At the beginning of 1934, after the capital was transferred from Kharkiv to Kiev, many new construction projects began for the reconstruction of the new capital. Many prominent administrative buildings to house the government institutions of the Soviet Republic were planned to be erected in downtown Kiev, including the building of the government and the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The very heart of the city was chosen for that purpose – the Pechersk Raion which lies on the right bank of Dnieper river.
In February 1936, a concurs for the best building design of the Verkhovna Rada was announced, to which were invited numerous prominent specialists, including Volodymyr Zabolotny, Valerian Rykov, and Yakiv Steinberg. The jury selected the design of Zabolotny. The construction was initiated in 1936 and lasted to 1939 with the final inspection taking place in the beginning of the summer of 1939, which passed the building with the grade of excellent. The first session of the Verkhovna Rada took place at 5 Hrushevsky Street on 25 July 1939.