18 majestic buildings in the style of Soviet brutalism that amaze with their boldness (21 photos)

No matter how brutalism is criticized, it still remains part of history. Some buildings even today look quite interesting and attractive. Therefore, they deserve a chance to remain in their places, at least as an architectural and historical value.





Brutalism is an architectural style that originated in the 1950s. Many people mistakenly believe that its homeland is the USSR. Apparently, this stereotype is due to the fact that a fairly large number of similar buildings were erected on the territory of the state.

However, the first buildings with rough, massive shapes and structures began to appear in Great Britain. Later, this direction was tried in Japan, Canada, Brazil and the USA. Of course, the Soviet Union did not stand aside either, which, more than anyone else, valued interesting compositional solutions that are combined with functionality and affordable cost.

Many people criticize brutalism. Some are even sure that it is better to demolish such buildings. However, is it deserved? Buildings made in this style exist in many countries around the world. In the USSR they looked especially organic, as they were ideally combined with Soviet international preferences.

Monument on Freedom Hill in Ilirska Bistrica, Slovenia



Year of construction: 1965

The building of the Ministry of Highways of the Georgian SSR





Year of construction: 1974

Currently owned by the Bank of Georgia and used as an office building.

Boarding house "Druzhba", which is located in Kurpaty, Crimea, Ukraine



Year of construction: 1985

Brutalism is a direction of modernism that actively developed in the post-war years. Its main features are the emphasized massiveness of forms, urbanism and lack of decoration. The international character of the buildings was necessarily highlighted. The predominant building material is reinforced concrete.

Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia



Year of construction: 1981

New stage - National Theater building, Prague, Czech Republic



Years of construction: 1977-1983

House of Soviets, Kaliningrad



Years of construction: 1970-1990

Soviet brutalism covers the period from 1955 to 1991. Assessing the style of buildings of that time, we can assume that Soviet brutalism and Soviet modernism are similar trends. However, it is not. Modernism is characterized by the use of decor and various facing materials (for example, mosaic panels and bas-reliefs). Such features are completely absent from brutalism.

Residential complex "Aul", Almaty, Kazakhstan



Years of construction: 1986-2002

Monument “1300 years of Bulgaria”



Year of construction: 1981

Slovak Radio building, Bratislava, Slovakia



Year of construction: 1983

Monument to the Revolution of the People of Moslavina, Croatia



Year of construction: 1967

Hotel "Cosmos", Moscow



Year of construction: 1979

Monument to Yuri Gagarin, located on the square of the same name on Leninsky Prospekt. Located in Moscow



Year of construction: 1980

Ukrainian Institute of Scientific and Technical Expertise and Information, Kyiv



Year of construction: 1971

Solar complex "Sun", Uzbekistan



Years of construction: 1981-1987

Wedding Palace, Tbilisi, Georgia



Year of construction: 1985

Many supporters of brutalism highlighted among the advantages of architecture not only the low cost of construction, but also the anti-bourgeois nature of this style. But in the 1970s and 1980s, a reaction against modernism began in many countries. Therefore, brutalist architecture took the heaviest and merciless blows of criticism.

House on legs, St. Petersburg



Year of construction: 1987

Some similar houses in the city were put into operation after the collapse of the USSR.

Soviet brutalist house in the center of Minsk



Years of construction: 1975-1981