Moscow is proud of a number of fascinating attractions, rich heritage, and friendly locals. However, the Russian capital is also well known for its city metro. The metro system was opened in 1935 and currently has 214 stations all together. Tourism-Review.com presents the five most stunning metro stations worth visiting.
Opened on May 15, 1935, it was named in honor of the young construction workers who worked here heroically, the Komsomol members. It is considered one of the most ceremonial stations. It was designed by the legendary architect Shchusev, the very one that designed Lenin's Mausoleum. Most of the metro station resembles a palace. Everything is sumptuous, elegant, solemn and spacious. The architecture is brilliant, with beauty finish and mosaic panels being the cherry on top.
Opened on March 13, 1938, this station was planned to be made not just as a station, but also a part of an original project – the Bolshoi Academic Theatre of the USSR. Initially it was planned as light and spacious. However, the co-author of the project insisted that a lot of sculptures be placed here. The result turned out to be quite heavy and cannot be said to be very refined. Nevertheless, Revolution Square produces a strong impression and is one of the most popular places for tourists.
The station was opened on September 11, 1938. Some consider it the most beautiful station in the Moscow metro system. It is somewhat futuristic, but still looks modern and fresh. There are also a lot of symbols and assumptions here, laid during construction – both for the contemporaries and for the future generations. In particular, the metal fringing, so strongly influenced by the architecture, consists of fragments of the airship, built earlier by the Tsiolkovsky project. They show the desire for the stars, for some "universal communism among all the Soviet people. And Mayakovsky was considered the most "Soviet" poet at the time. Contemporaries perfectly knew how to read between the lines and the symbolism inherent in the station was clear to them.
It was opened on January 30, 1952. Almost immediately it received two nicknames among the capital's residents – "Underground Tale" and "Stone Flower". The architecture of the metro station is exquisitely simple, but this simplicity is so thought out that it became a standard. The main decoration of the station are 32 stained-glass windows of stunning beauty. Interestingly enough, the glass was taken from the Riga Cathedral, while the ornaments were borrowed from the books of Orthodox priests. Given that the station was dedicated to the intelligence, it turned out to be a sort of temple of knowledge with many interesting disguised messages.
Opened on March 14, 1954, the Kievskaya station is a combination of splendor and simplicity. It was dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the reunification of Ukraine with Russia. The station involuntarily causes the visitors to slow down and look around. Over the columns, magnificent frescos dominate, showing the life of Ukrainians. They are framed by a beautiful, but somewhat heavy-weight stucco. Everything is extremely simple, but the simplicity is so well-adjusted and skillful that it awakens admiration.