My passion for aerial photography started with a toy helicopter that I crashed on my first day. However, while debate still continues on whether these buildings are beauties or beasts, there is no doubt that they have become a major representation of the Soviet era and modern-day Moscow. For visitors, one of the great surprises of this historical city is discovering the beauty and cleanliness of its underground palaces. Viva curves! Museum Studies: Museum Science, High Culture, City Planning, , , study abroad experience to St. Petersburg, The Moscow Metro: From Public Transport to Social Icon, What was Suprematism? Thats my favourite too! This buildings defining characteristic is the huge Soviet crest on its faade which measures 144 square meters in size. Other similar skyscrapers were constructed in Kiev, Riga, Prague and Bucharest. As it happened, I moved on toward my goal later that very night. However, after the district was demolished to make way for it, plans were canceled (partly due to the difficulties of building a massive 32 story building on the soft soil of the Moscow River banks, partly due to a shortage of resources). The Seven Sisters boast many intricate architectural and decorative details. There are perhaps only a few people (a couple technicians, FSB signalmen, and the welder Yevgeny Martynov) who have had the chance to see the spires and five-meter stars of the Stalinist skyscrapers up close. Stalin commissioned the Seven Sisters in Moscow to demonstrate the triumph and regeneration of the USSR after the devastation of the Second World War, and rival the high-rises of capitalist cities. The Red Gates Administrative Building was constructed between 1948 and 1951 by Alexei Dushin. It is amazing how the culture so close to my own seems so exotic I love Orthodox Church buildings, they always look like from fairy tale. Its certainly easier. Others were built to house the Soviet elite and were like a city within a city, housing apartments, shops, offices and entertainment facilities and equipped with the latest technology including high-speed lifts, rubbish chutes, ventilation, and internal telephone systems. However, the grandiose style developed for it was then used as the inspiration for the eight massive skyscrapers. I will go with St. Basils Cathedral as my favorite because well, cake! Eight buildings were planned on the citys main intersections and in the bends of the Moskva River. In 1947, the 800th anniversary of Moscow, Stalin approved Resolution #53 On the Construction of Multi-Storied Buildings in Moscow ( ), while the actual day of the anniversary was commemorated by laying a foundation stone in each of the eight new construction sites. At the time she wrote for this site, she hoped to pursue graduate studies in Slavic Languages and Literatures, as well as literary translation. Architectural style: Romantic Nationalism. The grandness of the architecture and design of Stalins Seven Sisters bears a striking resemblance to that of the Moscow Metro! This ended up being a fairly big copter, and it required a second person to control the camera. Stalins desire to transform Moscow was not new. The Leningradskaya Hotel was constructed between 1949 and 1954 by Leonid Polyakov and Alexander Boretsky. The club was created to be a place for everyone with an interest in Russia to get to know each other and share experiences, stories, pictures and advice. Did you know? However, the building still faced hazards from being positioned so close to the water table. So viva wobbly bits! The spire was constructed with steel framing and, even after painting, remained a slightly different color from the rest of the building. I am quite interested in international relations and foreign policy and seeing the building where Soviet and Russian foreign ministers from Vyacheslav Molotov to Sergey Lavrov have worked understandably appealed to me.

St.Basils Cathedral doesnt even look real does it?! This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Today, parts of the building are being repaired and hold stores and restaurants that largely strive to mirror and market the buildings former glory. I also saw the War of 1812 Museum near Red Square, which was also interesting. From ice cream to trifles, and from cream buns to five-storey weddings cakes; seeing them ignited my sweet tooth into party mood for the entire trip. The architects and engineers of Stalins Seven Sisters closely studied skyscrapers built in the USA; much like the Empire State Building and Woolworth Building, the Seven Sisters are characterised by their wedding-cake-like upper floors tapering to a towering spire. Did you know? The shops deteriorated and the high-class apartments became cramped one-room units. The building was constructed with its frame tilted to one side to compensate for the frozen soil below. Two wings extend from the central tower, each crowned with two square towers. On Friday morning we continued exploring Moscow with a tour that included the historic Novodevichy Cemetery followed by a ride in newly-built cable cars up to Sparrow Hills. The stars are all different sizes and shapes, and are made of different materials. It is made of red and grey granite, limestone and ceramic blocks, and has many features of English Gothic architecture. Moscows skyline is largely defined by the seven towering skyscrapers nicknamed The Seven Sisters. Also known locally as Stalinskie Vysotki ( Stalins Highrises), they are one of the leading architectural legacies of the Stalinist period. Ornate arches, columns, turrets, and spiked metal ornaments decorate the central and side towers. The hotel counts among its former guests Robert de Niro, Ralph Fiennes, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Interestingly, there is an entrance to the Krasnye Vorota (Red Gates) metro station right inside the building. Located near the US embassy, it is reported that residents of the top two floors of the Kudrinskaya Square building were evicted durring the embassys construction. , Address: Spasskaya ulitsa, 21 Begun: 1949 Completed: 1953 Height: 133 metersUse: Residential, commericial, and offices of the Ministry of Trade.Metro: Krasnie Vorota. I imagined generations of Soviet foreign policy leaders working within those walls on the international crises that I have read so often about in American textbooks. Just in case these Russian desserts didnt take your fancy. I was later informed that this could actually have been seen earlier on Thursday, but clearly I had missed it then! The faade is made from limestone embellished with intricate layers of cornices at the top of each tier and a grand entrance made from red granite. The smallest of the Seven Sisters stands at 133 meters with 24 levels. with transport, Stalin's Seven Sisters Skyscrapers in Moscow, Stalins Seven Sisters are seven skyscrapers built in Moscow between, The architecture of Stalins Seven Sisters reflected this.

Its worth a few hours in the afternoon or late evening (avoid rush hour 4-7) to ride around and see the [], Carrying well over a million passengers per day across 52 stations, Kyivs metro system is an integral part of the citys daily life. They are all very beautiful and your food references are very funny, Shing. Spread throughout the city of Moscow are seven imposing buildings, called variously The Seven Sisters or Stalins Skyscrapers. While visiting Moscow as part of my study abroad experience to St. Petersburg, I wound up setting off on an unexpected mission to see them all that also helped show me much more of this fascinating and historic city than I might have seen otherwise. Russia's capital has so much to offer, from the Kremlin and the Metro to the Old Arbat street and the Tretyakov Gallery. A dogs nose as a juicy olive, huh? Poland was part of Russia in the late 18th century. Program attended: Home and Abroad Scholar. The architects noted that in skyscrapers in the USA, many of the rooms were dark and overlooked deep inner courtyards, and they thus designed the Seven Sisters so that all rooms would have plenty of natural light. Ha, this was great! Indeed the gold, my eyes always wander to where the gold is! Alternatively, the vysotki may be viewed from afar from Sparrow Hills in the south near Moscow State University where much of the city can be seen at a glance if the weather is clear. Address: Jana Kiliskiego 56, d, Poland. Id have looked at these buildings thinking at their stunning architecture (which is very interesting for me) but I like your approach too, its nice to see things in different ways it opens imagination and creativity I guess. It seemed quite impressive to me, and from the view from the hills, we could also see more of the sisters on the horizon. The crowning glory of this plan was to be eight skyscrapers that would rival recently completed skyscrapers in the USA and Europe. Thought Id look up some of the neat architecture for her. Cupcake please! In the U-shaped building, offices are located in the central tower and apartments in the wings, a setup which has remained since the 1950s. Did you know? I decided then that I would see all seven of the sisters. Hi Franca! Im still trying to undo the damage. While I was aware that such a thing as Stalinist architecture existed and while I knew about the unique appearance of the main building of Moscow State University, I had no idea that this matching set of buildings existed. in Russia. After walking through the square, we decided to check out Zaradye Park. The luxurious interiors of the public spaces have been preserved since the 1950s, including the paintings and sculptures. Our professional guide will We invite you to become a fan of our company on Facebook and read Russian news and travel stories. Hi Ola, nice to see you here again! Visiting the towers (at least face-to-face with their imposing facades) is easy. Palatial public areas were decorated with statues, bronze chandeliers, painted ceilings, murals and stained glass, and there is even a ballroom. I actually saw this particular skyscraper again, the next morning, during out group tour of the park and the floating bridge over the Moscow River that can be found there. Hotel Ukraina was built by Arkady Mordvinov and Vyacheslav Oltarzhevsky between 1953 and 1957. Today, Park Zaryadye lies on the site where the Zaryadye Administrative Building would have stood. As a Home and Abroad Scholar, he is focusing on business and economic issues in Russia and surrounding countries. It is hard to imagine the turmoil of the 1990s, when that building was shelled during a conflict between it and the Yeltsin administration. And gold, they are always gold! But I was, for some reason, inspired to see them all before I left. Lets do a Hansel and Gretel tour of Russia! Able to house some 30,000 students, this building has 36 floors and was the largest building in Europe upon its inauguration on September 1, 1953 until 1990 when the Messeturn in Germany was built (256.6 meters).

The leading architects of the era were entrusted with each project, and received Stalin Prizes in 1949 for their plans. As you might notice, this church has a very Russian appearance. Gregory Tracey studied abroad with SRAS in St. Petersburg. The four large wings which extend in all directions from the central building hold still more student accommodations, classrooms, shops, and cafes. He recommended seeing the building as an option for spending our free time. Much of Stalins personal taste is reflected in the era of Stalinist Architecture, a term that has come to refer to the period between 1933 (the year when the Palace of Soviets was designed) and 1955 (when the Academy of Architects was disbanded under Khrushchev). We finished up our tour around 15:30 but I wanted to keep exploring the city (it is not everyday that one is in Moscow, after all). He was replaced by Lev Rudnev who decided to set the building 800 meters further from the ridge and construction was begun in 1949. I had some trouble getting to it, as I got a little lost in the pedestrian area of the bridge I needed to take to get there. For a time, the building was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having one of the largest chandeliers in the world: the one that hangs in the main lobby runs the length of seven stories. Even if youve seen pictures, youre not prepared for the Moscow Metro System. To opt out of non-essential cookies, please click here. The guys behindBirdseyeview.ru Sergey Shumilov and Daniil Ananyev decided this wasnt fair, and photographed the stars using a professional octocopter (a type of drone), the DJI Spreading Wings S1000, with an attached Sony Nex-5R camera. Loved how you looked at these amazing structures with a different eye, its great! The river location made it probably my joint-third favorite, along with the Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building. Viva love handles! Stalinist Empire is a synthesis of many architectural styles including Russian Baroque, Art Deco, and Neo-Gothic, and makes for some impressively monumental yet harmonious and well-proportioned buildings. By the time I got back from Russia my skin was a mess and the top button of my jeans had burst open. I remember thinking vaguely that it could be cool to see all of them, although time could be a factor. Besides these sites, you will also visit a fascinating country estate which today is quite off the beaten path, Gorky Estate, where the Soviet leader Lenin spent the last months of his life. Although construction was begun, WWII saw it abandoned and it was never to be realized. At 237 metres, it is the tallest building in Poland and contains libraries, theatres, cinemas, museums, research institutes, and government departments. Where the Moskva River meets the Yauza River stands the sprawling Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building. These demands are growing [], The following information was taken from a Facebook post by . For years the tallest buildings in Europe, these seven commanding skyscrapers are significant monuments of architecture and urban planning which draw the eye from all over Moscow. Architectural style:Russian Revival. Most programs there include a trip to visit Moscow. - As you might notice, this church has a very Russian appearance. Address: Smolenskaya-Sennaya Pl., 32/34Begun: 1948Completed: 1953Height: 172 metersUse: Government officesMetro: Smolenskaya. I, along with my friends Morgan and Natasha, decided to go on walk to see Red Square at night. The Stalinist period saw modernity largely abandoned in favor of a combination of Russian Baroque and Gothic styles. Rumour had it that secret corridors were constructed throughout the residential buildings so that residents could be spied upon at any point! Thats not likely to happen with climate change but let me have my excuses. The tallest and most central skyscraper was to be the Zaryadye Administrative Building next to the Kremlin, but construction was halted after the death of Stalin (thankfully, as this huge building would have spoilt the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin and Red Square). Did you know? It was designed by Arkadi Mordvinow and Vyacheslav Oltarzhevsky. While it has developed with the ever-growing city, like much of Ukraines public infrastructure, the metro system has struggled to keep up with the demands made of it. Loved the way how you wrote the blog post and great photos of those colourful churches, etc. I went into Sundaythe last day of the triphaving only made it to three out of seven. MGU was the second of The Seven Sisters to be completed. The so-called Eighth Sister of Moscow is Triumph Palace, a 57-storey luxury apartment building built in 2001 and the 9th tallest building in Russia! This Moscow tour is a great start to your trip and the best way to get acquainted with many of the citys major highlights. After this visit, I walked along the Moscow River to a more modern set of skyscrapers, the noted Moscow City development. Plus, I learned a lot about Moscows architectural composition in the process. Too cute . She spent spring semester, 2009 studying abroad with The School of Russian and Asian Studies in Moscow on the Translate Abroad Program. She hopes to eventually go into international business or government. It was the tallest building in Europe until 1990 and remains today the largest educational building in the world!

At The Culture Map, we aim to share exciting travel tales and showcase the inspiring diversity of our world. There was really no deep or inspirational motive to this. Or, if one does not have the time or inclination to see all of them, I would definitely recommend at least Moscow State Universitys Main Building and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as must-sees. The related scholarship will help fund his participation in SRAS's Russian as a Second Languageprogram at St. Petersburg State University of Economics during the Spring 2019 Semester. The building is also used for meteorological observations and houses equipment used for weather research. I could not help myself. Did you know? Architectural style: Gothic Revival.

Photo by Ministry_of_Foreign_Affairs_Russia.jpg on Wikipedia. As the skyscraper was constructed by Gulag labour, engraved messages from prisoners were discovered by residents there! to get Important News, Special Offers & Promotions, We use cookies to improve your experience on our Website, and to facilitate providing you with services available through our Website. Designed by Dmitri Chechvlin and Andrei Rostkovsky, the building is 176 meters high with 32 floors, 26 of which are for apartments and the rest for offices and utilities. While there, seeing another of the Seven Sisters, the Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building again, I explained my quest to the others, and they agreed to walk the over to the bridge to see it up close. An observation deck was opened at the top of the hotel in 2004 and it is said that from there one can see all the way to the citys outskirts on a clear day. Their floorplans would reinforce them against swaying in the wind, the wedding-cake silhouette better distributed the weight of the building, and in some cases liquid nitrogen was used to freeze the soil during construction! Address: Sparrow Hills, 1Begun: 1949Completed: 1953Height: 240 metersUse: Student housing, classrooms, offices, etc. These pumps continue to operate today to keep the building upright. It is not that easy to take my breath away, but this did it. To become a fan, click here. Viva cake! Ooou yes, a juicy olive.

I would definitely recommended taking the adventure to seek them all out. Pillars, arches, balustrades, and turrets enhance their silhouettes, and the spires are topped with an enormous 5-point star so that the true height of the building is visible even from afar. By continuing to use our Website, you accept our use of cookies, the terms of our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Plus, with the days getting colder and winter soon approaching it will be useful in case we have a really bad winter, and I cant leave the house. Even if Ive just eaten and Im not hungry all these sights and stimulants soon make the fat person inside me scream Feed me! These workers were housed on the fourteenth floor so as to prevent their escape and some rumors say that this floor in the central part of the building is still haunted by their ghosts. These floors were then used to house KGB monitoring equipment to eavesdrop on the embassys activities. And thats how our project was born.