Avtovo

Avtovo is one of the oldest and most architecturally celebrated stations on the St. Petersburg Metro, opened in 1955 and now protected as a regional cultural heritage site. It was built as part of the city's inaugural metro line at the height of Stalinist palatial style, conceived as a tribute to the survivors of the Siege of Leningrad. The hall features 46 fluted columns, 16 of which are clad in etched glass panels — a material originally developed for tank viewing screens — rather than the marble used for the remaining 30. Crystal chandeliers and gilded stucco details complete the underground palace aesthetic, making it a frequent destination for architecture enthusiasts from around the world. Fully wheelchair-accessible, Avtovo remains an active commuter station on the Kirovsko-Vyborgskaya line, its grandeur experienced daily alongside ordinary rush-hour crowds.