Ploschad Revolyutsii
Marble-arched metro hall lined with seventy-six bronze Soviet figures, one polished bright by decades of lucky touches.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to the Ploschad Revolyutsii metro station in Moscow traces a superstition that began in 1938, the year the station opened, when Bauman Technical University students started rubbing a bronze dog's nose for exam luck. It follows the seventy-six bronze Soviet figures cast by sculptor Matvey Manizer beneath these arches—soldiers, athletes, a sailor, a peasant with a rooster—and how the habit spread from students to every commuter passing through. You'll hear the disagreement over whether touching the rooster brings luck or bad luck. Walk the row of arches slowly to spot which figures shine brightest.
This audio guide was created using AI.
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