From a postcard packet published in the USSR in 1971, here we are sharing 21 panoramic images of the Soviet capital, some with our text about the image.
The cards were meant for a domestic audience and were in Russian only. We have translated them.
Kalinin Prospekt
Named after the great Soviet revolutionary leader and the head of state of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and later of the Soviet Union from 1919 to 1946. Sadly, after the counter-revolution the street was renamed in 1994.
HQ of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON)
From the Great Soviet Encyclopedia 1979:
(COMECON), an intergovernmental economic organization of the socialist states founded in conformity with a decision of an economic conference of the representatives of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Rumania, and the USSR (Jan. 5–8, 1949). Albania joined COMECON in February 1949 but unilaterally terminated its participation in 1961. The German Democratic Republic (GDR) joined in September 1950, the Mongolian People’s Republic in June 1962, the Republic of Cuba in July 1972, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in June 1978.
The formation of COMECON during the period of the founding of the world socialist system was a natural consequence of the efforts of the Communist and workers’ parties of the socialist countries to draw the peoples of these countries closer together and develop closer economic and political cooperation, directed at the great goals of successfully building socialism and communism and ensuring a stable peace throughout the world. By unifying and coordinating the efforts of its members, COMECON aims to promote the further deepening and improvement of cooperation among the socialist economies, the development of the integration of the socialist economy, the development of the national economies in conformity with plans, more rapid economic and technological progress, the raising of the industrial level of the less developed socialist countries, the uninterrupted growth of labor productivity, the gradual convergence and equalization of the levels of economic development of member countries, and a steady rise in the standard of living of their populations.
Economic and scientific and technological cooperation is based on the principles of socialist internationalism; voluntary participation; respect for the state sovereignty, independence, and national interests of all members; noninterference in each other’s internal affairs; full equality; mutual advantage; and fraternal assistance. COMECON organizes comprehensive cooperation among its members, with the goal of achieving the most rational utilization of natural resources and more rapid development of the productive forces. The organization helps perfect the international socialist division of labor by coordinating national economic development plans and promoting industrial specialization and cooperation. It takes measures to promote the study and successful solution of economic and scientific and technological problems that are of interest to its members. COMECON endeavors to develop, coordinate, and carry out joint measures for the development of industry, science and technology, agriculture, transportation, and trade and for the exchange of services, scientific and technological achievements, and advanced production experience. COMECON bodies submit recommendations to member states on economic and scientific and technological questions and make decisions on organizational and procedural questions. All recommendations and decisions are made only by agreement of concerned member states. Each member has the right to state its concern over any problem under consideration by COMECON. Recommendations and decisions are not sent to countries that declare themselves not concerned with a particular question, although such countries can subsequently adhere to the recommendations and decisions adopted by the other member states.
COMECON is an open organization. Any country can become a member if it shares COMECON’s aims and principles and agrees to assume the obligations stipulated in the organization’s charter. COMECON may invite nonmembers to participate, on terms acceptable to them, in the work of its agencies. Since 1964 the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has participated in the work of COMECON bodies on the basis of an agreement with COMECON. On questions of mutual interest, Yugoslavia participates on equal terms with all member states in the work of COMECON bodies. Representatives of the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea participate by invitation in the work of COMECON bodies. In May 1973, COMECON and Finland concluded an agreement providing for cooperation on questions of mutual interest. COMECON signed an agreement on cooperation with the Republic of Iraq in July 1975 and with Mexico in August 1975. The members of COMECON cooperate actively with other countries, regardless of their socioeconomic systems.
As of early 1975, COMECON maintained various forms of relations with more than 30 international, intergovernmental, and nongovernmental economic and scientific and technological organizations. In October 1974, COMECON was granted observer status at the UN.
COMECON’s activities are defined in its charter, which was adopted at the Twelfth Session of the Council in December 1959. The charter was amended at the Sixteenth (June 1962), Seventeenth (December 1962), and Twenty-eighth (June 1974) Sessions of the Council.
Karl Marx Monument
Karl Marx Avenue
Kremlin Palace of Congresses
From the Great Soviet Encyclopedia 1979:
The largest public building of the Moscow Kremlin. Built in 1959–61.
For the design and construction of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, its creators—M. V. Posokhin, A. A. Mndoiants, G. N. L’vov, A. N. Kondrat’ev, E. N. Stamo, P. P. Shteller, and I. I. Kochetov—were awarded the Lenin Prize in 1962. The opening (Oct. 17, 1961) was timed for the beginning of the Twenty-second Congress of the CPSU. The palace is used for highly important party, government, public, and international gatherings and as a theater; it is a second stage for the Bolshoi Theater. The building plan is rectangular, 120 X 70 m, with a total volume of 40,000 cu m; its foundation is 15 m under the ground. The building’s facade is divided by white marble pylons, with stained-glass panels between them. Above the main entrance is a gilded representation of the emblem of the USSR, made from a design by sculptor A. E. Zelenskii.
The auditorium of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses has 6,000 seats, the latest acoustic engineering, 7,000 loudspeakers, and 4,500 large and small lights. The walls and ceilings are covered with sound-absorbent materials. Translation is done into 30 languages of the world. The stage is equipped with raising and lowering devices. The palace’s banquet hall holds up to 4,500 people. On the curtain of the meeting hall, Latvian craftsmen under the direction of Kh. M. Rysin created a chased panel with a portrait of V. I. Lenin from a drawing by the artist A. A. Mylnikov. A mosaic frieze in the main foyer and mosaic emblems on the marble piers of the banquet hall facades are works of the artist A. A. Deineka. The integrity of composition, clarity of rhythm, and large scale of simple forms in combination with the open space of the interiors define the solemn character of the structure and underline its great social significance.
Among meetings held in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses have been the Twenty-second through Twenty-fourth Congresses of the CPSU, the 15th and 16th congresses of the Komsomol, the third congress of the All-Union Congress of Kolkhoz Workers, the fifth congress of the World Federation of Trade Unions, the World Congress of Women, the 13th through 15th congresses of the trade unions of the USSR, and the World Youth Forum; many ceremonial meetings and receptions have been held there. The country’s best performing companies appear on the stage of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, and international film festivals are held there.
Central Lenin Stadium
This iconic stadium hosted many events during the Soviet era including at least two Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR sport games, ceremonies for two World Festivals of Youth and Students, the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games, etc.
Sadly, after the counter-revolution the stadium was renamed.
Hotel Ukraina
Plans for the magnificent hotel were begun under Stalin though it opened in 1957.
In 1964, a 10-meter monument to the Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko was unveiled in front of the main facade of the building.
Sadly, after the counter-revolution, as part of the looting of all the great enterprises and buildings the Soviet people had constructed, the hotel was privatized.
Moscow at Night
Rossiya Hotel
The Hotel built in 1967 was the largest in the world until 1980 with 3,182 rooms. After the counter-revolution the hotel was eventually dismantled in 2006.
Moscow State University
Red Square
Moscow City Council Building
1812 Triumphal Arch of Moscow
An arch celebrating the victory in 1812 over Napoleon. The arch was dismantled in 1936 during the reconstruction of downtown Moscow though the statues were preserved and were on display at a museum. In 1966-68 the arch was reconstructed based on original designs.
Ostankino Television Tower
A remarkable feat of Soviet engineering, the Ostankino Television Tower was built to mark the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution in 1967 opening just 2 days before it on November 5.
The tower was the tallest freestanding structure in the world until the opening of the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada in 1976.
View of the Kremlin from the Moscow River
Monument to the Conquerors of Space
Magnificent monument unveiled in 1964 honouring the incredible accomplishments of the Soviet space program.
The monument is 107 metres tall and is made of titanium The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics is located inside the base of the monument.
Alexander Pushkin Monument
State Academic Bolshoi Theatre of the USSR
Pokrovsky Cathedral / St. Basil's Cathedral
After the Revolution the cathedral was seized from the church and turned into a public museum in 1923. There were debates during the 20s and 30s when Moscow was being modernized as to whether or not it should be torn down, but ultimately, by the late 1930s, it was agreed that its historic and architectural importance was too great. It subsequently underwent a series of renovations during the late 40s and 50s.
Since the counter-revolution, sadly, the church has been allowed to use it on occasion again.
A view of the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy
Originally opened August 1, 1939 as the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition, in 1959 the park was renamed the Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy, a gigantic Soviet theme park dedicated to the accomplishments of socialism.
By 1989 the exhibition had 82 pavilions with an exhibition area of 700,000 square metres. In addition to all its pavilions and exhibitions, it hosted special national and international exhibitions and many conferences, seminars and meetings of scientists and industry professionals.
Lenin statue in the Kremlin
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