In the process of building the Nikolaev Railway, they began laying the road from St. Petersburg to Warsaw with the construction of the Warsaw Station. The station building was erected by the project of the architect Skarzhinsky K.A.
History reference
The Crimean War temporarily suspended all construction work. But after some 5 years, by 1857, everything had resumed. The work was led by new people. In light of this, the originally conceived appearance and layout of the station were changed. The architect Salmanovich P.O. turned it into a large complex. Now the building could accommodate employees, even provided rooms for living. For equestrian crews built platforms. The project of the Warsaw Station did not provide for any exquisite decorations, but was supposed to be simple and concise, which in the end was achieved. The station (one of the complex's facilities) was opened in 1853.
The construction of the railway continued in 1856, trains from St. Petersburg ran to Gatchina, and from 1858 they reached Pskov. Trains started to go to Warsaw only in 1862. A few years later, from the station it was already possible to get to Berlin, Vienna and Brussels. Accordingly, the passenger flow and the volume of luggage carried increased, and the station no longer met modern requirements, so they began to rebuild it. A train depot appeared.
At the beginning of the last century, a paid entrance for mourners was made on the platform of the station, and it amounted to 10 kopecks. A few years later it was abolished due to strong dissatisfaction of citizens.
Warsaw Station itself is a “witness” of many historical events. Literally a stone's throw from the building, Minister V. Pleve was killed, and during the revolution the Bolsheviks were hiding in the building. In military blockade times, due to the fact that the Germans came almost close to the station, it was badly damaged. At the end of hostilities, some of the premises of the building were rebuilt.
Post-Soviet time
For many years, the Warsaw Station in St. Petersburg was exactly the place where passengers coming from Europe came out.
The period of perestroika and the collapse of the USSR adversely affected the activities of the station, it almost stopped accepting trains. Indeed, passenger traffic towards the Baltic countries has practically disappeared. The remaining routes, both suburban and long-distance, were transferred to other stations, and the building itself was planned to be destroyed for some time.
Museum
After many years of oblivion, in 2006, a museum of railway equipment opens in the depot building and on the rails of the old station. Locomotives and wagons created in different periods, and even a rocket launcher - one of the first high-speed wagons in Russia were put on public display.
The Museum at the Warsaw Station in November 2017 received a new building and is now located on Library Lane 4. The nearest metro station is Baltiyskaya.
Broadcasting Company
From 2003 to 2006 the building was completely renovated. The project was handled by Giovanni Bartoli. Upon completion of the work, the Warsaw Station turned into a shopping and entertainment center called the Warsaw Express. Now it is 32 thousand square meters, with shops and entertainment facilities, including a casino and a cinema.
In the process of reconstruction, the monument to V.I. Lenin was removed from the square in front of the building.
