Moscow's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
I escaped the disastrous first tourist spot and headed downtown. I'll compile and share the truly stunning subway stations I saw while getting around Moscow later, so I'll start by introducing the things that felt like the "real" Moscow to me. The first place is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which creates a truly overwhelming sight for anyone looking at it.
In Moscow, there are seven similarly shaped buildings known as the 'Seven Sisters' (or Stalin Sisters). According to the guidebook, people in the capitalist bloc mocked them during the Cold War for looking like wedding cakes. You could mock them if you wanted to, but this building right in front of me is a special structure that simultaneously showcases the power of the once-mighty Soviet Union and the darkness of communism. Many tourists seem to share my thoughts, as there are far more sightseers in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs than people actually there for official business.
Standing in front of this massive building, it's so huge you can't even take it all in at a glance, and it's almost intimidating to passersby. We have the Lotte World Tower, the World Trade Center, and the 63 Building in Korea, so which are actually much bigger than this, a large building itself isn't what's surprising. However, the fact that a building this massive was constructed 60 years ago, and that it's densely studded with sculptures and communist symbols, keeps catching my eye. Modern buildings are built big and fast, featuring beautiful curves and overall shapes, but compared to older buildings, they definitely lack the sculptures and symbols that hold your gaze. European architecture, on the other hand, might be smaller but has the power to make you look at it for a long time. These Seven Sisters, perhaps because they are from the Soviet era, give off a very cold vibe and give you goosebumps when you look at them.
A key feature of this Stalinist architecture naming an architectural style after someone who wasn't even an architect... is that it folds perfectly in half down the middle, like a decalcomania. I'm a layman when it comes to architecture, so I don't know if this structural symmetry is the defining trait of Stalinist style, but you can easily see this mirrored structure wherever you go in Moscow. Even at the hotel, when I took the elevator up to my floor, the left and right sides were so identical that I got confused about which way my room was.
Looking closely at my first Moscow landmark, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, it does feel a bit small and old compared to modern architecture. But there's no denying it's an incredible building where you can instantly feel the momentum of Stalin and the darkness of his past dictatorship.
Expenses for 1 person / maybe 2
- Breakfast 100RUB
- Early check-in 250RUB
Morning hamburger bought by older brother- Lunch shashlik 700RUB
- Water 70RUB
- Pushkin Museum entry 180RUB, photo 100RUB : 280RUB
- Hard Rock badge 2,000RUB
- Starbucks tumbler 1,750RUB
- Shake Shack burger 990RUB
Total expenses 6,140RUB
Total trip expenses 525,936 KRW + 18,491 RUB + $53.16