A chilling wind whispers secrets from the Neva River. We stand before the Finland Station a place etched in history.
This isn’t just a train station. It’s a pivotal point in Russian history. The Finland Station witnessed the arrival and departure of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin a figure who profoundly shaped the country’s destiny.
The original station building constructed in 1870 was a modest one-story structure. It served as the eastern terminus of the Riihimäki-Saint Petersburg railway. Russian and Finnish architects collaborated on its design. The Russian architect Pyotr Kupinsky designed the building. Finnish architects handled the interior decoration. It was a simple building far removed from the imposing structure we see today.
Lenin’s arrival here on April 16 1917 is legendary. He arrived from exile in Switzerland. His return fueled the flames of the October Revolution. This event is immortalized in Edmund Wilson’s book To the Finland Station. The book is a well-known study of revolutionary thought.
But the story doesn’t end there. After the July Days Lenin fled to Finland for safety. He returned secretly on August 9 1917 disguised as a railway worker. He was protected by Eino Rahja and Alexander Shotman. Both times he used steam locomotive number 293 driven by Finnish engineer Hugo Jalava. That very locomotive a symbol of a clandestine journey now sits as a permanent exhibit on one of the platforms. A remarkable testament to a daring escape.
The Finland Station also played a critical role during the Siege of Leningrad. It was the sole operational Leningrad rail terminus during the brutal blockade. The Road of Life a lifeline of supplies from across Lake Ladoga began here. A testament to the resilience of the city during unimaginable hardship. In 1973 a memorial pillar was erected to commemorate this vital supply route. One of 56 such pillars stretching for kilometers.
The current Finland Station a striking modern building constructed in the 1950s stands in place of the original. It replaced the old station that was demolished. The new station features seventeen glazed vertical openings. Sculptural reliefs depicting the 1917 Revolution adorn its facade. A clock tower with a 30-meter spire topped with a star rises majestically from the center. A stark contrast to the unassuming original structure. Yet a fragment of the old station a central risalit still survives. It serves as a reminder of the past. The old building is preserved as a historical landmark.
The Finland Station more than just a railway station. It stands as a silent witness. A witness to revolution hope and enduring hardship. It is a place where history and the present collide. A powerful symbol of a city and a nation’s dramatic past. A fascinating story woven into the very fabric of Saint Petersburg.