Vitebsky railway station — interior photography

Vitebsky Railway Station is the first railway station in Russia and an important public architectural landmark. Opened in 1837, it marked the beginning of railway travel in the country, with the first train departing from Saint Petersburg to Tsarskoye Selo. Emperor Nicholas I was among its first passengers.

The station was rebuilt several times throughout the 19th century, and its current building was completed in 1904. At the time, the architecture caused a strong public reaction: it became one of the earliest and most expressive examples of Art Nouveau in Russia. Extensive use of metal structures, asymmetrical composition, large-scale forms, and the principle of designing “from the inside out” defined a new approach to public architecture.

Today, the station continues to impress as a living public space. Its interior preserves a strong sense of historical continuity while remaining functional and accessible to thousands of people every day. The task of this photographic project was to capture the spatial character of the station — its volume, rhythm, and atmosphere — rather than focusing on decorative details alone.

The interior evokes a strong historical presence. Moving through the space, one can sense the era in which it was created: ceremonial staircases, open galleries, and architectural details that once framed encounters with members of the nobility. This impression is reinforced by the presence of the Imperial Pavilion, which historically welcomed high-ranking guests and members of the royal court.

The photography emphasizes the scale and openness of the station as a public interior, working with perspective, layered composition, and light to convey both monumentality and human presence. The project presents Vitebsky Railway Station as an example of how historical public architecture continues to function, inspire, and shape the experience of urban space.