Stalin’s sisters live forever

The ‘Soviet baroque’ skyscrapers that adorn a number of the cities of ceE are still capable of taking our breath away – and for a variety of reasons: out of fascination, surprise, disbelief and even outright disgust. However, these buildings are now under preservation orders, and their tenants remain loyal, appreciative of their good locations and – despite everything – their cachet Emil GóreckiThe idea was born before the Second World War, but construction work on the first of these buildings only got underway after hostilities had ceased. Stalin, who gave these projects his personal support, worried that: “We won the war ... foreigners will come to Moscow, walk around, and there are no skyscrapers. If they compare Moscow to capitalist cities, it would be a blow to our morale.” This was why a decree approving the development of what has become known as the Seven Sisters – the seven distinctive Moscow skyscrapers – was passed as e