South River Terminal opens in Moscow after renovation
The building was initially designed by architect Yuri Kogan in 1985 in the style of Soviet modernism, resembling a boat.
The five lady figures on the façade symbolize the five seas with which Moscow is connected: the Black, Caspian, Azov, White and Baltic Seas.
South River Terminal was originally located near the Danilovsky bridge - it was a wooden building, built in the 1930s. From there, visitors could go on boat trips on the Oka, Volga and Kama rivers.
In 1972, the South River Station building was dismantled and a temporary landing dock was opened on the Nagatinskaya embankment, due to the reconstruction of the area. At that time, there was a route to Nizhny Novgorod and Ryazan.
Today’s South River Terminal is situated not far from the Technopark metro station. However, it was not in operation for a long time. In the 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, river transportation plunged into crisis and almost ceased. And the building was turned into a children’s goods fair and a car market.
Restoration of the South River Terminal started only in 2021 and took two years. Besides the waiting areas, there is an exhibition space of the Transportation Museum of the city, an observation deck and a lounge section on the roof.
The first cruise ship is expected on May 5. Cruises to 30 cities in Russia will be available, including Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Kolomna, Tver and Kazan. Besides, there will also be a stop for private motor ships that follow the routes inside Moscow.
Meanwhile, in 2020, the North River Terminal, which was built in 1937 in the ‘Stalin Empire’ style and located opposite, was opened.
