Exploring the magnificent Moscow Metro
Towards the end of our stay in Russia’s capital, Poor John and I spent a couple of hours exploring the beauty of the famous Moscow Metro, which is also known as the People’s Palace.
First opened in 1935, during the Stalin era, the metro has 12 lines covering 349 kilometres and stopping at a staggering 207 stations. Some of these stations are absolutely breathtaking. Seriously, they are works of art in their own right.
Before we set out, Poor John spent time online to identify some of the best stations to visit. We had a long list and knew we couldn’t visit them all, but we figured out a zigzagging route that would let us see quite a few. And we did all that for about $1 each because once you enter the metro system, you can keep travelling at no extra charge until you exit. Because we stayed underground, I don’t have any pictures from the station entrances or turnstiles. Next time.
We started with the Arbatskaya station on line 3. It opened in 1953 and was designed by Leonid Polyakov, Valentin Pelevin and Yury Zenkevich. It was meant to double as a station and a bomb shelter, so it is large and deep. The platform is 250 metres long. The walls are decorated with glazed ceramic tiles and ceramic flower bouquets. The chandeliers are bronze.
Next stop was Park Pobedy also on line 3. This newer station, opened in 2003, has two underground halls and was designed by N. Shurygina and N. Shumakov. I’ve read that the descent from ground-level to the southern hall has four escalators 126 meters long (the longest in Moscow). The hall decoration is dedicated to victories in the Patriotic Wars of 1812 and 1941–45. The hall pylons are faced with white and red marble.
We only saw the southern hall and I was delighted to take pictures of military/police without having my camera confiscated. Times have changed.
It was too late by the time I realised we had boarded the wrong train, so we got a surprise stop at the Minskaya station that had opened only six months earlier. I can’t find more info about it, but the decoration is modern, digital and train-related.
Luckily it wasn’t hard to get back on track and we soon arrived at Kievskaya on line 5. This station opened in 1953. Its design was decided through an open competition held in Ukraine. The winners were E.I. Katonin, V.K. Skugarev and G.E. Golubev. Not surprisingly, the frescos on the pylons depict events from Ukraine’s history.
It was built under the personal supervision of General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev. It is believed that the elegant decor was a way for Khrushchev to pay tribute to his Ukrainian homeland. The panel on the hall’s end wall shows the feast in Kiev that honoured the 300th anniversary of the reunification of Ukraine with Russia.
Our next stop was Oktyabrskaya on line 5. Opened in 1950, it was designed by Leonid Polyakov, who helped design Arbatskaya, the first station we visited. The pylons have ventilation grilles that are flanked by anodized aluminum torches that give the hall a golden glow. At one end there is a miniature triumphal arch with a metallic gate that walls off a blue lit room, symbolising peace.
Still on line 5, we visited Paveletskaya station which opened in 1943. Designed by S.V. Lyashchenko and E.S. Demchenko. Hammers and sickles dominate the decoration. The hall is lit by bronze chandeliers. A mosaic panel represents friendship and unity between the working class and the collective farm peasantry. The station has some beautiful staircases.
Then we were back to line 3 to see Ploschad Revolyutsii, one of the metro’s most famous stations. It’s named after Revolution Square, under which it is located. Designed by Alexey Dushkin and opened in 1938, the station is known for it’s statues. Each arch is flanked by a pair of bronze sculptures by Matvey Manizer. These pieces depict the people of the Soviet Union, including soldiers, farmers, athletes, writers, aviators, industrial workers and schoolchildren. There are 76 sculptures in the station.
Dushkin also designed Mayakovskaya, which opened in 1938 and is situated on line 2. The station name as well as the design is a reference to futurism and its prominent Russian exponent, poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. Considered to be one of the most beautiful in the system, Mayakovskaya is a fine example of pre-World War II Stalinist architecture and one of the most famous metro stations in the world. It is most well known for its 34 ceiling mosaics depicting ’24 Hours in the Land of the Soviets’. I only got a pic of one. During World War II, the station was used as a command post for Moscow’s anti-aircraft regiment.
Hope I’m not wearing you out. We only have two stations to go.
It’s obvious that Dushkin was a popular architect for the metro. He and Alexander Strelkov designed the beautiful Novoslobodskaya station on line 5. Dushkin had long wished to decorate a metro station with stained glass. As a result, this station is best known for its 32 stained-glass panels, which were designed by the famous Soviet artist, Pavel Korin. The panels were made in Latvia because Russia did not have a tradition of working with stained glass or any masters of the craft. Six of the stained-glass panels depict people from different professions including a musician, an agronomist and, of course, an architect. The remaining panels have intricate geometric patterns and stars. The station opened in 1952.
And at long last we arrived at the stunning Komsomolskaya on line 5. It’s considered a Gateway to Moscow and is one of the busiest station in the whole system because it is under three railway terminals. Alexey Shchusev was the lead architect, but after his death, the work was finished by Viktor Kokorin, A. Zabolotnaya, V. Varvarin and O. Velikoretsky and the artist, Korin, who created the eight ceiling mosaics. In 1951, both Korin and Shchusev (posthumously) were awarded the Stalin Prize for their work on the station, which opened the following year. Six years later, the station was awarded the Grand Prix title of Expo ’58 in Brussels.
I so wish we’d had time to explore more stations. If you want to look at more, here’s a link to a 2011 list of an architect’s favourite stations. Do you have a favourite station or a favourite artwork?
An interesting bit of history
In the 1930s, Soviet workers did the labor and art work for the early metro stations, but the main engineering designs, routes and construction plans were handled by specialists recruited from the London Underground, the oldest metro system in the world.
Oh, I am SO envious of you. One of these days I will get there and explore it myself. Stunning post x
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Oh yes, go and give yourself plenty of time to explore.
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Not a touch on Shadwell Station on The London underground. Subterranean poetry, occasionally in motion, strikes permitting.
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Ah yes, strikes permitting.
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Was there yesterday! Don’t think I’ve ever seen a more boring station!
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Fabulous photos, definitely on my list of places to visit.
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Well worth the time and effort.
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An interesting post. Thanks for sharing.
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You are most welcome. Thanks for stopping by and for commenting.
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When I first visited Moscow in the late 1970s, (Soviet Union then of course), I was staggered by the stations of the Metro. All I could think of was that if the London stations had been anything like this, then they would undoubtedly have been vandalised. Good to see they are still as impressive now.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Pete, the stations are so grand. I wish I could visit them all.
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I was totally unaware of it. Thanks for the post.
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You are most welcome. I knew the Moscow Metro was grand, but I never realised just how grand.
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It’s not only grand it looks like a cathedral. Wow.
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What luxurious architecture, pleasing to the eye, an art in itself.
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It sure is. Glad you like it.
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We loved it down there, so much so we spent a couple of hours three nights running. Such cheap entertainment.
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I wish we’d had three more nights to explore. As you said, cheap entertainment.
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I had no idea about this splendour. Ever since the Kings Cross Fire about 25 years ago, photography has been illegal on our Underground
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Oh that’s a pity. I’ve only used the London Underground a few times and didn’t notice the rule about no photography. At least I didn’t take any!
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Wonderful account of The metro.. how are you and John. Any trips planned?
Sent from my iPad
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We’re good, Sherry. No set plans yet. Have a Danish exchange student until the end of April. Then we’ll figure out something.
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My first experience of subways was New York City, so the metro of Moscow was an eye opener in 1993. Wonderful what can be done with slave labor (“labor of love”?). Thanks for the excellent photos.
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Glad you liked them. From what I’ve read, I don’t think it was slave labour—more like collective labour.
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forced collective labor under horrendous conditions = slave labor Here is a quore from the Wikipedia article on the Moscow Metro. “The person in charge of Metro mobilization was Lazar Kaganovich. A prominent Party member, he assumed control of the project as chief overseer. Kaganovich was nicknamed the “Iron Commissar”; he shared Stalin’s fanatical energy, dramatic oratory flare, and ability to keep workers building quickly with threats and punishment.[13] “
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Thanks so much for that reference. Clearly not collective labour.
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Impressive stations, stunning photos ❤
WOW… I must say absolutely great!
Ciao
Sid
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Thanks Sid. I’d love to visit them all again.
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Beautiful. A LOT grander than either London’s or Paris’s metro.
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Much grander. Glad you liked the post.
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Fascinating video. Thanks so much.
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Stunning, Peggy. I had read that the Moscow Metro was amazing but your photographs are awesome.
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Thanks Kerry.
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Great post, Peggy.
The escalator that takes you down into the Moscow subway was also very impressive. In fact, it frightened me somewhat. It seemed to go down and down into the bowels of the earth. Am I going into Dante’s inferno, crossed my mind? However, the beauty of the stations was mind blowing, and more than compensated for the scary down and down escalator trip.
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I know what you mean Gerard. You think the escalator will never end, and it is rather like descending into the inferno. But well worth it.
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Truly spectacular coverage, Peggy, superb job. Khrushchev’s greatest production, too. Did you use the St. P metro, too?
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Thanks Brian. We did use the St Petersburg metro, but not quite as much.
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Fabulous post – you did a lot of homework to document these remarkable stations. In addition to being gorgeous, they have a reputation of being clean and safe. Thanks for sharing your journey.
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Thanks so much. You made an excellent point. The stations were spotless and we always felt safe.
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Wow, they look more like an opera house than train stations. How grand. When people have to use them on a daily basis how lovely to enjoy these surroundings. Beats the concrete monstrosities in other countries.
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Oh my, Dorothy, you made me laugh. I’ve seen a lot of those concrete monstrosities.
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I am utterly gobsmacked! What a contrast to those I’ve seen in Rome and Naples.
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I’ve never used the metros in Rome or Naples so I can’t compare, but I’ll take your word for it.
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Well this was a huge surprise to us! Magnificent. Brilliant idea to create beautiful museum like subway stations rather than the dreary smelly usual ones in most places in the world. Terrific photos of the various stations. Thanks for sharing.
Peta
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Thanks so much. I had heard that many Moscow metro stations were outstanding, but I was blown away too.
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Awesome photos of the subway stations!
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Thanks so much. We loved seeing them.
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Impressive! I suspect any graffiti “artists” must be dealt with firmly…
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We didn’t see even a brushstroke of graffiti. Don’t know if it occurs but, if it does, it must be dealt with quickly.
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Simply grand and nothing like metro i have seen elsewhere
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We hadn’t seen anything like it before either.
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Absolutely stunning platforms. They look better that any exterior building. I suppose the local travellers walk briskly through these areas without evening blinking an eye.
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Yes, most of the people are in a hurry. We had the pleasure of being tourists.
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Mind-blowing. Such beauty must lighten the load of a commute!
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I suppose it does for some, but still too many staring at their phones.
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Oh yes, I forgot about those pesky phones!
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Pesky is right!
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How very impressive to have stations all filled with decorative arts! We are most familiar with Washington, DC’s metro system where every station is plainly grey. No decoration but for concrete molded walls. Give me Moscow’s any day!
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We travelled on Washington DC’s metro quite a few years ago and I remember it being rather bland. I’ll take Moscow any day.
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Of all my impressions of Moscow, the Metro (or Myetro as I prefer to say 😉) is the strongest. We actually spent a full morning and a full afternoon exploring. I could gush and expounds for hours but I won’t …your prose and pictures need no embellishment from me! I’ll make two remarks instead …. one is the sheer length of those escalators – boggling! And the second is a question …. did you polish the nose of the guards dog at Ploshchad Revolyutshii? I became a little obsessed with the snout, it must be said!
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I’m kicking myself. I didn’t know about the dog at Ploshchad Revolyutshii until I was doing the research for this post. You know this means I have to return. I’ll spend days underground the next time.
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Such a good excuse for a return trip! I might just join you 😉
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Let’s see if we can work it out.
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Terrific tour!
Thank you!
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You are most welcome. Glad you liked it.
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Magnificent! This is exactly the kind of exploration I love to make. We popped briefly down into the St Petersburg metro, but from what I can tell, Moscow’s is the one to see!
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Moscow is breathtaking. Go if you have the chance.
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Stunning! I’m sure the average person using the metro doesn’t even see the beautiful architecture. Thank you for this lovely look into Moscow’s metro system.
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I suspect the average local person appreciates it the first few times, but after that they’re just travelling from A to B.
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Wow! This looks stunning!
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It’s even more gorgeous in person.
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Very interesting metro system!!
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It’s fascinating. I could spend days there.
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Here you go, once again snatching away one of my life goals before I can get there. (Just kidding.) I have had several friends tell me that a visit to Moscow is worth it for the subway system alone. Your lovely pictures are proof, indeed…
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You’d love it Brian. Maybe you could buy a small station to add to your Christmas decoration spread?
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Wow, Peggy, I didn’t have a clue about these stations. Great post. If I ever make it to Moscow, I will surely take the tour. And all for a dollar! –Curt
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You’d better hurry Curt, or the price might go up to $1.50! 🙂
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Laughing.
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Hi,
Without a question Moscow’s artwork at their many metro subway stations are magnificent and a thing of beauty. And it is just amazing to not see even a small piece of litter on the ground. Wow, you LeggyPeggy and Pour John were able to travel and tour around on one fare, staying underground!
Aside- New York City subway stations can’t come close to Moscow’s beautiful stations. However, in its own right, we have some interesting underground artwork as well. The New York subway system contains one of the largest site-specific art installations in the world. Over three-hundred works – including music, digital art, photography – most made of durable materials like glass, mosaic, bronze, and glass, beautify stations.
Here is just one of my favorite Mosaic scenes; made of tiny pieces of tile and with a beautiful Airdale Terrier. https://www.thewelcomeblog.com/stories-of-new-york/new-york-subway-art/5/9/2016
Jack Beal’s The Return of Spring, The Onset of Winter, on Times Square/42nd Street.
Thanks again for a wonderful blog read..
Sy S.
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Oh wow, Sy, thanks for that link. It’s a beautiful mosaic. Now we have to get to New York to tour your subway system. Poor John lived in NYC for a year in the early 1970s. I think the artworks have been installed since then.
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Wow, wow, wow! I’ll travel there just for the metro, Peggy. I never knew such beauty could exist in such a “mundane” setting. I guess that is the best value for money ever.
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Oh my, the whole evening was such a bargain and so rewarding. Hope you manage to get there one day.
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Me too, Peggy, me too!
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I need help please
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What kind of help do you need?
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What à great place, thank you so much for discovering it
Kisses
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So glad you like it. It was a lot of fun to visit. Gros bisous.
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I am just…floored. Honestly, Peggy, these photos are so intensely impressive, and beautiful, and I’m rather glad you got to the wrong station, as it makes an excellent contrast with the modern approach to design vs. the classic Soviet approach. The statues! The windows! The lighting! Just…one could write a story where characters never leave these golden halls. So amazing.
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You’re right Jean. With more than 200 stations, a person could spend days in the system—only surfacing for meals.
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The sculptures and stained glass are fantastic!
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It was such a treat to see it all.
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Gorgeous! And you got some great shots. One day I’ll get to see it for myself.
Alison
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Thanks Alison. Hope you get there soon.
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Metro looks absolutely magnificent ! ❤️
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Glad you like it. It really is magnificent.
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Wow, who knew train stations could hold so much beauty and artwork (other than the graffiti kind). And it all looked so well cared for, and clean.
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It must be a challenge to keep it so well maintained, but it was all spotless and looked freshly painted.
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Are those curved stained glass windows? And the Minskaya station – are those wheel things functional or are they art? And the details – all the light fixtures in the alcoves? They must have one of the Disneyland programs that tells them when to change the bulbs. I mean, I have never been in a church where all the lights worked, much less a train station where the fixtures weren;t blinking and fuzzing…Amazing stuff! And how do they have time for all that with election rigging and everything else they have going on? 😉
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Yes, the stained glass windows are curved, the wheel things are art (would be super cool if they were functional) and I think all the light bulbs were working. Had to laugh at your reference to the blinking and fuzzing. That is certainly the norm. I never saw anyone changing a light bulb, so that crew knows how to do their job without getting caught!
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Late at night, or on the sly. And if you were to see them, they’d have to kill you. Some form of glass-nost?
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Yes, that makes complete sense.
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Wow those are all gorgeous!!! What a difference between their train stations/subways and ours…every one of them has their own character about them, so ornate and beautiful.
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I wish I had a week to try to visit all the stations. True works of art.
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It would take a week too wouldn’t it…they are magnificent!
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So impressive.
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What a great way to check out these beautiful stations, and all for just $1! I wish all underground train stations looked like these Peggy. 🙂
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You’re right. It would be so wonderful if all underground stations were so beautiful.
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I just love the opulence of Moscow’s metro. The riches of the underground definitely contrasts with its daily users. Lovely photos!
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Thanks so much. The metro stations are truly opulent.
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Was there in 1970 and it was beautiful then too. I didn’t get any pictures so it was wonderful reliving the experience through your gorgeous pictures and descriptions.
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Thanks Wanda. I’m so pleased this post brought back wonderful memories.
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And to rhink that the Soviets are known for full grey concert block architecture! These are such a treat to see. It would certainly make a trip on the metro to work a lot more pleasant. I wonder what Khrushchev would think of the Ukraine now?
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There is such a mix of architecture in Russia—from the magnificent to the horrendous.
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🙂 A huge underground monument! Especially in winter I can image we could stay for hours exploring this nontechnical impressive place!
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I’d love to return and spend hours in this amazing ‘monument’.
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Awesome, mesmerizing… the way classic and Modern style get intertwined is remarkable… a perfect synthesis of cultural sincretism… Really beautiful, dear Peggy. Thanks for sharing!. Love & best wishes, always 🙂 ❤
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You are most welcome. The Moscow Metro is so magnificent, it is a pleasure to share.
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I’ve heard how beautiful the Moscow metro is and your photos confirm this. If I ever make it to Moscow, I’m setting aside a full day to see it.
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It would be easy to spend more than a day!
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Magnificent, indeed! They look so well maintained, even though some of the stations and the art is quite old.I think they rightly named it as People’s Palace. This is one of a kind museum! ❤
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Ah yes, the People’s Palace is a perfect name.
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wow!
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I know.
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Love the pictures! The title ‘People’s Palace’ is so, so appropriate for such a thing of beauty 🙂
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Thanks so much. You’re right, the ‘People’s Palace’ is the perfect name.
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It sure is! 🙂
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