SOVIET HOUSE

The House of Soviets was built in 1953-1956 by the architect S. V. Vassiliev in a typical Stalinist neoclassical style. The building is notable for its white facade with imposing columns and its pediment with the Russian inscription "Dom sovetov" ("House of soviets", soviets being councils or assemblies), topped by a clock and a silver spire with a star on top. A row of fir trees runs along the facades. In front of the building, the bust of Lenin stands proudly. Inside is a memorial to the fallen soldiers of the 1992 conflict. The building houses the Tiraspol City Hall and its council. Nearby, photos of the city's honorary citizens are displayed on a long wall and include working heroes, World War II veterans, a cosmonaut, former Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov (1992-2010) and Igor Smirnov, former Transnistrian president from 1991-2011. On the city's coat of arms one can see a cogwheel and a bunch of grapes separated by a stream. These symbols refer to the identity of the region: its industries, the river Dniestr and the vineyards. The street in front of the building is a regular walking area for the residents of Tiraspol who like to walk to the river. The House of the Soviets is one of the emblematic places in Tiraspol and tourists passing by often take pictures of it. It is not open to visitors, except on certain occasions.