Семь сестёр

I did it. Today I went and photographed all of Moscow's Seven Sisters, so called because they are all based on similar designs commissioned by Stalin (they're also called Stalin's Sisters). They're spread all over the city, so my journey took me through many neighborhoods and many Metro stations. I've come to the conclusion that I must be doing something right here; Russians keep asking me for directions to places I have never heard of - usually when I have no idea where I am myself or what direction I'm facing. I was pleased today to be able to help two of three women (of course - a man would never ask for directions, even in Russia), who asked for directions or needed assistance navigating the streets.

Here is a panorama - when I set out this morning, it was a bit hazy, but it's still an impressive view:
Usually, all seven are visible from this point, but because of the haze, I'm pretty sure #2 and #3 aren't visible here. To take the picture of the first Sister, I simply had to turn around 180 degrees. The Sisters are in order of photography.

1.) Московский Государственный Университет (МГУ)

Moscow State University (MGU), founded by Mikhail Vasiljevich Lomonosov in 1755. The original building is in the Center of Moscow, near the Kremlin. When the University moved to this building, it became the tallest university in the World.

2.) Transport Ministry

This building has a number of names - Wikipedia calls it both the "Soviet Ministry of Heavy Industry" and the "Red Gates Administrative Building." I'm going with Transport Ministry because I got that name from a printed source; however, it is located directly above the Red Gates (Красные Ворота) Metro station. Otherwise, there isn't a whole lot to say about this one except that I felt really awkward taking the picture for some reason.

3.) Гостиница Ленинградская

The Hotel Leningrad - now the Hilton Leningrad Hotel (or something like that). In my estimation this was the smallest of the seven buildings, but I think there was a lot more behind the tower. I couldn't really linger in this area for very long; there are three major train stations that all go in the direction of the Islamic Republics, and the area was swarming with FSB and OMON (Spetsnaz units assigned to city defence and patrol - they are frequently called upon to perform the functions that SWAT teams do in America). In fact, that silver car to the left of the man in the white shirt has two FSB officers in it. The large building in the background on the left is the Transport Ministry.

4.) Kudrinskaja Square Apartment Block

Built for high-ranking Soviet Cultural leaders, this building was also fairly small in comparison to the others. Many had large outlying wings, but this one was just a tower and little more. It was the closest Sister to the American Embassy, and my walk to the Hotel Ukraina and the White House took me past the embassy. It's very comforting to have finally walked the route and to have figured out the best way to get to the embassy if I ever need to.

5.) Hotel Ukraina (now the Radisson Royal Hotel)
This is located directly across the river from the "White House," where the Duma - the lower house of the Russian Parliament - used to be. It was there that President Yeltsin stood on a tank and put down the coup in 1991.

6.) Министерство Инностранных Дел

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In my opinion, this was the most dominating building. The next one was probably the largest, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a large tower and sits close to the street, so it looks much bigger. It sits at the end of Arbat - a pedestrian street with lots of American-type shopping and restaurants, like the Hard Rock Cafe Moscow. This district is also where the poet Pushkin lived, among many other famous Russians.

7.) Kotelnicheskaja Embankment Apartment Block

This was built as housing for Moscow's political elite. It is definitely the largest building, but evidently the part that is along the river was built beforehand - they're the same building now though, so I'm pretty sure this is the largest. It sits at the confluence of the Moskva (the larger one in the foreground) and the Yauza (the smaller one under the bridge to the left) Rivers. I always thought the Moskva flowed to the left, but evidently it goes the other way. It's so slow moving however that people swim in it and boats have no difficulty moving upstream.

Tomorrow, I'm returning to Park Pobedy for a guided tour of the museum of "The Great Patriotic War" (World War Two, to us Americans). Hopefully, I'll remember my camera and I can try to get a better picture of the obelisk.