Kirovsky Zavod Metro Station is one of the seven stations that opened with the first Leningrad metro line on 15 November 1955, and it is named after the Kirov Plant that stands across the avenue. It lies on Prospekt Stachek in the Kirovsky District, one stop beyond Narvskaya on the way to Avtovo.
Two things stand out: the vestibule above ground, a rectangle of fluted columns that looks like an ancient temple, and the hall below, faced in smoky grey marble with pairs of columns topped by metal emblems of industry. It is a working station, so you share it with people heading to and from the plant district. This guide explains what to look for, how to get there and how to pay for the ride.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Кировский завод |
|---|---|
| Built / opened | 1955 |
| Architect(s) | A. K. Andreyev (architect) and O. V. Ivanova (engineer) |
| Address | Санкт-Петербург, проспект Стачек, 70 OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Kirovsky District |
| Interchanges | Kirovsky Zavod (Line 1, the colonnaded vestibule on Prospekt Stachek, across the avenue from the Kirov Plant) Narvskaya (Line 1, previous stop towards the centre) Avtovo (Line 1, next stop towards Prospekt Veteranov) |
| Opening hours | The metro runs daily from early morning until shortly after midnight, and the station follows the network schedule; hours can change with works on the line (as of October 2026 – check the official site of the Saint Petersburg Metro). |
| Best time to visit | The station is indoors, so it works in any season and in any weather. For a calm look at the hall, choose midday or a weekend rather than the weekday morning and evening rush, when the plant district is busiest. The colonnade outside is best seen in daylight. |
| Last updated | October 16, 2026 |
Why Visit Kirovsky Zavod Metro Station, Saint Petersburg?
This is the early Soviet metro at its most formal. The theme is the development of socialist industry, and it is told in just a few strong elements: a columned entrance building, a long arched hall and four recurring emblems on the capitals. Nothing is crowded or fussy, which makes it easy to understand in a few minutes.
It also sits in a part of the city most visitors never see, an industrial district with a long history. The station is entered in the register of cultural heritage objects of regional significance. You pay only for a metro ride, and 20 to 30 minutes is enough for a look.
Highlights of Kirovsky Zavod Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
The temple-like vestibule
The surface building is in the style of Soviet classicism: a rectangle formed by 44 fluted Doric columns, reached by a granite staircase. With its simple outline it recalls an ancient Greek temple, and it dominates this stretch of Prospekt Stachek.
It was designed by the architect A. K. Andreyev, who also designed the hall below.
Tip: Look at the building from across the avenue first, then walk up the steps.
The smoky grey marble hall
The underground hall is a deep column-and-wall station about 50 metres down. Its walls are faced with smoky grey marble, and 31 pairs of columns run in two rows, linked by gentle arches that draw the eye down the length of the platform.
The mood is more restrained than at Avtovo, but the scale and the repetition give it a solemn, ceremonial feel.
Tip: Stand in the middle of the platform and look along the arches in both directions.
Four emblems of industry on the capitals
The top of each column carries an aluminium cartouche in high relief. Together they represent four basic industries: electrification, coal, oil and metallurgy. The same four designs repeat along both sides of the hall.
They are the clearest expression of the station's theme and easy to miss if you only look at the marble.
Tip: Pick a column and identify which of the four industries its emblem shows.
The Lenin bust at the end of the hall
At the end wall of the hall stands a bust of Lenin by the sculptor N. V. Dydykina, dated 1955. A monument to Kirov was reportedly planned for the spot during construction, but the Lenin bust was installed instead.
It closes the view along the platform and gives the hall a focal point.
Tip: Walk to the end of the platform for a close look and a straight view back.
A station named after a plant
The name comes from the Kirov Plant, which stands on the opposite side of Prospekt Stachek from the vestibule and has a history of more than two centuries. The station was built to serve its workers and the surrounding industrial district.
The plant itself is a working factory and is not open to visitors, but its frontage is part of the view from the station steps.
Tip: Look across the avenue from the vestibule steps to see the plant's frontage.
A listed monument of the first line
Kirovsky Zavod is entered in the register of cultural heritage objects of regional significance, like several other stations of the first stage. It sits on a stretch of the line that was laid practically along an existing tram route.
Riding one stop either way lets you compare it with Narvskaya and Avtovo.
Tip: Combine it with Narvskaya and Avtovo for a short tour of three first-line halls.
Atmosphere
From the street, the colonnade looks stern and quiet, a block of stone columns at the edge of an industrial avenue. Inside, the hall is long and grey, with pairs of columns passing in rhythm and the bust of Lenin waiting at the end. The metal emblems catch a little light, but the overall tone is sober.
Most people here are commuters, and the station is busiest at the start and end of the working day. Between peaks the hall is calm, and the arches and repeated columns are easy to take in at a walking pace.
History of Kirovsky Zavod Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
The first Leningrad metro line opened on 15 November 1955, running from Avtovo to Ploshchad Vosstaniya with seven stations. Kirovsky Zavod was one of them, and it takes its name from the Kirov Plant across Prospekt Stachek. The line was laid practically along an existing tram route, and the district around the station is a long-established industrial area.
The pavilion and the underground hall were designed by the architect A. K. Andreyev and the engineer O. V. Ivanova. The theme of the design is the development of socialist industry. The surface building follows Soviet classicism: a rectangle formed by 44 fluted Doric columns, reached by a granite staircase.
The hall is a deep column-and-wall station, about 50 metres below the surface. It is faced with smoky grey marble, and 31 pairs of columns in two rows are connected by shallow arches that organise the perspective. On the top of each column an aluminium cartouche in high relief shows one of four industries: electrification, coal, oil or metallurgy.
At the end wall of the hall is a bust of Lenin by the sculptor N. V. Dydykina, dated 1955. According to a city listing, a monument to Kirov was originally envisaged for the station, but a bust of Lenin was installed instead.
The run between Narvskaya and Kirovsky Zavod, about two and a half kilometres, is the longest on the first stage of the metro, and fast construction methods were used to meet the opening date. For more than two decades Kirovsky Zavod and the neighbouring Avtovo were at the end of the line, until the first line was extended south in 1977.
Today the station is entered in the register of cultural heritage objects of regional significance, as are other stations of the first line. It remains an ordinary working station on Line 1, between Narvskaya and Avtovo, serving the plant district and the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Tickets and Booking for Kirovsky Zavod Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Kirovsky Zavod needs no ticket of its own: you pay for a ride on the Saint Petersburg Metro and can look around the hall while you wait for a train. The fare is a flat one regardless of distance (₽).
- Contactless bank card: accepted at turnstiles marked for bank-card payment, but whether a card issued outside Russia works varies, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict the use of Russian payment services, so check this yourself before you travel.
- Podorozhnik card: a reusable transport card sold at metro ticket offices, and usually the simplest option for visitors who plan several rides.
Rates for Russian citizens and concession categories differ from the standard fare. Weekday morning and evening rush hours are the busiest times at the turnstiles and on the escalators. The official website of the Saint Petersburg Metro lists current fares, payment methods and categories.
Plan and Book
How to Get to Kirovsky Zavod Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
By metro: take Line 1 (the red Kirovsko-Vyborgskaya line) towards Prospekt Veteranov. Kirovsky Zavod is the stop after Narvskaya, so from Ploshchad Vosstaniya the order is Vladimirskaya, Pushkinskaya, Tekhnologichesky Institut, Baltiyskaya, Narvskaya, Kirovsky Zavod. No change is needed.
On arrival: the colonnaded vestibule stands on Prospekt Stachek. The Kirov Plant is on the opposite side of the avenue.
By taxi or bus: ask for Prospekt Stachek, 70 (проспект Стачек, 70), or for the metro station Kirovsky Zavod. Many city bus and tram routes run along the avenue.
Accessibility
Kirovsky Zavod is a deep station reached by escalators. Whether a lift or other step-free route is available was not verified for this article, so check the accessibility information on the official website of the Saint Petersburg Metro and consider asking staff before you travel.
Food Nearby
There are no verified cafes inside the station. Shops and cafes can be found along Prospekt Stachek near the vestibule, and a wider choice lies towards the centre.
What to Bring
A payment card or a Podorozhnik card, and a camera or phone ready before you go down. Comfortable shoes help on the long escalator and platform.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Kirovsky Zavod Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Prospekt Stachek, facing the vestibule
The full colonnade of 44 columns above the granite staircase, which looks like a classical temple.
Best time: Daylight, ideally in clear weather.
Middle of the platform, looking along the arches
Pairs of columns and shallow arches run away in perspective towards the Lenin bust.
Best time: Between trains on a quiet midday.
A column capital close up
An aluminium cartouche in high relief shows one of the four industries, and you can compare them from column to column.
Best time: Any time the platform is clear.
End of the platform by the Lenin bust
The bust closes the hall, and looking back gives the longest view of the grey marble.
Best time: Off-peak, when fewer passengers cross the frame.
Photography Rules
Casual photography on the platform is generally tolerated, but tripods and professional filming typically need permission from the metro. Do not block the escalators, the platform edge or passengers, and avoid photographing staff or other people.
Family Suitability
Easy for families because the stop is short and the columns are easy to see. The long escalator ride and the busy platform at rush hour need care with small children, and strollers should be folded or carried. A visit takes only a few minutes.
Russia Vibes Tips
- See the vestibule from across Prospekt Stachek before you go in; the colonnade reads best from a distance.
- Check the capitals. There are only four emblems, and spotting electrification, coal, oil and metallurgy takes a minute.
- Ride one stop to Avtovo afterwards for a very different first-line hall, with glass columns instead of grey marble.
- Do not expect to visit the Kirov Plant; it is a working factory, and you can only see its frontage from the avenue.
- Pair the stop with Narvskaya, one stop towards the centre, to compare two 1955 halls in the same district.
- Take photos away from the platform edge, using the length of the hall rather than a single column.
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FAQ: Kirovsky Zavod Metro Station, Saint Petersburg
Do I need a ticket to see Kirovsky Zavod station?
You need to pay for a metro ride to enter the platform area. There is no separate sightseeing ticket. See the fares section for payment options.
Why is it called Kirovsky Zavod?
It is named after the Kirov Plant, which stands across Prospekt Stachek from the vestibule. The plant has a history of more than two centuries.
What do the emblems on the columns mean?
Four aluminium cartouches represent electrification, coal, oil and metallurgy, the basic industries that the station celebrates. They repeat along both sides of the hall.
Whose bust is at the end of the hall?
It is a bust of Lenin by the sculptor N. V. Dydykina, dated 1955. A monument to Kirov was reportedly considered for the spot during construction.
How deep is it?
It is a deep column-and-wall station, about 50 metres below the surface, so you reach the platform by escalator.
How do I get there from the centre?
Take Line 1 towards Prospekt Veteranov; Kirovsky Zavod is the stop after Narvskaya. See the getting there section for the stations in order.
Is the station protected?
Yes, it is entered in the register of cultural heritage objects of regional significance, like other stations of the first line.
Is it worth a special trip?
If you like early Soviet design, yes, and it fits well with Narvskaya and Avtovo on the same line. With limited time, one of the central stations is easier.
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Last updated: October 16, 2026. Found an error or something out of date? Report it and we will check and fix it.
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