Historical "Kievskaya Station" Celebrates 100th Anniversary: Architectural Masterpiece is Moscow’s Most Beautiful
One of Moscow's most beautiful train stations, the Kievskaya Station, celebrated its 100th anniversary. In February 1918, the first passenger train set off from its platform. Everyone also saw the architectural masterpiece of Vladimir Shukhov, the majestic openwork train shed. The structure erected over the railway platforms immediately entered the list of the main sights of the capital.
Marina Gromova reporting.
Every day, 40 thousand people step on this German floor tile, which is 100 years old. Passengers wait for the train's departure near columns, gold, and arc spans.
Alexander Yermolin, tour guide: "The station was built as a monument devoted to the victory in the 1812 war. The victory over Napoleon. Everything that we see is related to war. Fascias, laureate wreaths, and victory banners".
The Bryansk Station, which was renamed as Kiyevskaya in 1934, was built by the most famous architects. Ivan Rerberg created the neoclassical exterior. The lamps were painted by Ignaty Nivinsky and Boris Langye. The latter also created the mosaics. The most recognizable spot, the train shed, also had its own creator.
Soviet and Hollywood directors chose it as a set for their movies. The steel net of the structure hangs over the platform as if frozen. It's made of glass and metal. Using a lot of open space, it seems light, though it weighs 1,500 tons. It's truly architect Shukhov's miracle of engineering. The huge dome was built in record time, in just 90 days.
It took much longer to restore the structure. It became unsafe and had to be rebuilt. Built-up arcs were replaced by welded ones, and glass was replaced with polycarbonate.
"Dear passengers! On February 18, 1918, the first passenger train set off from the Kievskaya railway station platform. We wish you all a happy 100th anniversary of one of the most beautiful train stations in Russia".
Everyone hears but doesn't see them. The station's announcer's voice has been rushing those who are running late for 100 years, helping those who lost their things or have gotten lost.
Valentina Makeyeva, the station's announcer: "Once time, I announced that a guy saw a girl on the train, but he didn't know her name and was looking for her".
The paintings were renovated, and the historical lights were brought back to the halls. The pink hall with the blue ceiling and garnet light was the last to be opened after the renovations.
Security cameras have been installed near the stucco candle holders. The Smart Station system manages everything.
Timur Sotsky, Russian Railways press secretary: "We don't have to monitor either the temperature inside or the outside lighting, we don't have to manually switch on the lights outside. All this is managed automatically".
The system runs like clockwork. But still, it's newer than the most long-lived mechanism here. It's called the Moscow Big Ben. It has never stopped in 100 years. The station tower's clock is manually wound up every two days.
"When I pull the rope, it lifts the weight".
The lookout tower is guarded by four eagles. Anyone can go up to the observation deck and take a closer look at them. These days, tours are being organized around Kievskaya Station, like around a museum.
Marina Gromova, Ivan Lavrikov, Alexander Mukhin, Alexander Dvornikov, and Anna Bala, Vesti.