MOSCOW, October 28 - RAPSI, Natalya Belova. A commercial court will hear on October 31 the Arkhangelskoye museum estate's lawsuit seeking to quash the museum land auction, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI).

The Arkhangelskoye museum filed the suit against the Defense Ministry and Gradostroy, the successful bidder. The museum also seeks to quash the land sale agreement dated August 22.

Earlier, the October 27 preliminary hearing was postponed until October 31 due to the judge's vacation.

The Defense Minister ordered to auction the 20.67-hectar museum land plot on June 21.

The museum says the Defense Ministry had no authority to issue such orders. According to the museum, most of the land (12 hectares) is within the museum's preservation zone and 0.78 hectares are within the the estate grounds. Based on this the Federal Agency for State Property Management is entitled to dispose of the land and not the defense ministry, the museum says.

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