August 05, 2024

Is "Putin's Architect" Back?


Is "Putin's Architect" Back?
Putin's Palace in Gelendzhik, Krasnoyarsk Krai, designed by Lanfranco Chirillo. Ekologicheskaya Bakhta po Sebernomu Kavkazu, Dmitry Shevchenko, Wikimedia Commons.

On August 1, Sberbank appointed Lanfranco Cirillo, the designer of the infamous "Putin's Palace," as vice president of its new construction unit. Cirillo abandoned Russia seemingly for good after 20 years there, but "Putin's architect" is rebuilding ties with the country again. 

Cirillo's name can't be found in his home country's architects' union and his degree is not valid in Russia. Yet the Venetian became known for building mansions and dachas for Moscow's oligarchs in the 1990s, including for Lukoil, Gazprom, and Novatek executives. In 2014, President Vladimir Putin granted the Italian architect Russian citizenship by decree, a rare honor.

Cirillo's name appeared in Russian newspapers in 2021, after Alexey Navalny uploaded the documentary "Putin's Palace. The Story of The World's Biggest Bribe" to YouTube. The 65-year-old acknowledged he designed the neoclassical dacha, but denied it was for Putin. The architect told Meduza the 100-million-ruble ($1.2 million) mansion was for the construction firm Stroygazconsulting, owned by Ziyad Manasir. In 2013, the Jordanian businessman was among the guests at Putin's daughter's wedding to businessman Kiril Shamalov.

After the Russian government expropriated land that the Italian architect had developed and a later argument over the construction of an Olympic sailing facility, Cirillo decided to leave Russia for the UAE. But "Putin's architect" is now resuming relations with Moscow. In a statement by Sberbank, the financial institution celebrated the appointment of Cirillo to its construction unit, citing his portfolio and "great sense of style."

You Might Also Like

Baikal, not Bali
  • July 10, 2024

Baikal, not Bali

The State Duma has banned Russian deputies and senators from traveling abroad without permission.
Nationalize It
  • March 14, 2024

Nationalize It

Over the past two years, 180 private companies have been taken over by the Russian state.
Sudden Death
  • February 18, 2024

Sudden Death

Alexei Navalny’s death was entirely expected, and completely unacceptable.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955