Four Seasons Hotel Moscow

History

Original structure

The first Hotel Moskva was built in sections from 1932 to 1938. The partially-completed hotel opened in December 20, 1935.

The hotel was notable for its use of two different designs for the wings off the central structure. The most popular (possibly apocryphal) explanation is that Shchusev submitted a single conceptual drawing of the façade to Stalin, with one half showing one design option and the other half a different design option for the wings of the building. According to the story, Stalin signed off on the drawing, without noticing the two options. Afraid of informing Stalin that he had failed to select a design, the decision was made to simply construct one wing of each design option, on either side of the building. One included large windows and a more ornate façade, while the other maintained the smaller windows and simpler details of the rest of the hotel's façade. The lobby of the original hotel contained an entrance to the Moscow Metro Okhotny Ryad station. Anti-aircraft guns were installed atop the hotel during the Battle of Moscow. The label of Stolichnaya vodka features a line drawing of the hotel. The Hotel Moskva was expanded in 1977, for the 60th anniversary of the October Revolution. A new 6-story wing was built in the rear, facing Revolution Square. The Hotel Moskva was demolished in 2004.

Modern Structure

The original structure had become too dated to serve the needs of a first class hotel, so it was completely demolished and replaced with a replica, which added modern facilities inside and an underground parking garage. The first portion of the new complex, facing Revolution Square, was built on the site of the dismantled 1977 wing. Housing offices and a shopping center, Fashion Season, it opened in 2012.

The hotel portion, on the site of the 1935 building, replicates the iconic facade, following Shchusev's exterior plans as accurately as possible. It opened on October 25, 2014 as the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow.

As of 2016, Russian businessman Alexey Khotin owned the hotel. Four Seasons Hotels ceased managing the hotel in March 2022, due to economic sanctions following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but the hotel continues to use their name, although it is no longer associated with the chain.

Gallery

Image:Александровский сад, вид на гостиницу "Москва".jpg|Four Seasons Hotel Moscow Image:Manegetorget.jpg|Four Seasons Hotel Moscow, with Manezhnaya Square in foreground Image:MP9 Manege Place Moscow Russia.jpg|Four Seasons Hotel Moscow under construction facing Manezhnaya Square, 2008 Image:Moscow hotel renovation 2007.jpg|Construction of the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow, 2007 Image:Okhotny Ryad Street from East.jpg|Okhotny Ryad Street, with Fashion Season mall on the left and the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow in the distance Image:Manege4.jpg|The original Hotel Moskva just before demolition, with a huge neon sign on top advertising Baltika Beer Image:Old Hotel Moskva demolished.jpg|After the demolition of the 1935 building Image:RIAN archive 887721 Defense of Moscow.jpg|Anti-aircraft gunners on the roof of the Hotel Moskva during the Battle of Moscow in 1941 Image:Stamp of USSR 1074.jpg|Soviet stamp showing the Hotel Moskva File:Four Seasons hotel Moscow.jpg|Facade of the Four Seasons hotel in the winter

References

References

1. "Moscow Hotel History". [[Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts]].
2. "Столичный отель Four Seasons переименовали в Legend of Moscow".
3. Яблочкин, Кирилл. (2014-12-20). "Легенда СССР: история гостиницы «Москва»".
4. (July 2002). "Москву" хотят перестроить".
5. Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images. (29 September 2010). "Moscow: Mayor Yuri Luzhkov's legacy". the Guardian.
6. "ТГ "Модный Сезон"".
7. Hotel News Resource. (2 July 2014). "Four Seasons Hotel Moscow to Reopen October 30".
8. "Luxury Hotel in Moscow - Moscow Hotel - Four Seasons Hotel Moscow".
9. (1 April 2016). "Four Seasons Hotel Moscow owner invests in oil business". RosBusinessConsulting.
10. "Столичный отель Four Seasons переименовали в Legend of Moscow".