Moscow State University Main Building

About this place

The Main Building of Moscow State University is a 239-metre skyscraper with 36 storeys in its central part, on the Sparrow Hills in southwest Moscow, about 8 km from the city centre in a straight line. It is the tallest of the Seven Sisters, skyscrapers built in Moscow between 1947 and 1953. The architect Lev Rudnev designed it as the university's headquarters. It was the tallest building in Europe for 37 years, from 1953 to 1990, and remains the tallest educational building in the world. Its roof stands at 182 metres, topped by a 58-metre spire that ends in a 12-ton star. It was set 800 metres back from the edge of the hills because of the risk of landslides. The beige central tower rises in stepped tiers to its long spire, flanked by lower side towers and two dormitory wings, with a wide square, beds of red flowers and fir trees in front. The building looks massive and imposing from every side. The building is not open to the public, and visitors from outside the university need prior approval, so people admire it from the square and surrounding gardens and combine the visit with the nearby Sparrow Hills viewpoint. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia, and non-Russian bank cards may not work, so read the current advice before you plan.