there is no documentary evidence to support this. Literature on the history of Moscow suggests that the building was gifted by Catherine II to Count A.G. Orlov-Chesmensky and became part of his summer estate.

According to other sources, the plot never belonged to the Orlovs, as evidenced by the fact that the "dovecote," partially built of wood, is not listed among the surviving structures after the Patriotic War of 1812.

The origin of the building's modern name also remains unknown. One version suggests it is related to its unusual appearance, while another claims the building was indeed used as a dovecote.

Before the revolution, the "dovecote" belonged to sculptor K.F. Kraht, who set up his workshop here. During the Soviet era, the building housed the artistic commune "Venok" and a military unit. In the late 1950s, after restoration, a children's library opened here. Since the early 1990s, the "dovecote" has been home to the "Count Orlov" club.

There is a legend about an underground passage leading from Danilov Monastery to the mansion, and partial confirmation of this was found during the landscaping of the park in 1996. In 1999, the restoration of the building was completed: the foundations were reinforced, the facades and interiors were restored, and the round plans of the second floor and belvedere were preserved.