Uschod (Minsk Metro)

Uschod
Minsk Metro Station
Station Hall
Coordinates	53°56′4″N 27°39′3″E / 53.93444°N 27.65083°ECoordinates: 53°56′4″N 27°39′3″E / 53.93444°N 27.65083°E
Owned by	Minsk Metro
Line(s)	Moskovskaya Line
Platforms	Island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Underground
History
Opened	1986-12-30
Services
Preceding station   Minsk Metro   Following station Barysaŭski trakt toward Uruchye Moskovskaya Line Maskoŭskaja toward Petrovshchina

Uschod (/uːsˈhɒd/ us-HOD, Belarusian: Усход, Uschod Russian: Восток, pronounced [vɐˈstok]; lit:"East") is a Minsk Metro station. Opened on December 30, 1986.

The station's name not only implies its geographical location, as it was the easternmost station of Minsk metro for more than 20 years, but also its connotation with the Vostok space programme that ultimately led to the first manned spaceflight. The station's architectural ensemble (Ye.Leonovich, V.Matelsky) is based on the latter, and consists of a single vault shape with suspended canopy that forms a single element. The canopy simultaneously acts as a blind from the lamps, and also contains the lighting elements which are focused on the apex of the white vault. This "petal" layout is reminiscent of the interior of a spaceship with illuminator windows: contrasting with that is the dark red and grey granite on the walls and the floor.

The station is located near the National Library of Belarus and the residential microrayon Uschod-1 and -2. Its two underground vestibules are interlinked with subways that are located on both sides of the Independence avenue. From 1986-2007 the station was the terminus of the line and it received quite a lot of passenger traffic from commuters that travelled from the northeast. However this ended when in 2007 the extension to Barysaŭski Trakt and Uručča was finished.

External links

• (Russian) Minsk State Committee - Station description
• (Russian) Minskoye Metro - Station description
• Google maps - Satellite shot centred on the station