On the site where the hotel was built, in 1912-1944 there was located “Ginsburg skyscraper” – a multi-storey apartment building of Lev Ginzburg , which until 1928 was the tallest building on the territory of the Ukrainian SSR. Lev Borisovich was a Kyiv merchant of the 1st guild, a construction contractor, and a millionaire. He was one of the ten richest Kiev residents of the early 20th century. Owner of the Lev Ginzburg Construction Company, which built National Bank of Ukraine, house of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine, Teacher’s House and National Art Museum of Ukraine. After the explosions in September 1941, the Ginzburg skyscraper was heavily damaged and finally destroyed in the early 1950s.
The development of the general project for the reconstruction of the central part of Kyiv was entrusted to the Kievproekt Institute. In 1948, a creative group of architects was formed consisting of: A. Vlasov (chief architect of Kyiv, head of the team), A. Dobrovolsky, A. Malinovsky, V. Elizarov, B. Priymak, A. Zavarov and others. Later, in 1949, in connection with Vlasov’s transfer to work in Moscow, Dobrovolsky was appointed head of the group (the new chief architect of Kiev; mansion Vatutina, Khreshchatyk metro station, Bolshevik plant, Boryspil airport, Northern Bridge and house with a star). In the early 1950s, on the edge of the Pechersk Plateau, work was carried out to finally dismantle the foundation of the Ginzburg skyscraper and prepare the site for the construction of a new high-rise hotel.
In 1953, a decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR was issued, according to which design work on the structure began. Excavation work began in 1954, and after numerous alterations, in particular related to the fight against architectural excesses, the foundation began to be laid in 1955. During the construction process, the project was changed several times, and due to the “struggle against architectural excesses,” the hotel project was significantly cut down, the number of floors was reduced and the spire was removed. The construction of the skyscraper hotel itself began in 1958 and was completed in 1961. During the construction of the hotel, for the first time in Kyiv, hipped floor panels of the same standard size and prefabricated reinforced concrete formwork were used for the foundation structures. It consists of flat plates (7 centimeters thick) connected by bolts. Formwork slabs were included in the foundation structure. The difference in relief on the side of Gorodetsky Street was successfully used – a retaining wall 14 meters high was built here.
The official opening took place on September 28, 1961, the hotel was given the name “Moscow”. In 1979, a sauna with a swimming pool appeared in the building. In 2001, the Moscow Hotel, in honor of the 10th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, was renamed the Ukraine Hotel, and in 2003 the hotel was partially restored – the number of rooms was reduced from 427 to 374. Over the years of the hotel’s existence, respected politicians and diplomats stayed there , famous actors, artists, athletes, musicians and astronauts. All rooms are equipped with television, internet and telephones. The building contains a restaurant, an ATM, a beauty salon, a sauna, a laundry room, a dressing room, a minor clothing repair center, conference rooms, a business center and a guarded parking lot for 69 cars.
Where is the Ukraine Hotel located?
Institutskaya street, 4