This is a time now to tell about renewed Vitebsky
railway station. The story will consist of two parts: firstly we look at
station exteriors (including platforms), and then we look at interiors:
halls and their design details.
Vitebsky railway station from side of
Zagorodny Prospect. “Pushkinskaya” metro station can be seen on the
left. There are station suburban cashes and platforms overlap on the
right.
Not a long time ago the railway station
was reconstructed and repaired (on the occasion of St. Petersburg
three-hundredth anniversary). As far as possible, they tried to
rehabilitate its exteriors and interiors in a manner of their being at
the beginning of the XX century.
In Album 19 you can see how
the railway station looked before restoration.
Opposite side railway station view.
Before station construction, the territory was a parade-ground of
Semenovsky regiment Life Guards.
Besides, until 1960s Vvedensky channel was here (filled up).
Probably, that was done to continue Vitebsky Prospect to Zagorodnoye.
Officially, there was a little stream and, as an effect, water
putrefaction.
You can see suburban cashes (they are modern, but in a common style,
more or less) and platforms on the picture. Pay attention – trains
depart from the second floor.
Vitebsky railway station was the first
one in Russia. The railway road was called Tsarskoselskaya, as trains
departed to Tsarskoye Selo (Pushkin) and to Pavlovsk from there.
At first, the station was wooden. In 1987 the first train, driven by
the manager of railway building – Viennese professor Gerstner, departed
from there.
In 1849-1852s they built a new edifice
according to architect K. Tone project.
In 1900-1904s they demolished it, and a modern one was built
according to architects S. Brzhozovsky and S. Minasha project (in
modernist style).
“The Tsar Hall” (near the platforms not
far from the station). The emperor family members departed from here; a
common station was destined for those, who had lower ranks.
As for nowadays role of the Hall, two versions exist.
The first one this is a regime object, relating to Ministry of
Railway.
The second one is that there is a chargeable waiting room, and it is
possible, for pecuniary reward, to wait for a train while sitting near
operating fireplace.
Interiors are kept safe and they are rehabilitated.
Now let’s stair up to the second floor to
platforms. For that I had to buy a ticket to the nearest station (alike,
by the way, passengers traveling without a ticket, who usually do to go
through turnstiles).
Simultaneously, I will explain how this method is realized in St
Petersburg. There are turnstiles at every railway station (and at some
stations within the precincts of the city). There is a bar-code on a
ticket, and it is displayed to a turnstile reader element.
Number of ticket inspectors, truly saying, is not decreased. And because
of the above mentioned reason. Though, in case of comparatively long
trip, the inspectors’ existing affects few things. A ticket price to
Kuznechny (terminal station from the Finland railway station) is
approximately 60 rubles. At the same time ticket inspectors take 10
rubles instead of penalty (if not to demonstrate money especially).
It can be observed almost everybody is taking out 10 rubles’ notes
willingly, when an inspector appears.
Those, who travel regularly, have a polished method of what to say and
how to behave not to pay more than 10 rubles.
There is a steam locomotive ("Provorniy")
with wagons inside of glass case near the platforms.
It was made and placed in 1987.
From Vitebsky railway station trains
departure to Belarus (the train “Minsk – St. Petersburg” is now at the
right), to the Ukraine (because of the fact, they wanted to rename the
railway station as Kievsky in 1960s).
Those who want to reach Moldova, the Baltic Sea countries, Berlin,
Budapest, Prague, Warsaw, as well as cities of Russia: Pskov, Novgorod,
Kaliningrad, Velikiye Luki, Smolensk, Rzhev etc., depart from this
railway station also.
From Petersburg suburbs – to Pushkin, Pavlovsk, Oredezh, Poselok,
Novolisino etc.
Metal constructions are widely used at
the railway station not only as engineering ones, but for beauty also.
That did not find a wide spread occurrence in our country, unlike other
countries.
Well, there are five platforms at the railway station.
Vitebsky railway station was used in 110
films shooting, including: “Anna Karenina”, “Station for two”,
“Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” (obviously, where Holmes and Watson
leaved for “continent” from Pr. Moriarty).
A legend overhead:
“Baggage hoist
machine”
It still performs the same functions.
In the distance the turnstiles can be
seen.
In the next Album we will see how
Vitebsky railway station interiors look like now.
Also I call your attention to regular collection of hatch covers of
St. Petersburg and its suburbs, Part
III.
