The revolution and the coming to power of the Bolsheviks significantly changed the usual way and appearance of St. Petersburg. It all started with the renaming of the city to Leningrad, and then among the pre-revolutionary buildings began to appear buildings in the style of Soviet modernism.
They fit so harmoniously into the overall architecture of the city that they definitely deserve your attention. Going on a walking tour of St. Petersburg, be sure to include Soviet buildings in your route.
And to walk more and explore the city, book a cozy room in the central district.
Central Research Institute of Robotics and Technical Cybernetics
Do not confuse Soviet modernism with the gray panels that exist in every city. A good example of this style in St. Petersburg is considered to be the Central Research Institute of Robotics and Technical Cybernetics on Tikhoretsky Prospekt (21).
The building resembles an impregnable fortress from a science fiction movie or an alien ship. However, inside it, scientists and engineers are not engaged in fiction at all, but create systems for controlling Soyuz spacecraft.
Wire-nailing plant “Krasny nailer”
In the south-west of Vasilievsky Island (line 25, d. 6) there is a water tower of the Krasny Gvozdilshchik plant, which was built during the first five-year plans.
The tower somewhat resembles a nail, referring to the name of the plant. Nowadays, the workshop building and the tower itself require serious restoration. Now it is impossible to get inside the structure due to the emergency condition of the premises.
The Tear of Socialism
The building with the telling name is located on Rubinstein Street (7). Inconspicuous and gray from the outside, it is a good example of constructivism.
The house-commune was built in the 30s of the last century with funds from the shares of engineers and writers. Many famous writers, including the poet Olga Bergholz, lived and worked here in different years.
The authors of the project wanted to change the life of Soviet citizens, improve it, but the architectural experiment failed. Instead of cozy and separate apartments, narrow corridors and cramped rooms were built in the building. Several people lived in each, and married couples were offered to retire to “cabins for the night”, but only according to the schedule. As a result, the house got such a comical name, and its inhabitants began to be called tearjerkers.
Glass House
Tall glass–shaped houses are another good example of Soviet modernism. There are several such buildings in St. Petersburg, but the most monumental is located on Budapest Street (103).
In the Soviet years, the apartments here resembled a hostel. The residents had separate rooms and bathrooms, but the kitchen was on the common territory. After the collapse of the USSR, the internal layout changed significantly, and the house became an ordinary multi-apartment high-rise without common spaces.
Many styles and architectural solutions get along in St. Petersburg. Soviet modernism, constructivism and avant-gardism did not spoil the appearance of the city in any way, but only enriched it.
When choosing a hotel in St. Petersburg, book a comfortable room at the Express Sadovaya Hotel. We are located in the Admiralteysky district of the city, within walking distance from Nevsky Prospekt and the Fontanka River embankment.
