Giant Iron Tree Built In Russia’s Ministry Of Agriculture To Cast Shadow Over Archway

Fans of classical architecture are often disappointed that most construction companies and architects opt for more modern styles when designing new buildings, but this opulent style is certainly not lost. The Ministry of Agriculture’s building in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan in the Russian federation, is a magnificent work of eclectic architecture with a beautiful, massive wrought-iron tree that inspires pastoral agricultural images – and its construction was completed just a few years ago. The tree was designed to cast its shadow on the building’s lobby below.

The building, built by the Russian construction firm Antica, is a nod to previous Russian architecture – but not to the brutalist Soviet buildings that most directly precede it. Imperial Russian architecture has a rich a diverse tradition, owing to the diverse peoples that makes up the Russian federation. The building stands across from the Kazan Kremlin, which is a beautiful mix of Eastern and Western architecture (Note: a kremlin is a Russian fortress, so the Kazan Kremlin is not to be confused with ‘The Kremlin’ in Moscow).