Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
November 15, 1955, marks the birthday of the St. Petersburg Metro. Seventy years ago, the city's first line, the Kirovsko-Vyborgskaya, opened, comprising eight stations from Ploshchad Vosstaniya to Avtovo. Since then, the metro has become more than just a means of transportation, but a part of the city's culture, architecture, and genetic makeup.
During this time, the network has grown to five lines, 73 stations, and nearly 130 kilometers of underground routes. Today, the St. Petersburg metro remains one of the deepest and most picturesque in the world. According to official data from the St. Petersburg government, nearly 700 million people used the metro in 2024 alone.
The idea of creating an urban underground railway in St. Petersburg originated in the 19th century. At the turn of the century, industrial St. Petersburg was rapidly growing, and the historic center, the center of business activity, was overloaded with traffic. The city needed a new, progressive solution. The construction of an underground railway was actively supported by Sergei Witte, a statesman, reformer, and one of the initiators of the Polytechnic Institute. Thus, the history of the St. Petersburg metro is partly linked to the history of the Polytechnic Institute: both projects were born from the spirit of technological progress and a belief in the power of engineering.
But the metro celebrates another anniversary this year. On December 31, 1975, just a few hours before the New Year of 1976, the Politekhnicheskaya station opened in Leningrad. That was the opening of the section of the Kirovsko-Vyborgskaya Line from Lesnaya to Akademicheskaya, which included three stations—Ploshchad Muzhestva, Politekhnicheskaya, and Akademicheskaya. The new section was just over five kilometers long.
The name of the station was predetermined: nearby there was a complex of buildings of the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute named after M. I. Kalinin, as well as the Physicotechnical Institute named after A. F. Ioffe.
The station pavilion was designed by architects A. S. Getskin, V. P. Shuvalova, and V. G. Khilchenko. It is located on Polytechnicheskaya Street, next to the Church of the Intercession and Academician Ioffe Square. The vestibule is finished in yellow metal and white marble; the original design called for a transparent glass cube, but during construction, the lower tier was filled with decorative stone, altering the original concept.
The Politekhnicheskaya station is a deep-level, single-vaulted station (65 meters). It was one of the first two stations of its kind in the USSR, along with the neighboring Ploshchad Muzhestva station. Unlike its Moscow counterparts, which were built using open-cast methods, Leningrad engineers pioneered the construction of gigantic vaults directly within the earth. For its time, it was a true engineering marvel.
The track walls are lined with travertine, the floor is gray granite, and the metal elements have the hue of aged copper. The rectangular cassette-shaped light fittings, tilted inward, are reminiscent of the Neva bridges when they are raised. In 2016, the lighting on the inclined track was replaced—passengers are now greeted by "torches" instead of the previous "light pillars."
North of the station are two dead-end branches—preparations for a possible extension of the line toward Bugry, with intermediate stations called Sosnovka and Prospekt Kultury. This year, city authorities included the Sosnovka station project in the land use and development regulations, raising hopes for the line's development.
In 2020, a project to reconstruct the vestibule and build a shopping center in its place was discussed, but the public actively opposed it. St. Petersburg residents created a petition demanding the preservation of the station's architectural appearance, and the authorities heeded their concerns.
A noteworthy fact about the life of the Politekhnicheskaya station: an episode of the film "Day Watch" was filmed at the station. Timur Bekmambetov's films "Night Watch" and "Day Watch" depict a hidden war between the forces of light and darkness unfolding on the streets of modern Moscow. Being urban fantasy films, they inevitably include one of the key elements of the urban environment—the metro—in their plots.
The second film in the famous duology was released in 2005. During a chase, the main character, Anton Gorodetsky (actor Konstantin Khabensky), finds himself in the subway. Although the film is set in Moscow, this scene was shot in St. Petersburg, at the Politekhnicheskaya station. The explanation is simple: it was traditionally easier and cheaper to arrange filming in St. Petersburg. The shot features a recognizable vestibule.
Today, the Polytechnic Station is more than just a transportation hub; it's a vital part of Polytechnic life. Tens of thousands of students, faculty, and staff come here every day. They schedule meetings, coordinate projects, rush to classes and work, and return home.
The station, like the Polytechnic itself, embodies scientific progress, engineering audacity, and the spirit of the times. It not only bears the university's name—it shares its destiny, rhythm, and energy, becoming an integral part of the living history of the Peter the Great Polytechnic.
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