Moscow Monumental: Soviet Skyscrapers and Urban Life in Stalin's Capital by Katherine Zubovich

Katherine Zubovich's monograph, 'Moscow Monumental: Soviet Skyscrapers and Urban Life in Stalin’s Capital,' reveals that the seven Stalin-era skyscrapers (vysotki) in Moscow were not merely architectural landmarks but symbols of the USSR's global standing as a socialist superpower. These structures, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the main building of Moscow State University, reflected Soviet monumentalism while incorporating Western construction techniques. Zubovich's three-part argument highlights their role in projecting Soviet power post-WWII, the social disparities they exposed by displacing central residents to urban outskirts, and their integration with Moscow's historical layers, including medieval excavations. The study chronicles the evolution of these projects from the 1930s Palace of the Soviets plans through Stalinist ambitions to Khrushchev-era criticism, offering a nuanced lens on Soviet urban development and its societal impacts.

Baraban, E. V. (2021). Moscow Monumental: Soviet Skyscrapers and Urban Life in Stalin’s Capital by Katherine Zubovich. Ab Imperio, 2021(3), 276–279. https://doi.org/10.1353/imp.2021.0072