Biggest Soviet-era hotel in Moscow to be pulled down

Biggest Soviet-era hotel in Moscow to be pulled down

The Moscow city government has decided to pull down the biggest Soviet-era hotel in Moscow - Rossiya, and build a new multi-purpose complex on its site instead. A resolution on dismantling of the Rossiay hotel has been signed by Moscow city mayor Yury Luzhkov, Itar-Tass was told at the Moscow mayor's office.

The Rossiya hotel -a huge white cube-shaped building of concrete and glass built near the Kremlin wall 37 years ago, among other things was meant to perform an ideological task. However, in February, 1977 - ten years after the hotel was built, a heavy fire broke out in the hotel that killed 42, including 13 firemen, according to official reports.

After the fire the hotel was put down in all the fire- fighting manuals as an example of architects' error that allowed using inflammable and toxic materials for the hotel. That triggered a new campaign for the modernization of the technical basis for the Russian Fire Fighting Service.

A new complex planned to be built on the site of the Rossiay hotel in Varvarka street will have around 2,000 hotel rooms or approximately one-third less than the hotel has now.

The tenders for investors asked to offer a proper concept and create conditions for the realization of the new investment project will be held until October 10.

First deputy Moscow city mayor in charge of Moscow reconstruction Vladimir Resin told Itar-Tass that instead of the concert hall and a cinema that are part of the hotel complex now new, modern ones would be built, and the dull, inexpressive box-like building of the Rossiya hotel would be replaced by a modern complex whose architectural style would "match the heart of the historical center of Moscow. "

Source: Itar-Tass