The building that houses the Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya is itself a famous landmark – one of the seven neo-gothic skyscrapers that formed the most prominent part of Stalin's post-war regeneration plans for Moscow. The smallest of the seven buildings, the Leningradskaya Hotel was completed in 1954, and only a year later was the subject of harsh criticism from Nikita Khruschev as a prime example of waste and profligacy in Stalinist building projects. Nonetheless, it is an impressive building, with a 136m central tower that dominates Komsomolskaya Ploshchad.
Equally impressive are the three railway stations on the square, each of which is an architectural masterpiece in a distinct style. The oldest, Leningrad Station, was designed by the Muscovite master of Italinate neoclassicism Konstantin Thon and completed in 1851. Although the interior is almost entirely 20th century, Thon's original exteriors survive, although their refined elegance is overshadowed by the monumentalism of the surrounding buildings. Neighboring Yaroslavl Station was built 1902-1904 by Fyodor Schechtel in the Russian Revival style, with numerous details inspired by medieval fortifications, traditional "Terem" roofs and an attractive mosaic frieze depicting stylized plants.
Across the square, Kazan Station, the largest of the three, is a later example of Russian Revivalism that eschews the fantastical, fairytale aesthetic of Yaroslavl Station for a more exact imitation of the forms of historic buildings. Designed by Aleksei Shchusev, it was partially inspired by the Soyembika Tower in the Kazan Kremlin, with an almost identical tiered central tower. The building was not completed until 1940.
