The Intourist Hotel (Moscow).Located on Tverskaya where the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Moscow now stands,the

The Intourist Hotel (Moscow).Located on Tverskaya where the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Moscow now stands,the Intourist Hotel was completed in 1970 and demolished in 2002.  Itwas built in the post-war modernist style with 22 storeys, and wasthe tallest reinforced concrete structure in Moscow at the time.  Fora while, it was even a symbol of Soviet chic, with some calling itthe “Moscow Seagram”, after its resemblance to the SeagramBuilding in New York.Because the hotel served foreigners, it quickly became a centre forfartsovka – a type of black market for acquiring hardcurrency and consumer goods from foreigners.  The fartsovshchikssold caviar and salmon roe, Soviet vodka and brandy, and souvenirs(particularly badges with Olympic or Soviet symbols) to foreigners,hotel personnel and tour guides.Meanwhile, the KGB recruited Intourist personnel to spy on hotelguests.  Soviets who worked at the Intourist had to go through anextremely throrough selection and vetting process, as if they wereworking for the KGB itself.In 1999, a bomb was set off on the 19th floor, wherecommercial firms had their offices.  It was classed as a terroristact.  At the same time, mayor Yuri Luzhkov compared the Intourist toa “rotten tooth” which should be got rid of as quickly aspossible.  The hotel was demolished in 2002. -- source link

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