Alexander Train Station in Moscow?

[griffh]

I am currently studying a description of the Tsar's arrival in Moscow on August 4/17, 1914 for the second Declaration of War ceremony and the article describes the Imperial train as arriving in Moscow at Alexander Train Station on the Nikolai track.  I have not been able to find any mention of Alexander Station in Moscow.  When I went online to find a period photograph of the station, the only Moscow-St. Petersburg station I could find was Konstantin Thon's Italianate Nikolayevsky Station which is currently named the Lenninevsky, I believe.  Does anyone know anything about Alexander Station in Moscow?  Thanks...Griff 

[Alexander1917]

mayby it's this one...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belorussky_Rail_Terminal

[griffh]

Thanks so much Alexander 1917 but I am pretty sure the Belorussky train station in Moscow went to Minsk.  However it is great just seeing the building, none-the-less.  In the article I am studying, it mentions that the platform opened on to a large rotunda.   Well thank you again for your help.   

[griffh]

Alexander1917, I think I owe you an apology. 

While reading my article on the Tsar's arrivial in Moscow more closely, it mentioned Tverskaya Street as being especially decorated for the occassion and according to an article in Widipedia Tverskaya street runs directly to the Belorussky Train Station:

"Tverskaya Street runs from the Manege Square through the Tverskoy District and the crossing with the Boulevard Ring, known as Pushkin Square, to the Garden Ring.  Its extension, First Tverskaya-Yamskaya Street, continues further north-west right up to Belorussky Rail Terminal (Tverskaya Zastava Square), changing its name again into Leningradsky Prospekt.  It keeps the same direction before diverging into Volokolamskoye Shosse and Leningradskoye Shosse (literally, Leningrad Expressway)." 

Though the article states that the once fashionable Tverskaya street (which apparently remains the Rodeo Drive of Russia) was butchered by many Stalinist era buildings, the article does not say that the direction of Tverskaya street was changed or altered which many mean that it led to Belorussky train station in 1914.  Well Alexander1917 thanks again for your help in trying to solve the mystery of Alexander Station.   

[Janet Ashton]

It's definitely the same Station, Griff - if you look for a 1914 map of Moscow you will see the present-day Belorussky Station named as Alexander or Brest Station.

Edited to add: the reason for using this Station would be exactly to enable entry down the Tverskaya, the symbolic road between the two capitals and direct route into the Kremlin.

[griffh]

Janet thank you so much for confirming that this is Alexander station.  And again thank you Alexander1917.  I am so grateful for the help....best Griff

[rudy3]

A link to a picture of the station as it looked those days. Direction of the picture: northwards.

http://oldmos.ru/photo/view/5034


Rudy

[griffh]

Rudy thank you so very much for the period photo of Alexander train station (Belorussky)  All I had been able to find were modern photographs of the station and honestly whoever is responsible for painting that lovely neoclassic building that horrid toothpaste green should be spoken to in no uncertain terms.  

The only period photo I could find of the train station was one in 1905 which was before it's reconstruction by I. Strukov which had been started in 1907 and completed in May of 1910.  The Imperial rooms were apparently located between the two new wings of the station which sported the latest technical advances including railway ticket printing machines.  I also learned the Imperial embankment platform was an intermediate one that connected Alexander train station with Nikolaevskaya train station in Moscow.  This explains why the article that I am studying reported that the Imperial train arrived at Alexander Station on the Nikolai tract.  Nikolaevskaya train station was the tract that directly connected St. Petersburg with Moscow, so now I have a sense of the progress of the Imperial train.    

Thanks again Rudy for the photo of the newly renovated station in 1910 as this really helps me gain a sense of the neoclassic beauty of the station in 1914.  Oh and just in passing I also found out that the Belorussky (Alexander) train station was used, I believe, in the Bourne Identity or one of the Bourne movies.   Best Griff