Vitebsky railway station is one of the oldest railway stations in St. Petersburg. It is located on a branch of the Oktyabrskaya railway, connecting northern Palmyra with Belarus. It is also a starting point for vacationers who want to visit the most charming corners of the suburbs of the northern capital. The Vitebsky railway station is located near the Pushkinskaya metro station.
Historical Monument
The history of the Vitebsk railway station is connected with the history of the creation of the railway in St. Petersburg, which is now called the Oktyabrskaya railway. It was the line starting from the Vitebsk railway station that became the first railway line of the city. It first stretched to Tsarskoye Selo and until 1837 it assumed the movement of only a few wagons, moved by horses harnessed to the train. And in 1837, the train was already drawn by a miracle of the latest technology - the Agile steam locomotive. In memory of this event, a monument was erected at the station - a model of "Agile".
Behind the stationThe building housed the Tsar's Pavilion, which served to seat the imperial family and those close to the personnel, following to Tsarskoye Selo, where one of the pearls of the imperial summer residences near St. Petersburg was located.
Other railway lines here were of military importance, and the history of their operation is connected with the First World War. Therefore, a monument to the soldiers of the First World War was erected on the territory of the Vitebsk railway station.
On the main staircase between the halls of the first and second floors there is a bust of Nicholas I in honor of his merit in the fact that St. Petersburg in the 19th century began to function and develop as a major railway junction.
Architecture of the first stations
Initially, the station was a low wooden building, installed on the territory of the parade ground of the Semenovsky regiment. And it was not the building that attracted the public at all, but the steam locomotive arriving at it and emitting sharp beeps, and later pleasant organ melodies.
Only by 1849, the temporary building and wooden platform were dismantled and the construction of a modern stone station began. Vitebsk railway station was designed by the famous architect Konstantin Ton. He placed its facade on the same axis as the barracks of the Semyonovsky regiment.
The station building was built in the eclectic architectural style that was popular in those years. But this building has not survived to our time. From it, trains could only reach the suburban imperial residence of Pavlovsk, once equipped with great love by the owners, Emperor Paul. I and his wife Maria Fedorovna. The territory of the residence was decided as the kingdom of Apollo and the Muses. The first musical "voxal" was opened here, to which trains from St. Petersburg came.
Architecture Features
Already at the beginning of the 20th century, the road to Pavlovsk was extended to Vitebsk. At the same time, this part of the railway became part of the Moscow-Vindavo-Rybinsk. A little later, the route of the Vitebsk section was extended to Zhlobin, and then to Odessa.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was decided to demolish the Tona station and build an Art Nouveau station building in its place, designed by Brzhozovsky.
The building of the Vitebsk railway station was made asymmetrical. The main accents are the clock tower high into the sky and the dome above the central lobby. The facade elements of the Vitebsk railway station are clearly visible from the metro station and serve as a kind of beacon for those departing. The center of the main façade is highlighted by a risalit with a stained-glass arch, and the rounded corner of the façade along the second floor is decorated with double columns.
The front entrance risalit is flanked by relief images of crossed anchors and a scepter - an element of the coat of arms of St. Petersburg and St. George the Victorious killing a serpent, placed in the form of heraldic shields. Above the window arch, protruding trapezoidal ledges resemble the sun's rays. And on top of the facade is decorated with plant compositions and garlands.
Internal layout of the station complex
Vitebsky railway station St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 20th century was divided into several halls for passengers of different social classes. Until now, metal heating stoves and pre-revolutionary inscriptions have been preserved there. And the whole interior still reminds us of the era of the XIX century.
The richest room is the hall, which was intended for aristocrats. It is decorated with a huge window with colored stained glass and a wide marble staircase with gilding and railings made of expensive woods. Lattices of stairs are forged in the form of openwork cast-iron inserts, railings are decorated with massive multi-track floor lamps. The staircase was decorated with a clock and a sculpture - a bust of the emperor and an image of a double-headed eagle topped with an imperial crown, relief heads of the god Mercury - the patron of trade, bronze twisted relief ornaments made of plant elements, made of bronze.
The Elite Lounge is more elegant, with railroad history paintings and long wooden sofa benches.
Technical equipment
Vitebsky railway station in St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 20th century was equipped with the most modern technical innovations at that time - elevators (passenger and luggage), conveyor belts, rails on the second floor, electric lighting, tunnels. And for the first time, access roads were located above ground level. The paths were separated by a small reinforced concrete building, where the control room was located.
Steam locomotive "Nimble"
The first steam locomotive, passing from the Vitebsk railway station towards Tsarskoye Selo, was called "Agile". The train was only 35 minutes on the way, 27 minutes back, and it was moving at a speed of 51-64 kilometers per hour. The line-up was personally led by its creator.
Its creator was the German engineer Franz Gerstner. Eight wagons were attached to the wagon. A monument to von Gerstner is installed in the main domed hall of the station.
The locomotive was made in England at the Stephenson factory. The steam locomotive functioned for 25 years. Its layout continues to decorate the territory, which for many years became the starting point for trains leaving Vitebsk Station, heading for suburban imperial residences - Tsarskoye Selo and Pavlovsk.
