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Saturday, August 29, 2015

Stalin's Seven Sisters, Moscow, Russia

It turns out that I find some aspects of Stalin's architectural projects appealing.   The Moscow skyline is largely defined by the seven towering skyscrapers nicknamed “The Seven Sisters.” Also known locally as “Stalinskie Vysotki” (Сталиские высоткиStalin’s High-rises), they are one of the leading architectural legacies of the Stalinist period in the city. The Soviet Baroque architecture that The Sisters embody is seen by some as unattractive (as stated above, not myself); the buildings themselves are somewhat controversial due to the fact that some see them, with their looming size and towering spired spires, as  reminders of the grim Stalinist repression. 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.  Pictured here is the sister that is the university, and from this spot, you can see the other six sisters.  The only one that I went into was the Hilton that is near the Moscow train station--it has a marble lobby and high ceilings that you would expect from looking at the exterior.  These buildings were solidly built in the post WWII era and serve as a reminder of what communist architecture was all about in Russia.

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