Stalin's Skyscrapers: The Seven Sisters.

Stalin's Empire is a unique architectural style that emerged in the Soviet Union in the late 1930s and 1950s. It was inspired by the 19th-century French Empire and drew inspiration from ancient Roman and Greek architecture. However, in Moscow, this style has its own grand interpretation, especially in the seven famous high-rise buildings known as "sisters" by Muscovites. Stalin's Empire combines monumentality and grandeur, and incorporates elements of Soviet symbolism--stars, shield-shaped emblems, and reliefs depicting workers and farmers. Architects try to create not just buildings, but symbols of a new country, expressing its power and desire. Creation History On September 7, 1947, the 800th anniversary of the founding of Moscow, eight high-rise buildings were laid, of which only seven were completed. Each high-rise building requires amazing architectural skills, because there are many difficulties in the construction process, such as unstable soil and limited time. Despite this, the scale of these high-rise buildings is huge and the most advanced technology at the time is used. Stalin's high-rise buildings have undoubtedly become true architectural landmarks and continue to be the business cards of Moscow. The addresses of these high-rise buildings are listed below for you to visit and take pictures. You can even visit some of the viewing platforms in the building: 1. Main building of Moscow State University Address: Leninskie Gory, 1 The tallest of the sisters, 236 meters. The Moscow University building is decorated with a star, which is a symbol of Soviet science. Moscow State University 2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building Address: Smolenskaya-Sennaya Ploshchad, 32-34 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building is the most mysterious and difficult to find high-rise building. The obelisk at the entrance is impressive. Here, the empire is manifested as strict symmetry and grandeur. Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building 3. "Radisson Collection" Hotel (formerly "Ukraine" Hotel). Address: Kutuzovsky Prospekt, 2/1. The rebuilt "Ukraine" hotel building is now famous for its luxurious rooms and the 1977 Moscow perspective painting, which depicts the capital Moscow at a ratio of 1:75. Hotel Ukraine 4. High-rise building on Kudrinskaya Square Address: Kudrinskaya Ploshchad, 1. This is an elite residential building with marble interior decoration and carved images of Soviet workers and farmers symbolizing national power. 5. Leningrad Hotel Address: 21/40 Kalanchevskaya St. This is the lowest high-rise building, 136 meters high. The hotel exterior is decorated with Soviet symbols: stars, ears and murals, showing the wealth and greatness of the Soviet Union. 6. Red Gate High-rise Building Address: 21 Sadovaya-Spasskaya St. The exterior wall of the building is made of red granite and limestone. Here, the Soviet logo appears in a humble and solemn form, and the previous sculptures have been replaced by empty niches. 7. High-rise building on Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Address: Kotelnicheskaya Embankment, 1/15. This high-rise building stands at the confluence of the Yauza River and the Moscow River. Its reliefs symbolize the prosperity and health of the Soviet people, and the sculptures depict the Communist Youth League members and the female Communist Youth League members holding banners.