The Underground is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century. It is difficult to imagine life in a big city without this type of transport. Few people know that in Moscow and St. Petersburg you can visit such an institution as the Metro Museum. Guests of these cities will certainly be interested in visiting such a place.
Metro as a mode of transport
The word "subway" itself is of English origin and literally translates as "metropolitan railway". The subway is a special type of transport, which is a railway line (or several branches), along which trains run along specified routes. The main feature of the subway, which distinguishes it from all other modes of transport, is its isolation, isolation in relation to street and pedestrian traffic.
However, sometimes it can be very difficult to determine whether a particular transport system belongs to the subway. For example, is the underground railway in New Athos a subway? Orthe so-called high-speed tram in the city of Krivoy Rog, part of the route of which runs underground? That is why there are many "hybrid" (frontier) metro systems in the world.
The world's first tube line was laid in London in 1863. Its length was almost 6 kilometers.
The largest subway system on the planet today is the New York subway. It includes 24 routes and has 468 stations. In Europe, the largest subway is located in Moscow.
Visiting a metro museum in a particular city is a great opportunity to learn about the history of its construction, and about the city itself as a whole.
Moscow Metro: history and modernity
In the former Soviet Union, the first metro appeared in the capital of this state. The first line in Moscow was launched back in 1935, and before the start of the war, in 1941, there were already three lines operating in the city. During the Great Patriotic War, the tunnels of the Moscow metro were actively used as bomb shelters.
Interestingly, the idea of building a subway in the city arose back in the days of the Russian Empire, namely in 1875. But all those projects were never implemented. The Museum of the History of the Metro in Moscow will tell you in detail about the history of its creation and development.
Today the Moscow metro system includes 12 lines with 196 stations. In the next five years, their total number should increase by another 78stations.
It is worth noting that the Moscow metro is not only a mode of transport. It is also a real reserve of socialist realism - the cultural trend of the Soviet era. Thus, 44 stations of the Moscow Metro are included in the list of cultural heritage sites of the country.
Metro Museum (Moscow)
The exhibits of this museum will definitely be of interest to people of all ages. Reviews about it are extremely positive.
It can be assumed that the Moscow Metro Museum was founded in 1967. It was then that the first small exposition was organized. Metro employees suggested that it would be of interest to ordinary residents of the capital. And they were not wrong. The museum has always had visitors, from the very first day of its existence.
It is quite logical that the Moscow Metro Museum is also underground. Namely - within the metro station "Sportivnaya". You can visit it from Tuesday to Saturday (from 10 am to 4:30 pm).
In general, the Metropolitan Museum in Moscow leaves a good impression on both ordinary visitors and people who are professionally connected with transport. Here you can see many interesting exhibits, including: models of an escalator and a turnstile, a real subway train cabin, numerous models, as well as a huge collection of tokens and tickets (some of them dated 1935).
Reviews about the museum are exceptionally positive. Everyone who has been here notes that the exhibits are of great interest, especially among local historians.and lovers of all sorts of antiquities. Tourists also like excursion support in the museum, which is carried out at a high level. Many are excited about the opportunity to sit in the chair of the subway train driver.
However, museum visitors also note one significant drawback - it is too small an area for such expositions.
St. Petersburg Metro: history and modernity
Unlike Moscow, the metro in St. Petersburg was launched after the war - in 1955. Today, the St. Petersburg Metro consists of five lines, has 67 stations and 7 transfer hubs. Some stations are successfully combined with the city's railway stations.
The St. Petersburg metro has one distinctive feature: it holds the world championship in terms of the average depth of metro stations. And one of them ("Admir alteyskaya") is the deepest in Russia. In addition, most of the stations have a beautiful and original design.
As in the case of the metropolitan metro, in St. Petersburg the idea of building a subway arose at the end of the 19th century. However, it was not until the late 1930s that serious projects were developed.
In 1941, work began on its construction. Just before Hitler's attack on the Soviet Union, workers managed to lay 34 mine shafts. However, they had to be flooded quickly due to lack of funds for further construction. And in 1944, the head of the construction work, I. G., also died. Zubkov.
Complete the construction of the St. Petersburg metro succeededonly after the end of the Great Patriotic War. The grand opening of the metro in St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) took place on November 15, 1955.
St. Petersburg Metro Museum
The Metro Museum in St. Petersburg was founded in 2005. Moreover, veterans of the St. Petersburg Metro took an active part in this process. A visit to this unique museum begins with a documentary on the history of the transport system. And then the guest begins to get acquainted with the most interesting secrets and mysteries of the St. Petersburg subway.
For example, many residents of the city are interested in the question of why at the Avtovo station some columns are made of glass, while others are made of marble. Museum guides will gladly answer it. It turns out that at this station all the columns had to be made of glass. However, the molds broke down at the plant, and marble was used urgently for the manufacture of the remaining columns.
"Insanely interesting!" - this is how most often speak about this museum. Although some believe that this museum does not stand out among others, that you can go there once, if there is absolutely nothing to do, admission is free. One way or another, but all visitors to the museum of the St. Petersburg metro agree that it is better to visit it with a guided tour. After all, this way you can learn about many interesting facts about the subway and its construction.
Conclusion
The Metropolitan Museum in Moscow or St. Petersburg is a great place for those who are seriousinterested in the features of this amazing mode of transport. In these institutions, visitors can not only learn about the history of metro construction in a particular city, but also hear about the secrets and mysteries of the underground world of Russia's major metropolitan areas.
