Mayakovskaya Station

About this place

Mayakovskaya is a Moscow Metro station on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line, in the Tverskoy District of the city centre. It is often cited as one of the most beautiful stations in the system, closer to a ceremonial hall underground than a train stop. It is named for the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky, and its design draws on Futurism, the movement he belonged to. It opened on 11 September 1938 in the second stage of the Metro's expansion, whose stations were far more ambitious in architecture and engineering. It was the first deep-level column station on the system, with two rows of columns carrying its central vault, 33 metres below the surface. It is best known for its ceiling mosaics by Alexander Deyneka, originally 35 in number. You stand in a long straight hall flanked by shining metal arches, on a marble floor with pink and grey lines. Above you is a row of lit oval niches, each holding a small mosaic of sky and aviators. From the end of the hall the arches repeat until they seem endless, with trains rushing past behind them. It is about 2.4 km from Red Square in a straight line. Visit outside rush hours, as the hall fills in the morning and evening. Do not block passengers when taking photos, and stand to the side. A single ride ticket lets you stay inside, and it makes a good start for a tour of other Metro stations. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia, and non-Russian bank cards may not work, so read the current advice before you plan.