House of Soviets (Kaliningrad)
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The House of Soviets is a building located in the city of Kaliningrad (Königsberg prior to 1946) in the Kaliningrad Oblast, an exclave of Russia. The building was built on the original territory of Königsberg Castle and has been described as the "ugliest building on Russian soil".[1]
[edit] History
Königsberg Castle was severely damaged during the bombing of Königsberg in World War II. Following the war, as the city came under the control of the USSR, the site of the castle was redeveloped as part of the reconstruction of the city. Construction began on the House of Soviets in 1960, but structural problems related to the castle's subterranean levels halted its progress and construction was stopped indefinitely in the 1980s. The building was eventually completed in 2005 and is intended to function as a business centre.
