Let me lead you through the streets of Moscow

by Anni Pelmeni

As I discussud in previous post, though it is so-called Lenin period, Lenin himself had little if nothing to do with urban development of Moscow. In the period from 1917 (Revolution) till 1924 (Lenin’s death) there were only few buildings newly constructed in Moscow. The young Soviet state was torn in the swirl of the civil war and could not spare efforts for the image building. The Lenin period came after the physical death of Lenin, however ironic it may sound. The death of Soviet leader made him into icon and the economic growth of Soviet Union provided enough resources to pay honors to Lenin. This trend has a special term “Leniniada” - commemorating Lenin in any available means of expression, i.e. art, literature, architecture etc.

My sphere of interest here is Moscow urban development. Where does Lenin come in here? Basically in all the aspects.

Moscow Metro was not only named after Lenin (see first foto), but also a station Ilyitch Square [Ilyitch is Lenin’s patronymic name. In Russian language it is a casual way of addressing to someone]. This station was built in 1979. Up above this station there is a factory Hammer and Sickle, a nostalgic name that one is. This station is not that impressive from the esthetic point of view, but the huge Lenin’s sculpture is still situated there since Soviet time. It is worthy mentioning and having a look at, because there are few monuments of Lenin left intact in the last decades of transformations of Russian society.

It is somewhat a tradition that in the transition time all the relicts of the previous regime will be denounced and destroyed. It happened after the Revolution 1917 when most of monuments to Russian Tsars were torn down. The Soviet time monuments had the same fate once the perestroika brought up the newly acquired freedoms. Almost every city and town in Soviet Union had a Lenin monument, nowadays only few are preserved. The Metro Station Ilyitch Square is one of those few places. It remained intact as a part of the history which is rather unusual because the current bosses see no difficulties with re-writing history to fit their perceptions and their aims, in the best of 1984 techniques.

One of major avenues of Moscow also remained named after Lenin. Stalin’s architectors had envisioned Leninsky prospect as a magnificent main entrance to the capital. This avenue is the best of Stalin’s Empire style (or Social Classicism). I will come back to more detail description of that style in the later posts. Propaganda by the means of architecture is an authentic know-how of Stalin Period.

Another element of Lenin period is worldwide known. That is Lenin Mausoleum on the Red Square. It is must photo-shooting view for any tourist in Moscow. In Soviet time it had both ideological and sacral meaning. Nowadays it is rather a historical location, but every once in a while there is a public debate weather Lenin’s body should be buried properly. But the Mausoleum is still open though there is no longer a line to get inside.

Stumbe it!