Information about the building

This magnificent building, which has adorned Tverskaya Street for many years and has retained its appearance even after expansions and changes, is now hidden behind a temporary facade. Restoration work has been ongoing here for several years.

In the mid-19th century, the property, previously owned by the noble Saltykov family, was acquired by the famous baker Ivan Maksimovich Filippov. He established a complex for his bakery and trading house with a bakery and café here. All of Moscow knew of his high-quality products and ingenuity, and city dwellers recounted legends, the most famous of which is the story of the bun and cockroach served to Governor Zakrevsky. This led to Filippov's invention of buns with raisins.

Reconstruction and Restoration

In 1891 and 1897, his heir, Dmitry Ivanovich, significantly reconstructed the building, giving it an eclectic and pompous appearance. In 1907, the building was raised by one more floor, and in 1911, architect N.A. Eikhenvald updated the hotel lobby in the left part of the complex. Thus, alongside the trading house, one of the most luxurious hotels in Moscow, 'Lux', appeared. Filippov's café was famous for its rich interiors created by P.P. Konchalovsky, S.T. Konenkov, and V.M. Mayat. Many influential people and famous writers, including Velimir Khlebnikov, a friend of Dmitry Ivanovich Filippov, stayed in the 'Lux' rooms.

After the revolution, the baker's heirs lost the shop, but the bakery remained in its place. The main part of the building became a dormitory for the NKVD in 1919, and in the 1920s it turned into a dormitory for the Communist International, or Comintern. Many figures of the global communist movement, leaders of pro-Soviet parties and underground organizations, such as Bulgarian G. Dimitrov, Czech K. Gottwald, Italian P. Togliatti, and French M. Thorez, stayed here. In 1934, the building was raised again and was renamed the 'Central' hotel.

Today, the building is under restoration. The former Filippov bakeries in the courtyard were demolished along with other structures, and new construction is planned in their place. After the work is completed, the building will once again become a hotel, preserving its historical purpose.