Moscow Metro Stations

A couple of years ago, we saw something showing a bunch of beautiful pix of Metro stations in Moscow, so we were already primed and interested to see the real thing. Of course, the powerpoint we saw was mostly pix with a fish eye lens and completely empty stations, so a little unrealistic (email if you want us to send it to you). Anyway, trying to be unobtrusive with our picture taking, and not get in trouble (beyond the one time), we managed to get several that we liked. Knowing there was no way to remember what was what once we got home, I took some pix of the station names within the subway. I decided to post them here because it gives a hint of the language, and how close (or not close) the words are to ours. So, it might give you a better sense of what it is to "illiterately" grope around in Moscow. The next posting I want to show some pix of food and words, so there is a bit of a transisiton here, too!

May as well start with the station nearest our hotel. This is "Komsomolskaya" (a beautiful, easy to pronounce and remember name! (like most of them!)).

The main hall has a sort of Boroque decor, with intricate mosaics on the ceiling, and striking chandeliers, and polished stone columns and archways.

Of interest (to me) about Turgenevskaya is the use of various marbles around the station, and the huge bronze plaques on the wall next to the train tracks. Even the train tracks are glorified with marble.

I do not remember which stations this was, but I really liked the two marbles on the walls and complimentary marble floors, with indirect lighting washing over the white arched ceiling.











Alexeevskaya looks bright and clean with two kinds/colors of marble in the transfer hall, and chandeliers.











The station with bronze statues is Ploshad Revolutia (Revolution Square). This picture does little justice, but imagine each archway (like the ones above) flanked with four bronze figures; two on the platform side, and two on the transfer side. Note the shiney light color of the dog's nose from years of hands touching it as they pass.

The next one (forgot which station) had small mosaics set up in domes in the trasfer hall. This one had planes, so... it got my picture!




We trasfered through Prospect Mira several times. The tile gleams, and the chandeliers are flourescent.











Mayakovskaya had high zinc galvanized currogated steel as decor. At first I thought it was pretty nasty, but grew to like it.







Belarusskaya featured mosaic scenes from Soviet Life (seriously idealized). A perfect life with hammer and sickle (symbols of work) at the center. The wall opposite the platform features plaques of grain (probably symbolizing fruitful work?).
















Kievskaya features mosaics on each wall between the stairs or archways to the platforms (and chandeliers, or course!). It sort of gives the station a feeling of being in an art museum. At the end of the hall, there is a tribute to Lenin.















And last, but certainly not least, my personal favorite: Novoslobodskaya! I really like the bright, colorful, back lit stained glass. It is cheerful and makes it easy to believe that you not, in fact, several meters under ground, but perhaps above ground on a bright day shining through the
"windows".

Contrary to SOME people's opinion (Theresa) the reason I like it is NOT because it is said to have a "children's theme" or is popular with children. (Although I can see why they would not like the other places, leaving this as the sole one not "displeasing".)