Moscow Metro: 70 Years Of Underground Art
Vladimir Belogolovsky
Annino Station underground platform interior
Have you ever been to a city where the entire underground infrastructure is an ambitious, ongoing art project? Welcome to the fascinating and ever-growing subway system of Moscow. This year the city celebrates the 70th anniversary of the opening of the first line of Moscow?s Metropolitan, its world-renowned metro system.
To the amazement of foreign observers, the beautiful necklace of the 13 original metro stations, unlike many other ambitious and never realized Soviet projects, were finished remarkably fast?in just two years. In addition to hired metro builders, thousands of volunteers and members of the youth wing of the Communist Party (Komsomol) aided in the construction of the project. To commemorate this contribution, one of the stations is appropriately called Komsomolskaya. It is adorned with large mosaics depicting young people at work.
The elaborate underground network, which is perpetually under construction, is now the fourth largest in the world and carries more passengers per year than any other. According to many sources, in addition to this public metro system there is another extant system called Metro-2.
The evidence of its construction can be traced to as early as 1935. Its existence is officially denied, but Metro-2 includes everything from one-way paths that trucks use to connect a few scattered stations between the Kremlin, government villas and secret airport, to a sophisticated system of as many as five metro lines. These are claimed to be the backbone of a self-sustained underground city with a fully operational command center and a fancy hotel ready to shelter 1,100 of the city?s most privileged citizens in the case of a nuclear attack. Sounds too futuristic? Well, visit some of the metro stations in Moscow and you will be convinced?nothing is impossible. These spaces are fantastic; they are functional, too. Let?s go down and explore what Moscovites call the most beautiful underground in the world:
One of the most impressive stations is called Mayakovskaya, in honor of a favorite Russian poet, Vladimir Mayakovsky. The station was built in 1938 by one of the most talented architects in the country, Aleksey Dushkin. Its spacious and streamlined interior was used as a bomb shelter during World War II. The space was also a stage for wartime ceremonial communist party meetings where Josef Stalin delivered his patriotic speeches. The station?s elegant platform appears to be an endless palatial hall, defined by a linear progression of graciously lit giant domes, supported by columns of stainless steel and marble.
Dushkin built five other stations, as well. They were awarded Grand-Prix at World?s Fairs in Paris (1937), New York (1939) and Brussels (1958). His favorite Kropotkinskaya station was inspired by Egyptian architecture, specifically in the way the column capitals were used to support oil torches to light labyrinths inside the pyramids. The abstracted columns, marching along the central platform of this station are missing traditional capitals and instead, are outfitted with hidden lanterns that give off bright light and evoke a feeling of vaulted ceiling hovering above unsupported floats. Here light is used as a primary material means for creating space and form.
There are many noteworthy stations in Moscow. There is one that will make you forget that you are more than one hundred feet below the street. This impressive station is called Electrozavodskaya. The name itself beams with optimism and enthusiasm, referring to the nearby electricity plant. The platform features an graceful vaulted ceiling perforated by 300 circular openings, each comprising a mini dome with a light fixture at its center. The effect is genuinely uplifting.
Each station resembles a museum, clad in highly polished marble and granite of different hues. Many have a particular theme: Russian revolution, culture, sports, education, theater, science, friendship and so on. But what is particularly satisfying is that this network of underground galleries is connected by a fleet of punctual soviet-made trains that come and go as frequently as under one-minute intervals.
Building the Moscow metro was one of Josef Stalin?s pet projects. These underground palaces were built with imperialist ambition?to glorify socialism and Stalin?s regime. They were also supposed to shame the generally dirty, rundown and dull stations of London and New York, where expenditure on public services was at a bare minimum. Naturally, all building materials and specialists were brought from all over the Soviet Union; none were brought in from abroad.
Stalin and Socialism are long gone, but the beautiful stations remain. They were built to dazzle, but were also built out of durable materials that, even today, show no signs of wear. In fact, the tradition of building grand underground constructions in Moscow continues to this day. A number of new stations were built in recent years and many are under construction and at the planning stages. Just as their predecessors, they are often selected as winning projects of prestigious national architectural competitions.
Finished in May 2003, Park Pobedy (Victory Park) station is the latest impressive addition to Moscow underground wonders. It is situated at the depth of 260 feet and is the deepest station in the world. It takes a three-minute ride on a 400 foot-long escalators (740 steps!) to reach the platform. The station?s grand hall features two giant enameled panels commemorating Russian victories in two wars?against Napoleon in 1812 and Hitler in 1941-45. These are both visions of Zurab Tsereteli, the president of the Russian Academy of Arts and a prolific sculptor whose famous sculptural composition Good Defeats Evil is on permanent exhibit on the grounds of the United Nations in New York.
Every day millions of people come to Moscow through its metro gates. Their journeys are not only comfortable, but also enjoyable. The tradition of building inspiring and meaningful spaces continues. The mayor Yuri Luzhkov recently said that building the metro should never stop. As long as art remains the main inspiration behind this remarkable underground project, its future is in good hands.
