Udarnik (revisited)

Sunset over the Udarnik theatre (on the right) in Moscow.  We had 10 minutes of amazing light and colours as the sun disappeared last night.

Udarnik was one of the first buildings in Moscow (maybe the only one) with a retractable roof.  Commissioned in 1931, it was designed as a movie house 'under the stars'.  Reportedly, the roof was opened once and jammed (on opening day) and was never used again.  At one time, Udarnik was the largest (seating 1500 people) and most prestigious movie theatre in Moscow.  It was also the first theatre in the USSR built specifically to cater for movies with sound.

Now a monument to Soviet constructivism.  Older photos here and here.

Udarnik in 1970.

Blipped on 28 December 2014 too.