Moscow Metro – Oktyabrskaya – Line 5

Oktyabrskaya - Line 5 - by Ludvig14

Oktyabrskaya – Line 5 – by Ludvig14

More on the USSR

Moscow Metro – a Socialist Realist Art Gallery

Moscow Metro – Oktyabrskaya – Line 5

Oktyabrskaya (Октя́брьская) is a station on the Koltsevaya line of the Moscow Metro. Opened on 1 January 1950, Oktyabrskaya was part of the first segment of the fourth stage.

Oktyabrskaya - Line 5 - 01

Oktyabrskaya – Line 5 – 01

Designed by Leonid Polyakov, who took the mid-19th century Neoclassical triumphal Empire style as the basis, incorporated the themes of the 1812 Victory over Napoleon to match the 1945 Soviet victory in the Second World War, applying it to the standard pylon tri-vault design.

Oktyabrskaya - Line 5 - 03

Oktyabrskaya – Line 5 – 03

Both the central and platform vaults are divided by arches which have large medallions which contain bas-reliefs of Soviet Army soldiers surrounded by ornaments. The pylons contain bas-relief centred ventilation grilles which are flanked by two anodized aluminium torches that give the overall golden glow to the bright grey marble that faces them. The station walls are ceramic tiles and are decorated with relief images of gilded wreaths and stars. The end of a central hall contains a miniature triumphal arch with a metallic gate behind which there’s a small room with a blue ceiling, symbolising the time of a peaceful life. The floor of the station is laid with grey and red granite and the perimeter of the central hall is also bordered by a pattern of bright and dark marble.

Oktyabrskaya - Line 5 - 04

Oktyabrskaya – Line 5 – 04

The station has a large vestibule on the Octyabrskaya square (until 1922 – Kaluzhskaya square, named after the city of Kaluga) on the Garden Ring and hence the station’s original name Kaluzhskaya (Калужская), renamed on 6 June 1961 to its present name (though the square’s historic name was restored in 1992). The vestibule, on the exterior, contains large bas-reliefs of trumpeters that are lit by lamps concealed as columns underneath. Inside, the ticket and escalator halls are decorated with casts and bas-reliefs containing battle banners, weapons and figures of the Soviet Army and women symbolizing glory (work by G.Motovilov). In 1989 the stand-alone structure was built in the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys.

Oktyabrskaya - Line 5 - 02

Oktyabrskaya – Line 5 – 02

In 1962, a set of staircases were added to the central hall for a transfer to the newly opened Oktyabrskaya of the Kaluzhsko–Rizhskaya line.

Text from Wikipedia.

Location:

GPS:

55.7297°N

37.6091°E

Depth:

40 metres (130 ft)

Opened:

1 January 1950

More on the USSR

Moscow Metro – a Socialist Realist Art Gallery

Moscow Metro – Arbatskaya – Line 3

Line 3 - Arbatskaya - by Alex 'Florstein' Fedorov

Line 3 – Arbatskaya – by Alex ‘Florstein’ Fedorov

More on the USSR

Moscow Metro – a Socialist Realist Art Gallery

Moscow Metro – Arbatskaya – Line 3

Arbatskaya (Арба́тская) is a station on the Arbatsko–Pokrovskaya line of the Moscow Metro. Along with Smolenskaya and Kievskaya, it was built in 1953 to replace an older, parallel section of track which has since become part of the Filyovskaya line. The old station had been damaged in a German bomb attack in 1941, so its replacement was much deeper and included larger stations that could double as shelters (especially in the event of nuclear attack). Although it was initially supposed to be closed permanently, the old section reopened five years later, creating the somewhat confusing situation of having two pairs of completely separate stations with the same names (Arbatskaya and Smolenskaya).

Arbatskaya was designed by Leonid Polyakov, Valentin Pelevin and Yury Zenkevich. Since it was meant to serve as a bomb shelter as well as a Metro station, Arbatskaya is both large (the 250-m platform is the second-longest in Moscow) and deep (41 m underground). The main tunnel is elliptical in cross-section, an unusual departure from the standard circular design. The station features low, square pylons faced with red marble and a high vaulted ceiling elaborately decorated with ornamental brackets, floral reliefs, and chandeliers.

Text from Wikipedia.

Arbatskaya - Line 3 - 01

Arbatskaya – Line 3 – 01

Arbatskaya - Line 3 - 02

Arbatskaya – Line 3 – 02

Arbatskaya - Line 3 - 03

Arbatskaya – Line 3 – 03

Arbatskaya - Line 3 - 04

Arbatskaya – Line 3 – 04

Arbatskaya - Line 3 - 05

Arbatskaya – Line 3 – 05

Arbatskaya - Line 3 - 06

Arbatskaya – Line 3 – 06

Arbatskaya - Line 3 - 07

Arbatskaya – Line 3 – 07

Arbatskaya - Line 3 - 08

Arbatskaya – Line 3 – 08

Arbatskaya - Line 3 - 09

Arbatskaya – Line 3 – 09

There are two cafeterias in the Moscow metro: one at metro Arbatskaya and another at metro Voikovskaya. [I didn’t know this at the time of my visit – so no food reviews.]

The canteen at Arbatskaya has been open for 30 years with the other one in operation since 2000. Initially these cafeterias were founded with metro employees in mind, but now they are open to the public who can enjoy a quick meal on their way to work. They are quite cheap and passengers are often surprised by the good quality of the food.

The house specialities are belyashs (fried pastry stuffed with meat) and hot dogs, but the menu also includes more sophisticated fare, such as chicken with pineapple.

Text from Russia Beyond.

Arbatskaya Moscow Metro plaque

Arbatskaya Moscow Metro plaque

Location:

GPS:

55.7522°N

37.6061°E

Opened:

5 April 1953

Depth:

41 metres (135 ft)

More on the USSR

Moscow Metro – a Socialist Realist Art Gallery