October 15, 2026

The End of Shukhov Tower?


The End of Shukhov Tower?
Shukhov Tower User Ivtorov, Wikimedia Commons

 

Independent outlet Meduza reported that Moscow's Shukhov Radio Tower is about to come down. Preservationists said the official restoration was a cover for replacing the tower with a replica. The state assessment called for removing any element with more than 5 percent damage.

"Hypothetically, you can always find 5 percent damage and use that as a pretext to replace every single element," architectural historian Airat Bagautdinov told T—Zhurnal. "That way we lose the monument entirely, and a fake tower takes its place."

Engineer Vladimir Shukhov developed the hyperboloid structure in the 1890s. Straight steel members, set diagonally and held by horizontal rings, form a curved lattice that carries its own weight and spreads the load evenly. The result uses less metal than a conventional tower, needs no deep foundation, and stands up better to wind. It is also striking to look at: the openwork lattice is not decoration but the engineering itself, made visible.

Shukhov's ideas suited the early Soviet years and the Constructivist moment that followed. Completed in 1922 to carry radio and, later, television signals, the 144-meter tower on Shabolovka Street remained Moscow's tallest structure into the 1950s.

The tower has needed serious repair for decades. In 2010, architectural firm Norman Foster joined an open letter to Russian authorities urging them to save it. Moscow activists campaigned hard for a proper restoration and did not get one. Their only real win was killing proposals to dismantle the tower and reassemble it elsewhere, with suggested sites ranging from other Moscow districts to annexed Crimea.

Several organizations have again spoken out, but in wartime Russia they are hard to hear. Under the city's plans, the "Shukhov Hyperboloid" would become a tourist attraction, rebuilt in new materials, with observation decks and an elevator.

You Might Also Like

Malevich's Ukrainian Square
  • September 01, 2016

Malevich's Ukrainian Square

A century-old work of art by an avant-garde artist has become a symbol for the growing rift between Russia and Ukraine, just as more is being learned about its famous artist.
Russia's Eiffel Tower
  • May 01, 2014

Russia's Eiffel Tower

An iconic radio tower in Moscow is in threat of being razed, despite what activists, international experts, or the law has to say about it.
Russian Ladies of the Avant-garde
  • January 16, 2001

Russian Ladies of the Avant-garde

Set against the backdrop of revolution and civil war the Avant-garde period in Russia was very dynamic. In honor of International Women's Day (March 8), we take a look at the lives and works of six very special Avant-garde artists.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955