Monumental Moscow

The Moscow skyscrapers, without which it is impossible to imagine the appearance of the Russian capital for more than half a century, have a dramatic history of emergence. The very first and most important skyscraper — the Palace of the Soviets, designed as a grand monument to Lenin — was never built, but it was in its invisible shadow that the "Seven Sisters" — the post-war Moscow skyscrapers — grew. For their construction, Soviet architects and designers turned to the experience and achievements of world architectural and engineering thought, established communication with colleagues abroad, traveled overseas, and attracted foreigners to carry out work in the USSR. In addition to issues of architecture, aesthetics, and structural solutions for high-rise buildings, places that had long been inhabited by people were freed, thousands of workers from the provinces were hired, and the labor of prisoners was utilized. The book traces the role and intentions of the Soviet leadership — I. Stalin, L. Beria, L. Kaganovich, N. Khrushchev, as well as the fates and activities of notable architects B. Iofan, D. Chechulin, G. Gradov. The author also reconstructs how monumental architecture "led to a rethinking of the relationship between the state and society." The work uses a wealth of materials from the archives of Russia and the USA for the first time.