The buildings of the Cold War Europe, some of which survived to this day, are a gateway into the social, political and cultural mindset of the Eastern Bloc. Panorama Hotel is one of the defining buildings of this era. Its iconic gravity-defying shape has been what is most impressive about the building. The hotel was built for the 1970 Ski Championships but it is still in service.
Hotel Ezüstpart in Hungary, built in the 80s, is another example of Cold War architecture of Europe. This hotel was the product of the award-winning designer Ernő Tillai. Tillai was also the primary figure of post-WWII architecture design and planning of Hungary. He built the hotel for the vacationing working class but in time the hotel lost its popularity and it has been empty since 2017.
The Eastern Bloc tried to have their fun as well. The building in the photo is a disco tech in Hungary in the 80s. It was on Lake Velence and what is striking about it is the fact that it does not look like a disco at all. If the building did not have the sign on it, people would easily think that this was an office.
It was not only the residential buildings of the Cold War that had a certain aesthetic. This is a water tower in Tiszaújváros, Hungary from the late 60s. Although it has a completely new exterior, the building still stands today in the same place.
One of the most culturally inspirational buildings of the Cold War has to be the Chuvash State Opera and Ballet Theater in Russia. Built in 60s, this opera hall has been the inspiration for many distopic movies, even today with movies like Blade Runner 2049.
One of the oldest skyscrapers in Serbia is the Genex Building, also known as the Western City Gate. It is a 36-story building that is 135 meters tall and still the second-tallest building in the country. Genex Building mixes business with daily life as one of the buildings is a residential complex while the other is for companies and businesses.
A sanatorium and rehabilitation center in Dombay.
The Ammanauz Hotel in Dombay. The hotel was abandoned during its construction in the 80s.
The building that many know as the Cheese Façade in Rostock, Germany in the 70s.
During the 70s, in Moscow, nearly all of the residential houses were regular panel block houses but the Round House tried to be different and the results were disastrous. The building had a really bad acoustic and every house constantly lived under loud noises and because of the shape, the yard had a constant wind that did not stop at all.
