The Moscow Metro

mosaic of Lenin, Komsomol'skaia

a bust of Lenin stands before a hammer and sickle, Komsomol'skaia

stained glass, Novoslobodskaia

the "Peace Throughout the World" mosaic, Novoslobodskaia

bronze statues depicting the heroes of the new socialist order line the halls of Ploshchad' Revoliutsii

Kropotkinskaia

To set the Moscow Metro apart from the cramped standardized stations of capitalist metros and assert the superiority of the socialist system, early Metro stations were designed to be palatial and elicit from riders a sense of joy and contentment, or zhizneradostnost'. Kropotkinskaia, with its high ceilings, epitomizes the early Metro stations. By the completion of the second line in 1938, however, most stations had certain common characteristics that made them "Soviet": a unique design scheme, radiant lighting, an ideological element to the decorative scheme, and a connection of decorative design to the station’s surroundings. Ploshchad' Revoliutsii, Novoslobodskaia, and Komsomol'skaia have most of these qualities, and Komsomol'skaia is widely considered to be the peak of High Stalinist Metro design.

Construction of these opulent Metro stations continued into the 1950s, when a 1955 government decision to “eradicate luxury in designing and building” led Moscow to build cheaper stations according to standard designs.

Most modern Muscovites celebrate these original stations for their architecture and historical significance, and most original design elements, despite their Soviet character, are still on proud display today.

Novoslobodskaia

Novoslobodskaia

paint and plaster chipping after renovation, Kropotkinskaia

unfinished wiring after renovation, Kropotkinskaia

Soviet-era lighting at Frunzenskaia

new lighting, Frunzenskaia

Recent renovations of Soviet-era stations have drawn strong criticism from architectural experts and citizens alike. Critics have denounced renovations as a “sham,” noting that renovations have destroyed Soviet-era lighting, painted over bronze statues, and made original architectural details unrecognizable. Of restoration efforts, one video from the Archnadzor, a social movement dedicated to the preservation of historical monuments of the city of Moscow claimed: “What the metro calls renovation, architects would call vandalism.”

Botched renovation efforts are most apparent in the Metro stations Novoslobodskaia, in which renovations caused damage to the station's stained glass, Frunzenskaia, in which Soviet-era lighting near the escalators was replaced by new, bright columns, and Kropotkinskaia, in which renovations altered the station’s historic above-ground vestibule.

original vestibule, Studencheskaia

renovated vestibule, Studencheskaia

original platform, Studencheskaia

renovated platform, Studencheskaia

Even renovations of less-celebrated stations have drawn criticism. Architects complained that recent renovations of Kuntsevskaia, Pionerskaia, Filiovskii park, Bagratinovskaia, Fili, Kutuzovskaia, and Studencheskaia, Khrushchev-era above-ground stations on the Filiovskaia Line, ruined the historical modernist architecture of the stations while not improving on their design, layout, or usability. Architects say the stations represent the "naive modernism" of the time period and were built using the latest engineering technologies of the period, aspects that renovations altered or erased.

The Studencheskaia station typifies the major changes made to these stations during renovations. The renovation completely reconstructed the above-ground vestibule and replaced panels on the platform walls.

restored quote referencing Stalin, Kurskaia

quote referencing Lenin, Kurskaia

At Kurskaia station, the 2009 restoration of a line from an old version of the Soviet national anthem referencing Stalin ("Stalin brought us up to be loyal to the nation, inspired us to labor and great deeds") to the station’s vestibule drew criticism from opposition politicians, media, historians, and human rights advocates after the station reopened in August. The quote, as well as a statue of Stalin, was an original part of the station's decoration, but both were removed in 1956 after Khrushchev denounced Stalin’s cult of personality. An additional line from the Soviet national anthem referencing Lenin (“Through the thunderstorms, the sun of freedom shone for us, and great Lenin lit the way") was added to the vestibule in October 2009.

This desire to preserve the historical integrity of the Metro demonstrates that Muscovites have a certain degree of nostalgia and pride for the grandeur of their Metro system. In 2018, the Metro began to sell retired Soviet-era Metro signs to the public. More than 50 signs were sold on the first day alone.

Modern Russians have carried on the tradition of rubbing the nose of the dog statue at Ploshchad’ Revoliutsii (Revolution Square) station, which is thought to bring good luck to students. The station features 76 bronze statues of important figures in the new socialist order, including farmers, workers, and soldiers. As evidenced by the noticeable shininess of the dog's nose, riders continue to engage with these statues almost 20 years after the fall of the USSR, though likely without much thought to their Soviet ideology.

The Park Pobedy (Victory Park) station represents a return to a neo-Stalinist style of Metro architecture. Construction for the station began in the 1980s but was not completed until 2003. The station provides access to Poklonnaia Hill and Park Pobedy (Victory Park), which commemorate the Russian victories over Napoleon in 1812 and in World War II. Two mosaics in the station also depict these victories. The WWII mosaic contains obviously Soviet imagery, featuring a red star labeled "USSR" and Red Army soldiers.

Commemoration of World War II remains popular in Russia and seems to be a minimally controversial vehicle for Soviet nostalgia and Russian nationalism more broadly.