Витебский вокзал

A Tsar’s private pavilion? Right here at the Vitebsk Railway Station, such a thing existed. The Vitebsk Railway Station stands as a testament to the grandeur of a bygone era. This isn’t just a transportation hub. It’s a living museum, a portal through time, echoing with the footsteps of emperors and the dreams of travelers. Russia’s first railway line, connecting St. Petersburg to Tsarskoye Selo (now Pushkin), began right here in the 1830s. Imagine the excitement in 1837, when the “Provorny” (meaning “Nimble”), Russia’s first steam engine, chugged out of a temporary wooden station on this very spot. The journey, orchestrated by Professor Franz Anton Ritter von Gerstner himself, took a mere 35 minutes. The Vitebsk Railway Station wasn’t always this architectural marvel. The original wooden structure was replaced by a stone building, then deemed insufficient for the growing city. In 1902, architect Stanislav Brzhozovskiy was tasked with creating a new station. He responded with a masterpiece of Art Nouveau, a style also known as Style Moderne. The grand hall soars over 20 meters high. Admire the panels depicting the Tsarskoye Selo Railway’s history. Note the marble banisters with bronze inlays on the main staircase. And don’t miss the picture gallery, adorned with Art Nouveau’s characteristic plant motifs. The platform roof itself is an engineering marvel, the largest example of “iron architecture” in St. Petersburg. But beyond the grandeur lies a hidden gem: the Imperial Pavilion. Brzhozovskiy designed this as a private waiting room for Tsar Nicholas II and his family, a testament to the station’s royal connections. The station has seen its share of history. It has been renovated and restored multiple times. A model of the Provorny was added in 1987. A bust of von Gerstner was unveiled in 2007. The Vitebsk Railway Station isn’t just a station. It’s a symbol of progress, a monument to artistry, and a whisper of imperial Russia’s rich past. As you depart, carry with you the echoes of history and the image of this magnificent structure.