Metropol Hotel

The Metropol Hotel occupies a special place among Moscow's landmarks. It is not just a place to accommodate the capital's guests — it is a true architectural monument of the early 20th century, preserving amazing stories about famous guests and the most important events in Russian history.

From Merchant Baths to a Palace of Arts: The History of Creation

The Early Years

The history of the famous building began in the mid-19th century. In 1838, merchant Pavel Chelyshev decided to erect a complex with a hotel and baths between the Bolshoi Theatre and Red Square. The legendary Osip Bove — the architect who rebuilt Moscow after Napoleon’s invasion — was responsible for the design. Construction dragged on for twelve years due to the difficult terrain of the site. Muscovites nicknamed the new hotel “Chelyshi” after the owner’s surname. The establishment offered both luxurious serviced apartments and affordable rooms for students. Notable 19th-century guests:

• Leo Tolstoy wrote the first version of his story “Lucerne” here in 1857
• Painter Ilya Repin regularly rented rooms
• Writer Vladimir Gilyarovsky stayed at the hotel
• Italian actor Ernesto Rossi lived here during his tours

By the end of the century, the complex had grown to two hundred rooms, becoming Moscow’s largest hotel. Shops operated on the ground floor, including a outlet of the Einem chocolate factory.

Mamontov’s Grand Reconstruction

In 1898 the hotel was acquired by the famous patron of the arts Savva Mamontov. His ambitious plan envisioned a cultural centre with a 3,000-seat opera theatre, exhibition spaces, ballrooms, and even a winter garden with an ice rink. The reconstruction architect was William Walcot, an adherent of Art Nouveau. Decoration was entrusted to talented artists from Mamontov’s circle. However, financial difficulties forced a revision of the concept — instead of a theatre, a luxurious restaurant became the central element.

The Fire and Restoration

Construction was nearing completion when on the night of 15 December 1901 disaster struck. A massive fire destroyed almost the entire interior. The blaze was fought for forty hours, but fortunately there were no casualties. Restoration work was led by St. Petersburg architects Pavel Visnevsky and Stefan Galenzovsky. The reconstruction took more than three years.

The Opening of an Art Nouveau Masterpiece

In early 1905 the grand opening of the renovated hotel took place. The hotel amazed contemporaries not only with the luxury of its interiors but also with its technical equipment:

• Full electrification of all premises
• Central heating and plumbing
• Refrigerators in every room
• Telephone connection in all apartments
• Hot water supply
• Passenger elevators in the lobbies

For the early 20th century such facilities were revolutionary. Poet Mikhail Kuzmin, who stayed at the hotel in March 1905, noted the refined taste of the decoration.

Additional Services for Guests

The administration created the most comfortable conditions possible. The complex featured:

• A post and telegraph office
• A reading room with periodicals
• A railway ticket office
• The editorial office of the Symbolist magazine “Vesy” on the sixth floor

In 1906 the “Modern Theatre” opened — Moscow’s first cinema with two halls. In Soviet times it became one of the few venues showing foreign films in the original language.

The Soviet Period: From Government Residence to Prestige Hotel

After the October Revolution the building’s fate changed dramatically. The hotel became the “Second House of Soviets” housing people’s commissariats. State officials were accommodated in the rooms, including the poet Osip Mandelstam, who worked at the People’s Commissariat of Enlightenment. Key events of the Soviet era:

1. 1917 — the building becomes a government residence
2. Late 1920s — transferred to Intourist and regains status as the best hotel
3. 1950 — reception in honour of the Sino-Soviet friendship treaty
4. 1986-1991 — large-scale restoration of historic interiors

The many years of restoration made it possible to return the building to its original appearance. Upon completion, the hotel was awarded five-star status.

Architectural Features of the Façade

Overall Composition

The cube-shaped building displays refined lightness thanks to several elements:

• Openwork metal bands encircling the façade
• Transparent glass roof
• Pseudo-Gothic towers and pinnacles
• Strict arched vaults

At the level of the fourth floor is a frieze by sculptor Nikolai Andreyev with figures of semi-nude women. Beneath the bas-reliefs, a quotation from Friedrich Nietzsche about architectural cognition is laid out in mosaic.

Majolica Panels — the Pearl of the Decoration

The façade is adorned with 23 ceramic majolica panels created at Mamontov’s Abramtsevo workshop. The majolica technique involves painting items with special glaze followed by firing. The most significant works:

• “Princess of Dreams” by Mikhail Vrubel — the largest panel on the façade facing Teatralny Proezd, depicting the dying Prince Rudel with a harp and a mysterious maiden
• “Cleopatra” by Alexander Golovin — decoration of the western façade facing Revolution Square
• Six works by Golovin on various themes
• Sixteen panels by unknown authors

Vrubel was inspired by Edmond Rostand’s play, embodying the idea of an unattainable dream of beauty.

Interior Decoration of the Hotel

The Grand Lobby

The lobby interiors display classic Art Nouveau features. Historic stucco decorates the walls and ceiling. Particular attention is drawn to the panel “Sphinx in the Realm of Flora” by Lev Kekushev. The main highlight of the lobby — the historic elevator, recognised as the most beautiful in Moscow. The lift is lined with wooden panels and stained-glass windows with plant motifs. The grand staircase with elegant wrought-iron railings and coloured stained-glass windows in the spans transports visitors into the atmosphere of the “Belle Époque”.

Restaurant Halls

The Metropol Hall — the complex’s main space in neoclassical style. It is crowned by a grandiose stained-glass dome designed by engineer Vladimir Shukhov at a height of twelve metres. The structure consists of three layers: the outer protects from precipitation, the middle from dust, and the decorative layer is assembled from 2,400 painted glass elements based on sketches by Sergei Chekhonin. The Red Hall is upholstered in rich red fabric, decorated with stained-glass windows and a ceiling with floral paintings. In 1950 the reception for the signing of the Sino-Soviet treaty was held here. Today the hall is used for press conferences and wedding celebrations. The Boyarsky Hall is styled as 16th-century Russian chambers with a vaulted ceiling, plant patterns and an original chandelier shaped like church cupolas. The perfect venue for events in Russian style.

Hotel Rooms: Historic Luxury and Modern Comfort

The hotel offers two accommodation options for discerning travellers.

Historic Rooms

The apartments have preserved authentic early 20th-century interiors:

• Original stucco ceilings
• Painted plafonds
• Stained-glass windows by famous masters
• Antique furniture
• 18th-century French porcelain
• Authentic paintings by Russian artists

The windows offer views of the Bolshoi Theatre and Theatre Square. Over the years politicians and cultural figures have stayed here, including Pierre Cardin and Sharon Stone.

Modern Rooms

The new apartments harmoniously combine Art Deco elements with 21st-century functionality. Some rooms also feature antique furniture. One of the “Ambassadorial Suites” houses a unique 1913 Steinway & Sons grand piano.

Famous Guests of the Legendary Hotel

The hotel’s walls remember numerous outstanding personalities:

• 1921 — dancer Isadora Duncan agreed to marry poet Sergei Yesenin
• 1931 — visit by playwright Bernard Shaw
• 1964 — stay of Hollywood star Marlene Dietrich
• April 1976 — dinner of David Bowie and Iggy Pop in the restaurant before departing for Finland
• September 1993 — Michael Jackson wrote the hit “Stranger in Moscow” in room 3364

Also staying here were Jacques Chirac, Giorgio Armani, Elton John, Catherine Deneuve, and explorer Georgy Sedov before his 1912 expedition to the North Pole.

How to Visit the Hotel

Location and Transport

Address: Teatralny Proezd, 2 Nearest metro stations:

• “Ploshchad Revolyutsii”
• “Teatralnaya”

Bus routes: м6, м9, м90, н15, с633 (stop “Teatralnaya Ploshchad”) From Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports it takes about an hour by car; from the Three Stations Square — about fifteen minutes.

Opportunities for Guests and Tourists

Even without booking a room you can enjoy the hotel’s atmosphere. It is enough to reserve a table in the main restaurant hall under the glass dome. The famous Metropol breakfasts are served from 07:00 to 11:00 accompanied by live harp music. This is a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the “Belle Époque”. Guided tours with local guides are also available, who will share fascinating facts about the building’s architecture and the fates of its famous guests.

The Metropol Today: A World-Class Cultural Centre

The modern Metropol is not only a five-star hotel but also a venue for events of international significance. The building houses 19 unique halls capable of accommodating up to four hundred people. Particular pride of the hotel:

• Fine-dining restaurants with historic interiors
• Bars with refined atmosphere
• More than 800 antique items in the decoration
• Unique stained-glass windows and painted ceilings
• Central hall with a three-tier vintage dome
• White-marble fountain

The management organises tours of the interiors, available not only to hotel guests but to everyone who wishes to touch history.

Conclusion

The Metropol Hotel is living Moscow history embodied in architecture. The building unites the talent of outstanding architects and artists of the turn of the 19th–20th centuries, preserves the memory of famous guests and the most important events in Russian history. Visiting the hotel allows you to travel back in time, feel the atmosphere of the “Belle Époque” and enjoy the exquisite luxury of Art Nouveau. Whether it’s breakfast under the stained-glass dome, a tour of the historic halls or simply a walk along the façade with its majolica panels — the Metropol leaves an unforgettable impression on every visitor. This architectural masterpiece continues to be one of the main symbols of Moscow hospitality, combining careful preservation of historical heritage with the highest standards of modern service.