Photos

Here is a picture of the building of Moscow State University which I took recently on Sparrow Hills.

Moscow State University's imposing central building stands on the Sparrow Hills, dominating the campus and overlooking the Luzhniki district of the city. The enormous gothic skyscraper was commissioned by Stalin, along with 6 others dotted across Moscow known as "The Seven Sisters", and was built between 1949 and 1953 on the site, which Ivan the Terrible had deemed "too windy" for construction back in the 16th century. A total of sixty trains were employed to transport the building's steel frame from the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnepropetrovsk and thousands of forced laborers worked on the building for a period of 4 years, under the ever watchful gaze of Stalin's favorite henchman, Lavrenty Beria.

Several interesting facts from the history of this building:
- As all famous Seven Sisters built at the begining of 50s, Moscow State University was founded in two years after WWII, on the date of 800 anniversary of the city at 1947, but the real construction began only from 1949 to 1953 because of the first project was not approved by Stalin.
- Most hard work construction was made by prisoners from Germany
-The main building of the Moscow State University has 34 floors with average ceiling height about 5m (16,4 foots)
- The placement (room) inside spire (on top) of this building in Soviet times owned by KGB and used for outer observation for displacement of VIP Soviet leaders and government persons.

With BEST regards,
Arthur
Personal Guide & Driver in Moscow