Moscow Passazhirskaya: Nicholas' Ruler
As the oldest railway station in Moscow, Moscow Passazhirskaya railway station, or Leningradsky station in English, has a rich history and a long list of names to accompany that history. In 1842, Tsar Nicholas issued a decree to build a railway between St. Petersburg and Moscow. Legend has it that when asked what the route of the railway should be, Nicholas took a ruler and laid it down on a map between the two cities, saying: "Build the railway in a straight line" (1). That route, laid down by Nicholas and his ruler, exists between the two cities today and a new proposed high-speed rail line follows a similarly straight trajectory.
Leningradsky station serves as Moscow's connection to the imperial capitol. The ornate station was designed by Konstantin Thon, a Russian architect already famous for designing the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and Kremlin Palace in Moscow (2). The station, originally called Peterburgsky, opened to the public in early August of 1851 when the first train arrived in Moscow from St. Petersburg (2). In 1856, in honor of Nicholas' death, Peterburgsky became Nikolayevsky. After the October Revolution and deposition of the tsars, the station earned the new moniker of Oktyabrsky in 1924, but quickly shed that name in 1925 for its current Leningradsky.
Thinking in terms of the tsars in St. Petersburg, Leningradsky and the railway connection between the two cities served as a bridge from Russia's far north imperial capitol to the heart of the country. St. Petersburg was initially chosen as the imperial capitol of Russia by Peter the Great in the early 18th century so that the empire could have a window into Europe on the Baltic Sea. This railway allowed the tsars to be less isolated from the rest of the empire, as the huge distance between the two major Russian cities could now be traversed in less than a day. Though Petersburg is the main destination when leaving Leningradsky, the train route actually extends further northwest, crossing through northwest Russia with potential connections in Estonia and Finland (3). Both Estonia and Finland were territories of the Russian Empire and the new railway allowed for expedient access to these territories. This underlines Peter the Great's plan to be close to Russia's main rival at the time, Sweden, as the access that the railway provided now allowed troops and Russian citizens to easily assert their presence over the far northern expanses.
Leningradsky station is still the origin of one of the most widely traversed railway lines in Russia. The flux of Russians between the two capitols allows for constant use. Today, the trip can be made in a little over four hours. Reading Leningradsky station as an anchor which strengthens the connection between Petersburg and Moscow shows the Russian Empire's desire to respect the history of Moscow and consolidate imperial power. Connecting the two cities allowed the Tsar to maintain that window into Europe at Petersburg, while also keeping a strong footing in Moscow. Moscow, the heart of the empire, served as the perfect hub for railways to originate, snaking across the empire. Leningradsky station, the first of nine railway stations in the city, was a perfect model for the other stations and railways lines to fulfill their role as spokes on the hub.