House of Soviets

Saint Petersburg, Russia

The House of Soviets is the office building built in Stalinist style in the late 1930s. According to Soviet projects, the House of Soviets was planned to host the administration of Soviet Leningrad government. The location was chosen on undeveloped south outskirts of the city away from the downtown area which was prone to frequent floods. The construction was completed just before the Nazi invasion of Soviet Union at the beginning of World War II, and the building was never used for the intended purpose. In 1941, it was fortified and used as a local command post for Soviet Red Army during the Siege of Leningrad. Surviving reminders of that stronghold are small bunkers built from a reinforced concrete which still stand at several corners of the House of Soviets. Later, the building housed the Soviet research institute which focused on the design of electronic components for military objects. Among the notable engineers who worked there are two post-World War II defectors from the US, Alfred Sarant and Joel Barr. Currently, the office space in the building is rented out to various businesses.

A square in front of the House of Soviets is called Moscow Square (Moskovskaya Ploshad). During a construction of the subway station Moskovskaya in 1970, the square was remodelled and upgraded with a massive monument to Vladimir Lenin designed by Mikhail Anikushin. In 2006, several fountain features were added at the square.

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Details

Founded: 1936
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Russia

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Tatyana Deryagyna (3 years ago)
It's so cool to be here. Listen to the sound of water at the fountains, look at the play of light in the spray. In the warm season, it is amazingly beautiful here.
Инна (3 years ago)
Such a spacious, beautiful and lively place. A large square with fountains, flower beds, monumental buildings around. Very crowded, parents walk with children, young people ride skateboards and scooters, arrange dates. Here is a completely different spirit of St. Petersburg, modern, businesslike and dynamic. Good transport accessibility.
Александр Иванов (4 years ago)
Одно из красивейших зданий Сталинской эпохи, великолепный вид со стороны Ленинского проспекта когда здание подсвечено
Divyanshu Suthar (4 years ago)
Big fountains
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