In April 1836, Nicholas I signed a decree on the construction of a railway between St. Petersburg и Tsarskoye Selo. The railway track was laid on May 1 of the same year. An outstanding engineer supervised the construction work Franz von Gerstner. The ingenious Austrian foresaw huge popularity Tsarskoye Selo Railway from the townspeople and decided to build the station building as close as possible to the city limits.
Initially, it was planned to build a large stone building, and next to it a locomotive depot, storage facilities and a water tower. However, the representatives of the company faced difficulties in purchasing private land and lack of money for their acquisition.
Therefore, the builders had to abandon the original plan. The first station was built on Semyonovsky parade ground, between the barracks of the Life Guards and the old wooden church. Initially, it was a wooden two-story building, consisting of two parts. On the ground floor of which there were ticket offices and a waiting room for passengers. And on the second was the board of the railway.
The road was opened 30 1837 October, the with a large gathering of people. The first steam locomotive that followed this path was led by Franz Gerstner himself. For a long time the layout of the steam locomotive "Prompt” stood in a glass pavilion on the territory of the station. Unfortunately, in 2017 the pavilion was dismantled.
Reconstruction of the station building
After dismantling the church, a new station building was built on the vacant site. The project of which was developed by a Russian architect Konstantin Ton. The construction of the second station was completed in 1850. It was the first stone building of the station not only in St. Petersburg, but also in Russia. However, soon there was a shortage of office space and it was decided to expand it. The building was rebuilt according to the project of an engineer Bernacki.
After the Tsarskoye Selo road was acquired by the joint-stock company of the Moscow-Vindavo-Rybinsk railway, the laying of the highway to Vitebsk began. The old building of the railway station could not cope with the increased flow of passengers. Therefore, in 1904, according to the project of the academician Brzhozovsky A new railway station was built in the Art Nouveau style. This building has survived to our time. Engineer in charge of construction Minash.
The appearance of the building was unusual for that time. The asymmetric construction, the abundance of metal and many technical innovations delighted contemporaries. The building was provided with freight and passenger elevators, the platforms were on the second floor, since the embankment, on which the rail track was mounted, was raised by several meters.
More than a hundred years have passed since the construction of the third building, but the appearance of the station has not changed much. Of course, like many buildings, the station was badly damaged during the blockade, but the people of Leningrad restored the historic building. By the tercentenary of the city, reconstruction was also carried out and at present the station continues to delight the citizens and guests of the Northern capital. The main building of the station is crowned with a metal dome.
Due to the absence of blank walls, a lot of daylight penetrates into the lobby through the stained-glass windows. In the evening, lighting is created with the help of lamps. In the halls of the station, the imagination of travelers is amazed by the many works of art.
Monuments to the first builder and heroes of the First World War were opened on the territory of the station. After all, from this station the soldiers of the "Russian Guard" went to defend their homeland. And during the Great Patriotic War, the armored train "Baltiets" left the platforms of Vitebsk.
Vitebsk railway station today
Today from the Vitebsk railway station train in different directions. From here you can go both to neighboring countries and to European countries. Kiev, Lviv, Odessa, Gomel, Riga, Chisinau, Budapest: here is an incomplete list of cities that can be reached with Vitebsk railway station. Trains leave for suburban areas.
Every year more than 38 million people leave it. All conditions have been created here for the comfort of those departing. Convenient waiting rooms, parking, luggage storage.
There are many hotels near the station. There are also ramps for people with disabilities.
Vitebsky railway station is one of the five stations in St. Petersburg. It is located near the Pushkinskaya metro station. Also, public transport departs from the station to anywhere in the city and to the airport.Pulkovo". Signs will help passengers not to make a mistake and choose the right route.