The State Kremlin Palace: An ambitious project in the heart of Russia Kremlin Palace of Congresses. Legion Media The history of the youngest building in the Kremlin that has held party congresses, kids’ celebrations and pop concerts. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union had held its congresses in different locations. In tsarist times, it happened abroad. After the foundation of the USSR, the congresses were held in different places in Moscow; for example, in the Bolshoi Theater and in the Grand Kremlin Palace. Joseph Stalin coming out of the Bolshoi Theater during the XVI congress. Public domain Then, Nikita Khrushchev decided the party needed a special place for congresses in the Kremlin. He didn’t imagine it being especially large at first, but in 1959, the General Secretary visited China. Probably, it was there he was inspired by the huge Great Hall of the People that seated 10,000 in Beijing.