Botanicheskiy Sad (Kharkiv Metro)

Botanicheskiy Sad or Botanichnyi Sad ( _uk. Ботанічний сад; _ru. Ботанический сад) is a station on Kharkiv Metro's Alekseevskaya Line. The station is one of two new stations added to the metro system on August 21, 2004, the other one being "23 Avgusta".

The station is located under the "Lenin Prospect" in the northern part of Kharkiv's city center. The station's name and architectural design recalls the surrounding botanical garden of the Kharkiv University.

History

Planns for the construction of the Botanicheskiy Sad metro station were first drawn out in the mid-90s. At first, dates for the station's opening were set at 1995, then 1996, and later in 1997. However, due to the difficult financial situation, the station was not built, and construction on the station only begain in August 2004, during the celebration of the 350-years of Kharkiv.

Construction

Like the nearby "Nauchna" station, Botanicheskiy Sad was built with the open construction method, where earth is dug up, the station is constructed, and then covered up again. Initially, the station was supposed to be an above ground station, with a metro bridge crossing the "Sarzhyn Yar", a popular recreation place for residents of Kharkiv. The top level of bridge was to hold the "Lenin Prospect" and the bottom — the station and railway tracks itself. However, the plan was scrapped because the plant environment surrounding the bridge could be destroyed.

Architecture and design

Botanicheskiy Sad is lain shallow underground and consists of a central platform with round columns supporting the ceiling. The station's walls have been covered with green and blue tiles, with reliefs depicting greenery and plants. The columns are covered with lightgreen mosaic tiles with white marble tiles near the bottom. The station's floor is paved with gray-coloured slabs of polished granite.

Two underground ticket vestibules serve the station, located on either side of the station. The northern vestibule has four exits which lead passengers to the intersection of the "Lenin Prospect" and "Otakara Yarosha Street". The southern vestible's exit leads directly into the botanical park.

External links

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* [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=50.027476,36.22312&ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&ll=50.027414,36.223329&spn=0.003046,0.007296&z=17 Google maps] — Satellite image centred on the vestibule
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