Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro is often credited with being the most beautiful metro system in the world. When it was being designed it was not just envisaged as a means of getting from A to B but also as a celebration of the workers. Many of the stations are decorated with themed panels, mosaics, chandeliers, sculptures and stain-glassed windows of various artistic styles and look more like underground palaces than metro stations. The metro even has something to interest palaeontologists as in some of the marble used to decorate many of the station you can spot fossils if you look hard enough. As such the metro is a tourist attraction in itself and should not be missed. It is also possible to visit the best stations as part of a guided tour.  The most beautiful stations are located on the circle line.

Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line (Dark Blue Line) - Арбатско - Покровская линия

Arbatskaya

  • Арбатская

Arbatskaya metro station is located close to the famous Old Arbat street. It was opened in 1953. The central hall is 220 metres long - the second longest in Moscow after Vorobyovy Gory. The theme of the stations decorations is fruit - berries, leaves and vines. This is connected with the fact that where the Ministry of Defence now stands above, there was previously a food market. During the Second World War, the market's building was bombed and largely destroyed. It was decided not… Read more »

Elektrozavodskaya

  • Электрозаводская

Eletrozavodskaya (Electric Station) is so named due to the factories located nearby. It was opened in 1944. Outside the metro station is a sculpture dedicated to the builders of the Moscow Metro. The walls of the vestibule are decorated with red marble and medallions featuring portraits of famous scientists (Mikhail Lomonosov, Pavel Yablochkov, Aleksandr Popov, Michael Faraday, Benjamin Franklin and William Gilbert) and their inventions. The station's pillars are covered with… Read more »

Kievskaya

  • Киевская

Like its circle-line counterpart the Kievskaya dark-blue-line station is also dedicated to Ukraine and the country's union with Russia. It was opened in 1953. Above the station's pillars there are 24 frescoes depicting the workers of Soviet Ukraine including architects, athletes, energy workers, builders, farmers, railway workers and car factory workers. At the end of the station is a massive panel depicting the people celebrating the 300th anniversary of the union between Ukraine… Read more »

Park Pobedy

  • Парк Победы

This station is located outside Park Pobedy (Victory Park) and was opened in 2003. It is the deepest metro station in Moscow being 84 metres below ground with a 126 metre long escalator. Currently the station comprises two halls and there are plans to open a new line here at some point in the future. One of the halls is dedicated to the Second World War and features a scene of victory celebrations at one end. The other hall has a scene featuring military heroes of the 1812 War… Read more »

Partizanskaya

  • Партизанская

Partizanskaya metro was opened in 1944 and in its time it has been known as both Izmailovsky Park and Izmailovskaya. It was renamed Partizanskaya in 2005 to avoid confusion with the neighbouring Izmailovsky Park metro. The name Partizanskaya (Partisan) was chosen as the station is decorated with three statues dedicated to the Soviet partisan movement during the Second World War. At the end of the platforms, close to the exit, there are two statues of Russian war heroes: Matvey… Read more »

Ploschad Revolyutsi

  • Площадь Революции

Ploschad Revolyutsi (Revolution Square) metro station is decorated with black, white, grey and golden marble with a floor of light and dark granite. The station was opened in 1938 and is one of the closest stations which serves Red Square. It is lit with two rows of lights in the shape of saucers. The two platforms are separated from the centre of the hall by two rows of arches, each of which feature life-size bronze statues of Soviet citizens. In total there are 76 statues of… Read more »

Kalininskaya Line (Yellow Line) - Калининская линия

Aviamotornaya

  • Авиамоторная

Aviamotornaya metro station was opened in 1979 and it is decorated in the theme of aviation as Aviatmotornaya means aviation-motors. The most striking feature is the ceiling which is covered with golden four-sided pyramids meant to resemble a flying carpet hovering above. The end of the hall features a metal sculpture depicting the flight of Icarus. In 1982 an escalator at the station malfunctioned killing 8 people and injuring many more. Read more »

Koltsevaya (Circle) Line - Кольцевая линия

Belorusskaya

  • Белорусская

Belorusskaya metro station is named after the Belorussky Railway Station located above. It was opened in 1952. The station is decorated with Belarusian motifs adorning its ceiling, light fixtures and marble pylons. The 12 mosaics on the ceiling also depict scenes of Belarusian life. In the transfer between the two Belorusskaya metro stations is a statue called 'Belarusian Partisans' featuring an old man, a woman and a young boy. Read more »

Kievskaya

  • Киевская

This station is named after the Kievsky Railway Station which is located above. The theme of its decorations is the history of Ukraine and the friendship between the Russian and Ukrainian people. The station's 18 pillars are decorated with mosaics made out of smalt. Themes of these mosaics include: Pushkin in Ukraine, Public Celebrations in Kiev, Liberation of Kiev by Soviet Troops in 1943, the Battle of Poltava, Fireworks in Moscow on 9 May 1945, and Friendship between Russian and… Read more »

Komsomolskaya

  • Комсомольская

Komsomolskaya circle-line station is located under Komsomolskaya Ploschad, which is also called Ploschad Tryokh Vokzalov. It is one of the busiest stations in Moscow, as well as one of the most beautiful. The theme of the station is the struggle of the Russian people for freedom. The ceiling is decorated with eight impressive mosaics depicting heroes from Russian history: Dmitri Donskoy, Aleksandr Nevsky, Kuzma Minin and Dmitri Pozharsky, Aleksandr Suvorov and Mikhail Kutuzov. The… Read more »

Novoslobodskaya

  • Новослободская

This station is decorated with 32 backlit stained-glass windows lined with steel and gilded brass. At the end of the hall there is a mosaic entitled 'Peace in the Whole World' which depicts a mother holding a child up to the sky. Previously the mosaic included an image of Stalin above the child, but this was later removed. The station's pillars are covered with marble from the Urals. The station was opened in 1952. Read more »

Park Kultury

  • Парк Культуры

Park Kultury (Culture Park) metro station is so named as it is located close to Gorky Park. It was opened in 1950. Grey marble has been used in the station and the floor is made out of grey and black granite. The station also features 26 high reliefs depicting various forms of culture and one of Maksim Gorky at the end of the hall. Read more »

Paveletskaya

  • Павелецкая

Paveletskaya metro station is named after the Paveletsky Railway Station located above. It was opened in 1950. The station's hall is decorated using white and brown marble. The floor is made out of grey and black granite. The end of the station is decorated with a large mosaic depicting the unity between Soviet workers and peasants. Above the escalator at ground level is another mosaic featuring Red Square. Read more »

Prospekt Mira

  • Проспект Мира

The theme of the Prospekt Mira circle-line station is the development of agriculture in the country. The station's pillars are finished with white marble and decorated with reliefs of various leaves. The entrance to the metro station is located in a residential building, whose façade features a clock. The vestibule hall is decorated with a mosaic entitled 'Mother of Peace'. The station was opened in 1952. Read more »

Taganskaya

  • Таганская

This station is named after the square located 53 metres above it. The station was opened in 1950 and is decorated in the theme of the Red Army.  Its pillars feature sculpted reliefs made out of glazed ceramic depicting various Soviet military men. The floor is made out of grey, black and red marble. Read more »

Lyublinsko-Dmitrovskaya Line (Light Green Line) - Люблинско-Дмитровская линия

Dostoevskaya

  • Достоевская

Dostoevskaya metro station is named after the author Fyodor Dostoevsky who was born in a hospital close to the metro. It was opened in 2010. Unsurprisingly the theme of this new station is the works of Dostoevsky and the walls are decorated with scenes from 'Crime and Punishment', 'The Idiot', 'Demons' and 'The Brother Karamazov' as well as of the author himself. However Doestoevsky is not known for light-hearted subjects and some people have criticised the mosaics which depict… Read more »

Rimskaya

  • Римская

Rimskaya metro station is one of the very few metros in Moscow that is not named after something nearby. In fact there is not obvious reason as to why it is called Rimskaya, which means Roman, apart from the theme selected for its decorations. At the end of the hall there is a sculpture complex including Roman-style columns with statues of Romulus and Remus. Above the escalator at the other end is a unusual sculpture of Virgin Mary and the infant Christ. The metro was opened in… Read more »

Trubnaya

  • Трубная

Trubnaya metro station gets its name from being located under Trubnaya Ploschad. It was opened in 2007. The station is decorated with various stain-glass windows designed by the artist Zurab Tsereteli and depicting cathedrals and churches of ancient Russian cities. The station is lit by sets of elegant art noveau lamps. Like other stations the marble used to decorate the station also contains several fossils of various forms. Read more »

Serpukhovsko-Timiryazevskaya Line (Grey Line) - Серпуховско-Тимирязевская линия

Mendeleevskaya

  • Менделеевская

Mendeleevskaya metro station is named after the nearby Dmitri Mendeleev University which in turn is named after the scientist Dmitri Mendeleev who is credited with creating the periodic table. The station's hall is finished with white marble and its floor is made out of grey and black granite. The most striking feature though is the lights which take the form of chemical structures.  On the ground level at the barriers to the platforms there is a lovely statue entitled Compassion… Read more »

Sokolnicheskaya Line (Red Line) - Сокольническая линия

Kropotkinskaya

  • Кропоткинская

This station is named in honour of Pyotr Kropotkin the prince turned anarchist who was born nearby. It was opened in 1935. Before 1957 the station was called Dvorets Sovetov (Palace of Soviets) as there were plans to build a massive Palace of Soviets where the reconstructed Christ the Savious Cathedral now stands. The station's hall was planned to serve as the underground vestibule of the palace. Because of the war the project never came to fruition and instead an open-air swimming… Read more »

Vorobyovy Gory

  • Воробьёвы горы

Vorobyovy Gory means Sparrow Hills which is where the metro station is located. The station was first opened in 1959 and it was the first metro station in the world to be built on a bridge over a river. In 1983 the station was closed for reconstruction. In fact though the station was practically rebuilt rather than restored. It was only reopened in 2002, decorated in a new modern style with glass walls. The floor is made of grey and red granite with diagonally stripes of polished… Read more »

Zamoskvoretskaya Line (Dark Green Line) - Замоскворецкая линия

Avtozavodskaya

  • Автозаводская

Avtozavodskaya, which means Car Factory, is named in honour of the nearby Ivan Likhachev Car Factory (commonly known by its Russian initials as ZIL). The station was opened in 1943 and was called Zavod imena Stalina up until 1956, as the factory itself was also previously known. The artistic theme of the station is Soviet people during the Second World War. The walls along the platforms are decorated with eight mosaics. The mosaics on the eastern wall are dedicated to the… Read more »

Mayakovskaya

  • Маяковская

This station is named in honour of the Soviet poet Vladimir Mayakovsky. It was opened in 1938. The architectural style of the station is Stalinist neo-classical but the presence of avant-garde details also give it an art-deco feel. The columns and arches which run along both platforms are covered in grooved stainless steel and if you throw a coin up on one side of the arch it will spin around and land on the floor at the base of the other side of the arch. On the ceiling of the… Read more »

Novokuznetskaya

  • Новокузнецкая

The main theme of the decorations of Novokuznetskaya metro station is the struggle and resilience of the Soviet people during the Second World War and the station was opened in 1943. The station's pillars and arches are finished in marble and decorated with high reliefs depicting military scenes. The station also has benches made out of white siberian marble. The ceiling is decorated with six mosaics dedicated to the heroic achievements of wartime industry: gardeners, steel… Read more »