Mariupol Railway Station
History
In the late 1800s, the industrialization in the Donbas created a need for more efficient transport between inland cities and ports on the Sea of Azov.
By 1882, the Mariupol station was completed to serve this purpose. Besides passenger lines, there was also a freight line towards the Port of Mariupol to improve transports of industrial goods.
During the German-Soviet War, the station was completely burned down. It was rebuilt in 1946.
In the 1970s, the station underwent renovations, and the waiting room now had decorations portraying famous people from Mariupol. In 1974 the construction was completed. A large mosaic in honor of the local metallurgical workers was installed in the station's main hall. In 2019 this mosaic was exhibited at the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York City.
In 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, much of the station was destroyed during the Siege of Mariupol. Following Russian victory, they began demolishing the remnants of the building. Mariupol and its surrounding Donetsk Oblast were unilaterally annexed by Russia in September 2022.
In July 2024, the station was reopened after a reconstruction. The above mentioned mosaic was, although not totally destroyed in 2022, removed and not returned to the station.
References
- ^ "Окупанти знищили унікальне мозаїчне пано на вокзалі Маріуполя" [The occupiers destroyed a unique mosaic view at Mariupol station]. Ukrainska Pravda – Zhyttia (in Ukrainian). 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ "Official: Russian forces begin demolishing central railway station in Mariupol". Kyiv Independent. April 10, 2023.
- ^ Sauer, Pjotr; Harding, Luke (30 September 2022). "Putin annexes four regions of Ukraine in major escalation of Russia's war". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
- ^ "Алексей Дружинин открыл железнодорожный вокзал в Мариуполе" [Alexey Druzhinin opened the railway station in Mariupol]. www.rlw.gov.ru (in Russian). July 31, 2024.