Kievskaya

The ring-line hall of this Moscow Metro station, opened in the mid-1950s, is decorated with eighteen large mosaic panels in ornate stucco frames depicting scenes of Russian-Ukrainian friendship and Ukrainian history. Gilded arches, chandeliers and a bright white vault give the space a distinctly festive, almost palatial character. It was among the last stations completed before official campaigns against architectural excess curtailed such lavishness, and it serves a busy rail interchange.