Moscow prosecutors halted the demolition of a number of historical buildings in the Kadashi district after activists blocked developers who are trying to build an elite apartment complex in the city center.
The order came after Prosecutor General Yury Chaika on Monday called for a check to be carried out on the situation to ensure that developers are adhering to the law.
"At the request of Moscow city prosecutors, the demolition of a number of buildings on Ulitsa Bolshaya Ordynka and Kadashyovsky Tupik has been halted," Marina Gridneva, a spokeswoman for the Prosecutor General's Office, told Interfax.
Protesters began gathering around Kadashyovsky Tupik, near the Novokuznetskaya metro station, on Sunday evening after developers returned to the plot to knock down buildings that are part of an architectural ensemble that also includes the protected Church of the Resurrection in Kadashi.
City prosecutors were planning to block the construction of the Five Capitals complex on the territory, so developers were trying to begin the demolition before the decision was made, said Artyom Khromov, head of the youth branch of A Just Russia and one of the protest organizers.
Police dispersed the protesters after they successfully blocked the demolition equipment, he said.
Preservationists say construction of the apartment complex poses a danger to the foundation of the church and will contribute to the city's crumbling cultural image.