Mayakovskaya (Маяковская) is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the Moscow metro system. The name as well as the design is a reference to Futurism and its prominent Russian exponent, the poet Vladimir Mayakovsky.
The station was built as part of the second stage of the Moscow Metro expansion, opening on 11 September 1938.
Dushkin is the archeitect who proposed the use of a special kind of steal elements which allowed metal to be used to support a large amount of load acrosss the full width of the station.
Located 33 meters beneath the surface, the station became famous during World War II when an air raid shelter was located in the station. During World War II, Stalin took residence in this place.
The station has two rows of columns serving as support for the three arched vaults and each section formed by the arches opens into a small oval-shaped dome.
On the ceiling of the station, inside each dome is a mosaic.
Close-up.
Photo from 1938 at the Moscow Metro Exhibition, see that post here.
There are a total of 34 mosaics, all by Alexander Deyneka with the theme “24-Hour Soviet Sky” – four sections have been created – morning, afternoon, night and morning again.
In this mosaic, the planes are lined up to form the letters “CCCP”.
In 2005 a new second north exit was built, along with a new vestibule. The ceiling was decorated with a mosaic composition from Mayakovsky’s poem “Moscow Sky”.
Parts of the poem is also displayed.
A bust of the poet himself.
This station is the middle of Moscow.
Think of it as an Oxford Street tube station or 34th Street Herald Square subway station.
In case you missed it, part 1 of this post is here.