Russia - Table of Contents ............... Architecture Around the World

GUM (department store)
Pron. goom
Moscow, Russia

Exterior

Interior

GUM,  meaning "main department store," is the name of the principal department store in many cities in Russia.  The most famous GUM is the one in Moscow facing Red Square. It is actually a shopping mall. Prior to the 1920s the place was known as the Upper Trading Rows.

After a fire in 1547, Ivan the Terrible reorganized the lines of wooden shops on the eastern side into market lines. The streets Ilyinka and Varvarka were divided into the Upper lines (now GUM department store), Middle lines and Bottom lines.

Built between 1890 and 1893 by Alexander Pomerantsev and Vladimir Shukhov, the trapezoidal building features an interesting combination of elements of Russian medieval architecture and a steel framework and glass roof, a similar style to the great Victorian train stations of London.


Exterior


Southeast view of Red Square
Left: GUM ... Center: ??? ... Right: St. Basil's Russian Orthodox Church



GUM from the south





GUM from the northwest



Left entrance features a mansard roof with two dormers.


Left entrance features a mansard roof with two dormers.
Arches above windows are Russian style horseshoe arches.


Left entrance features a Russian style horseshoe arch over restaurant entrance.


Left entrance mosaic Mother of God icon.



Center entrance features three mansard roof with finials.


Center entrance


Center entrance detail.
Arches above windows are Russian style horseshoe arches.


Center entrance double staircase.


Center entrance double staircase.






Interior


Three stories high.


Second and third stories.


First floor.



Three stories covered by skylight.


Photos and their arrangement © 2010 Chuck LaChiusa
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