The “House with a Tower,” a notable landmark in St. Petersburg, has been officially recognized as a regional cultural heritage site. The Committee for the Protection of Monuments (KGIOP) announced the designation on July 8, solidifying the building’s historical and architectural significance.
Located at 190 Moskovsky Prospekt, the house was constructed in two phases, first between 1939 and 1941, and then from 1952 to 1954 after the war. The architectural complex is considered a key component of the southern city’s development plan from the late 1930s. According to KGIOP, the building’s design was intentionally integrated with the nearby park project, with architects aiming to create a prominent visual focal point.
The “House with a Tower” is lauded by KGIOP as a prime example of post-war Soviet neoclassicism. The project involved several architects, including Grigory Simonov, Boris Rubanenko, Sergey Vasilkovsky, Lazar Khidekel, and sculptor Igor Krestovsky. Its silhouette echoes the style of Moscow skyscrapers from the 1950s, as well as the Admiralty building. Financed by the People’s Commissariat of the Shipbuilding Industry, the building’s facades feature ribbed cement slabs created using an innovative sand-casting technique that did not require molds.
Beyond its architectural merit, the “House with a Tower” has cultural significance as the former teenage and young adult residence of rock musician Viktor Tsoi. Prior to this designation, the building had been identified as a cultural heritage site until the end of June 2025.
In 2024, major repairs and restoration work commenced on the building, following resident concerns about the sale of the attic and the condition of the facade, which prompted attention from Investigative Committee head Alexander Bastrykin. In contrast, the nearby Park Pobedy metro station, situated approximately 200 meters away, has not been as fortunate in preserving its original design. Built according to a standard design during the period of the Central Committee of the CPSU resolution, it is scheduled for reconstruction, which involves demolishing the Soviet pavilion and replacing it with a new structure that stylistically references the original. Despite appeals from St. Petersburg residents, experts did not find historical or architectural value that merited protected status for the metro station.