Novokuznetskaya Metro Station opened in 1943, in the middle of the Second World War, and its decoration honors Soviet soldiers and the war effort. Novokuznetskaya Metro Station mosaics by Vladimir Frolov fill the ceiling above bas-reliefs of Red Army soldiers and pylons with bronze portraits of Russian war heroes.
The architects, Ivan Taranov and Nadezhda Bykova, won a USSR State Prize for the design. The station links to Tretyakovskaya, a short walk from the Tretyakov Gallery. This guide explains what to look for, where to look and how the fares work.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Новокузнецкая |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1943 |
| Architect(s) | Ivan Taranov and Nadezhda Bykova |
| Address | Novokuznetskaya Street, Moscow, Russia OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Zamoskvorechye |
| Interchanges | Novokuznetskaya (Line 2 (Zamoskvoretskaya, green), the decorated station of 1943, between Teatralnaya and Paveletskaya) Tretyakovskaya (Line 6 (Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya, orange) and Line 8 (Kalininsko-Solntsevskaya, yellow), linked by a transfer; a cross-platform station) |
| Opening hours | The Moscow Metro normally runs from early morning until around 1:00 at night, and the station is open to passengers during those hours.
Exact first and last train times were not confirmed, so check the Metro's official information (as of October 2026 – check the official site, mosmetro.ru). |
| Best time to visit | Mid-morning and early afternoon on weekdays are calmer, and late evening is quiet. The morning and evening rush hours are the busiest, when the platform is crowded and it is hard to stop and look up.
The station works in every season, so it is a good stop on a cold or wet day. |
| Last updated | October 6, 2026 |
Why Visit Novokuznetskaya Metro Station?
The station is one of the Metro’s wartime monuments. It opened on 20 November 1943 and was designed to honor Soviet fighters, with heavy ornamentation, bas-reliefs along the base of the ceiling and mosaics in the vault.
The pink and white marble pylons carry cast-bronze portraits of Russian war heroes such as Mikhail Kutuzov and Alexander Nevsky, and floor lamps give the hall an atmosphere of brooding shadow.
It is also a practical stop. It lies in Zamoskvorechye, close to the Tretyakov Gallery, and a transfer to Tretyakovskaya puts two more lines within reach. The station’s story includes an urban legend about its benches.
How Novokuznetskaya Metro Station Is Laid Out
The station is a deep pylon three-span station, with a central hall and a train platform on each side, and a round rotunda vestibule above ground.
The central hall has pylons of pink and white marble, with bronze portraits and floor lamps. The ceiling carries octagonal mosaics, and bas-reliefs run along the base of the vault. The escalator arch has a bronze insert around its edge with a shield and an inscription honoring the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War.
A transfer leads to Tretyakovskaya on Lines 6 and 8. Walk the length of the hall once, looking up, then stop at the escalator arch before you leave.
Highlights of Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
The ceiling mosaics
Octagonal smalt mosaics by Vladimir Frolov decorate the vault. Sources describe seven mosaics on the theme of wartime industry, or six along the main axis showing peaceful scenes against a blue sky, designed by Alexander Deyneka.
One account says they were first made for Donbasskaya, the early name of Paveletskaya.
Tip: Look up from the middle of the hall, where several mosaics are visible at once.
The bas-reliefs of Red Army soldiers
Bas-reliefs run along the base of the ceiling, by the artists N. V. Tomsky, A. E. Zelensky, S. M. Rabinovich and N. M. Shtamm, showing Red Army soldiers in combat.
They are the clearest sign of the station's wartime theme.
Tip: Walk the length of the hall with your head tilted back to follow the reliefs.
Bronze portraits of Russian war heroes
The pink and white marble pylons are decorated with cast-bronze portraits of Russian military heroes, including Mikhail Kutuzov and Alexander Nevsky.
The portraits link the wartime theme to earlier Russian history.
Tip: Look at the pylons at eye level, where the portraits are set in the marble.
The escalator arch and its inscription
The perimeter of the escalator arch is decorated with a bronze sculptural insert by N. V. Tomsky. At its center, a shield with an inscription honors the brave soldiers of the Great Patriotic War, framed by banners, weapons and laurel wreaths.
It is seen as you leave or enter the hall.
Tip: Look at the arch before you step onto the escalator, since it is easy to miss as you go.
Floor lamps and the shadowy hall
Floor lamps that have been replaced with modern lighting in other stations still give Novokuznetskaya an atmosphere of brooding shadow.
The dim light and the heavy ornament give the hall a serious mood.
Tip: Visit in a quiet moment to appreciate the light and the shadows.
The legend of the benches
An urban legend says the ornate benches were made of Carrara marble taken from the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour just before it was demolished in 1931.
A source says this is not true and that the marble is from the Urals.
Tip: Look at the benches along the platform, but treat the story as a legend.
Atmosphere
The hall is dim and heavy, with pink and white marble pylons, bronze portraits and reliefs that make the space feel like a memorial. The ceiling mosaics add color overhead, and the floor lamps cast soft pools of light.
Passengers move steadily through, and visitors stop to look up at the vault. The sound is trains, announcements and the footsteps of commuters heading to Zamoskvorechye.
It is busiest at rush hours, and calmer in the middle of the day and late in the evening, when the mosaics and the reliefs are easy to see.
History of Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
Novokuznetskaya was built in the second stage of the Moscow Metro, with construction beginning shortly after the stage was launched in 1938. Despite the Second World War, the station was completed on time.
It opened on 20 November 1943, together with Paveletskaya, a few months after Avtozavodskaya, on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line. The architects Ivan Taranov and Nadezhda Bykova, who had also designed Belorusskaya, won a USSR State Prize for the design.
The station was built to honor Soviet fighters. Its decoration expresses the creative strength of the Soviet people at the front and in the rear in the Great Patriotic War, with heavy ornamentation, bas-reliefs along the base of the ceiling and mosaics in the vault.
The architects used a geometric design for the vault, adopted from a Roman tomb by the architect Ivan Zholtovsky, and placed smalt mosaics along its main axis. The mosaics were made by the Leningrad craftsman Vladimir Frolov. After his death during the siege of Leningrad, the panels were brought from the city by the Road of Life.
The pylons were faced with pink and white marble and decorated with cast-bronze portraits of Russian military heroes. A bronze insert by the sculptor N. V. Tomsky decorates the escalator arch.
A transfer to Tretyakovskaya, a cross-platform station serving the Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya and Kalininsko-Solntsevskaya lines, links the station with the rest of the Metro.
Today the station remains a working station on the Zamoskvoretskaya Line, with its decoration largely preserved, and is seen as one of the Metro’s wartime monuments.
Legends and Myths about Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
The benches from the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour
Legend – historically unreliable. An urban legend says that the ornate benches of the station were made of Carrara marble taken from the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour just before it was demolished in 1931.
A source says it is not true, and that the marble came from the Urals, so the story is treated as a legend.
Tickets and Booking for Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
There is no ticket for the station itself; entering needs a Metro fare. Reports on 2026 fares differ: a budget-level fare (₽) for a single ride with a Troika card, a slightly higher budget-level fare (₽) by contactless bank card and a higher budget-level fare (₽) for a 90-minute ticket, while some sources still give lower prices. Check the current fare on the official Moscow Metro site, mosmetro.ru.
- Troika card: a reusable card sold at ticket windows and top-up machines in station halls and through the official Metro app; the deposit is reported as a small amount (₽), so check the price.
- Foreign cards: reports conflict on whether foreign Visa or Mastercard cards and phone payments work at the turnstiles, so carry rubles in cash and buy a ticket or card at a ticket window.
- Rush hours: the station is busiest in the morning and evening on weekdays.
Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ. All fares and payment methods are listed on the official site, mosmetro.ru.
Plan and Book
How to Get to Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
Novokuznetskaya station is in Zamoskvorechye, south of the Kremlin across the Moskva River, on Novokuznetskaya Street.
- Metro: Novokuznetskaya (Line 2, Zamoskvoretskaya, green), between Teatralnaya and Paveletskaya.
- Transfer: Tretyakovskaya (Line 6, Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya, orange, and Line 8, Kalininsko-Solntsevskaya, yellow) is linked by a cross-platform transfer.
The above-ground vestibule is a round rotunda. The Tretyakov Gallery is a short walk from the station; a taxi can drop you near the exit.
Accessibility
Accessibility details were not confirmed. The station is deep and is reached by long escalators, and lift availability and step-free access were not verified. Contact the Metro or check mosmetro.ru before traveling if you need step-free access or assistance.
Food Nearby
Novokuznetskaya Street and the streets of Zamoskvorechye have many cafes and restaurants. Specific venues were not verified, so check opening hours before you go.
What to Bring
Bring a camera and some rubles in cash for a ticket or a Troika card.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
Middle of the platform hall
The line of marble pylons with bronze portraits and the vault with mosaics receding along the hall.
Best time: Late evening or mid-morning, when the hall is quieter
Ceiling mosaics from below
An octagonal mosaic in the vault, seen straight up with the bas-reliefs beneath it.
Best time: Between trains, with the platform clear
Escalator arch
The bronze insert around the arch with the shield and laurel wreaths.
Best time: Quiet moments, before you step onto the escalator
Rotunda vestibule above ground
The round entrance building above the station.
Best time: Daylight
Photography Rules
Photography rules in the station were not confirmed. Taking photographs on the platform is common, but tripods and flash can be restricted, and the station is busy, so stand clear of the platform edge. Drone rules in Moscow are strict and change.
Family Suitability
The station is a short stop that suits families on the way to the Tretyakov Gallery or Zamoskvorechye, and children can look for the soldiers on the reliefs. It is a busy working station, so keep children close and away from the platform edge. Strollers need the escalator or a lift, and lift access was not confirmed.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Look up at the vault and then along the base of the ceiling for the bas-reliefs, which are easy to miss.
- Look for the bronze portraits on the pylons at eye level, including Kutuzov and Alexander Nevsky.
- Look at the bronze arch over the escalator before you ride up or down.
- Do not repeat the legend of the benches as fact; the marble is reported to be from the Urals.
- Use the cross-platform transfer to Tretyakovskaya for the Tretyakov Gallery, which is a short walk away.
- Visit in the middle of the day or late in the evening to avoid the rush hours.
Explore Nearby Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
Sights near Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
Tretyakov Gallery Moscowabout 550 m away (~9 min walk) · typical visit: 2–3 hours per building
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Moscow – about 1.6 km away (~25 min walk) · typical visit: 45 minutes to 1.5 hours; about 1 hour 20 minutes for the full guided tour
Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts Moscowabout 1.7 km away (~27 min walk) · typical visit: 2–3 hours per building
Moscow Kremlin – about 1.4 km away (~23 min walk) · typical visit: 3–5 hours for Cathedral Square plus the Armoury Chamber
Moscow Metro · typical visit: 1.5–3 hours for a tour of showcase stations
Metro stations near Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
Tretyakovskaya Metro Stationabout 100 m away (~2 min walk)
Polyanka Metro Stationabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)
Paveletskaya Metro Stationabout 1.2 km away (~19 min walk)
Train stations and river piers near Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
Paveletsky Railway Terminalabout 1.4 km away (~23 min walk)
Novospassky River Pierabout 1.9 km away (~31 min walk)
Restaurants and cafes near Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
Bjornabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)
Mushroomsabout 950 m away (~16 min walk)
Oblomovabout 1000 m away (~16 min walk)
Hotels near Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
Ibis Moscow Centre Bakhrushinaabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)
Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscowabout 800 m away (~13 min walk)
Swissotel Krasnye Holmy Moscowabout 1.2 km away (~20 min walk)
Events and traditions near Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
Moscow Summer Fairabout 1.3 km away (~21 min walk)
Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscowabout 1.4 km away (~23 min walk)
Related guides
How to visit the Tretyakov Gallery: Tickets, Hours and Which Building
Verny: Supermarket Chain in Moscow, Hours, 24-Hour Stores and Payment
Esse Jazz Club: Live Jazz and Dinner on Pyatnitskaya Street
Serpukhovskaya Metro Station: Three-Vault Hall and Ring Line Link
Sergey Yesenin Museum Moscow: Poet’s Home, Hours and Tips
Browse more: More in Zamoskvorechye · All Metro Stations
FAQ: Novokuznetskaya Metro Station
When did Novokuznetskaya open?
On 20 November 1943, during the Second World War, together with Paveletskaya.
Who designed it?
The architects Ivan Taranov and Nadezhda Bykova, who won a USSR State Prize for the design.
What is the theme?
The station honors Soviet soldiers and the war effort, with reliefs of Red Army soldiers and portraits of Russian generals.
Who made the ceiling mosaics?
Vladimir Frolov made them, and one source says Alexander Deyneka designed them. Sources differ on whether there are six or seven.
Were the benches made from the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour?
That is an urban legend. A source says the marble came from the Urals.
Do I need a ticket to see it?
Yes, a Metro fare is needed to enter. See the fares and payment section.
Which stations are linked to it?
Tretyakovskaya, on Lines 6 and 8, by a cross-platform transfer.
How long do I need?
About 10 to 15 minutes to walk the hall and look at the mosaics and reliefs.
Discover More of Moscow with Our Travel Tips
Get practical Moscow travel tips, new destination guides and useful updates on attractions, opening hours and prices. Plan your visit with clear, helpful information delivered to your inbox.
Moscow Vibes is a one-person project. A coffee keeps it going
Last updated: October 6, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.
How we research and update our guides
About this guide: AI assistance and accuracy
This guide is created with the help of AI and is based on official sources where available. Mistakes can still happen. Opening hours, prices, rules and other details are given to the best of our knowledge as of the date shown and can change without notice. It offers general recommendations only, not professional, legal or travel advice. Please confirm important details with the official source before you travel; you are responsible for your own plans and decisions.
International sanctions affect payments between Russia and many other countries. In practice, cards issued in the EU, the UK, the US and several other countries often do not work in Russia, Russian cards usually do not work abroad, and some booking platforms, airlines and payment providers limit or suspend their services for Russia. The situation changes frequently. We do not give legal or financial advice, and this site does not encourage anyone to break or circumvent sanctions. Whatever you plan, you are responsible for following the laws and regulations that apply to you, including those of your country of residence and citizenship. Many travelers still organise their stay lawfully. It is worth asking your bank or payment provider what is currently permitted, contacting hotels, tour operators and carriers directly about the payment methods they accept, and checking which services are open to customers from your country. Clarify payment, cancellation and refund terms before you commit to a booking, and keep your plans flexible. Partner links on this site may not be available in every country, and prices, availability and rules in our guides can differ from what you see when you book.Paying for your trip: please read
Report an issue on this page
* Affiliate link: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Ask Masha