Article Moscow metro
An architectural gem in the underground
The Moscow metro forms a network of twelve, mostly underground lines with a total length of 334 km and is one of the largest systems of its kind in the world. It was opened in 1935. After the Tokyo subway, it is the second busiest subway in the world. During a normal working day, it carries 10 to 11 million passengers, over 2.5 billion a year. By 2020, it should be extended by another 137 km and 64 stations. It is often described as the most beautiful metro in the world due to its interesting architecture and station decoration.
Moscow metro
At present, there are already over 200 stations in the Moscow metro, 44 of which are on the list of cultural monuments. One of the most famous and most photographed stations is Mayakovskaya. Its tree is decorated with 25 mosaics with motifs of socialist realism.
Moscow metro
The Moscow metro is also the least well-arranged metro in the world. The vast majority of all signs on less frequented stations are in Cyrillic only. And what is even worse, if one station is a transfer station, eg for 4 routes, it has 4 names (different on each route). It is therefore misleading that there is actually only one station under the name Divadelní, Náměstí Revoluce, Knihovna VI Lenina and Alexandrovský sad in the very center of the city. The station of Revolution Square, like many others in the Moscow metro, is decorated in the spirit of socialist realism. Typical are the statues of workers, farmers, athletes, pilots, writers …
Moscow metro
The Moscow metro is also a place where it is in a hurry. On escalators it is necessary to either stand on the far right or run on the left side. Transfer can also be a complication, because hundreds of people flow in the whole metro, and if you are in the middle of one of these streams, you have to orient yourself very quickly and run into another stream. The most pompous station, which is decorated with scenes from the Stalinist period, is called Komsomolskaya. Its ceiling is decorated with eight mosaic panels of enamel and precious stones, with the theme of the Russian nation's struggle for independence.
Moscow metro
At peak times, trains arrive at stations every 40 seconds. The Moscow metro is also known for being very clean. Teatralnaya station has gilded ceramic bas-reliefs depicting composers and musicians of the Soviet era.
Moscow metro
The metro is covered by mobile and wifi signals almost along its entire length. Eighteen pillars of Kievskaya station are decorated with enamel mosaic panels. They show the history of Ukraine and the friendship between the Russian and Ukrainian nations.
Moscow metro
The deepest station Victory Park is at a depth of 84 meters. The longest platform is the Vrabčí hory station with 282 meters. The longest distance between stations is 6,625 km and the longest metro escalator is 126.8 meters long.
Moscow metro
Novoslobodskaya Station boasts 32 backlit stained glass windows in a gilded frame, following the patterns of Orthodox clergy clothing. The stained glass comes from Riga Cathedral.
Moscow metro
The trains in the metro run daily from 05:30 to 01:00. By 2020, the metro should be extended by another 137 km and 64 stations.
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