1. RED
town) ((Town in Moscow International ((Project name of the station had been
Rokossovky Bd. (marshal) ((One of the most prominent
commanders in the Great Patriotic War, known especially
for 1944 Bagration Operation against Germany.))
Cherkizton (n.a. village) ((N.a. its former owner Serkiz, a
Tatar prince that went to Muscovy and became an
Orthodox Christian in 14 c.))
Transfiguration of Jesus Sq. ((N.a. village n.a. church.
Founded by the 17-c. tsar Alexis.))
Falconers (n.a. hunting grounds) ((The forest that had been
a historical hunting ground. Now a park.))
Red Village (district) ((Red meant 'beautiful' in old Russian.
The village is first mentioned in 1423.))
Komsomol (square) ((All-Union Leninist Young Communist
League, Soviet youth organisation abbreviated to
‘Komsomol’.))
Red Gate ((N.a. triumphal arch on the way to Red Village in
honour of 1709 Poltava victory over Sweden. Demolished
in 1928.))
Clear Ponds ((Cleared in 18 or 19 c. A popular promenade.
In the 90s was a place of meetings of punks, goths, etc.))
Bast Works (Sq.) ((N.a. Novgorod district of the same name
at the time of Novgorod people migration to Moscow.
Lubyanka is also used to refer to FSB (KGB) headquartered
on this Sq. ))
Hunters Row (St.) ((N.a. merchants row where the meat of
wild animals and fowl were traded in 17 c.))
Lenin Library ((Currently Russian State Library, the largest
library in Russia founded in 1862.))
Kropotkin (anarchist) ((N.a. St renamed in 1921 in honour
of a renowned 19-c. anarchist theorist and geographer.))
Culture Park ((Culture and Leisure Park also known as
Gorky Park (opened in 1928).))
Frunze (revolutionary) ((N.a. nearby streets renamed in
1936 in honour of the Soviet statesman and military
commander in Civil War.))
Sports (n.a. Luzhniki) ((N.a. Luzhniki sport complex that
hosted 1980 Olympics.))
Vorobyov Mountains ((N.a. village n.a. boyars with the last
name deriving from 'sparrow'. Royal residence from 14 c.
to 18 c. A BC hillfort.))
University ((Moscow State University, founded in 1755, the
oldest in Russia.))
Vernadsky Ave. (scientist) ((A 19-20 c. scientist deemed to
be one of the founders of geochemistry, biogeochemistry
and radiogeology. Author of 'The Biosphere'.))
South-Western (district)
Troparionton ((N.a. village n.a. 14-c. owner - a boyar
diplomat nicknamed 'troparion'.))
Blushham (N.a. village probably n.a. founder nicknamed
'blush' or 'crimson'.)
Salarievton (N.a. village probably n.a. 14-c. owning
merchant family. First mentioned in 16 c.)).
2. GREEN
Khovryton (district) ((N.a. village n.a. renowned family n.a.
rich founder nicknamed 'khovra' (untidy). First mentioned
in 16 c.))
River Station ((North River Terminal (1937) is one of the 2
river stations in Moscow and a part of Moskva-Volga
channel infrastructure.))
Water Stadium ((Formerly an aquatics centre built in 1935,
currently a yacht club.))
Voykov (revolutionary), n.a. foundry. ((Rumour has it
Voykov was involved in the royal family execution, which
has led to calls to rename the station since the '90s. In
2015 53% voted against renaming.))
Falcon (Garden-city housing community). ((Garden city was
a worldwide 20-c. movement in urban planning. The
station could not be n.a. All-Saints village where it was
constructed due to ideological reasons.))
Airport ((Former airport at the site of Aviapark Mall.))
Dynamo (stadium) ((The home ground for Dynamo football
club.))
Belarus (railway station n.a. country) ((The station was
opened in 1870 as a main terminal of Moscow-Smolensk
railway that went on to current Belarus. Trains to Poland,
Germany and France depart from this station.))
Mayakovsky (poet) ((Renowned 20-c. avant-garde poet))
Tver (city) ((Tver, a city of 400,000, dating back to 11 c. A
major Medieval Russia principality. Origin of name
unknown, original form Tihveri corresponds to 'tihkua'
seeping and 'veri' blood (finn.) and similar Karelian
hydronyms.))
Theatres (n.a. square) ((Bolshoy (big) and Malyi (small)
theatres are situated on the Teatralnaya square.))
New Smiths ((A sloboda (a semi-autonomous settlement)
first mentioned in 1625.))
Pavelets (railway station n.a. town) ((A town in Ryazan
region n.a. either diminutive of 'Pavel' (Paul) or a
dialectism for 'spider'.))
Car Plant ((AMO ZiL – the Moscow Automotive Society –
Likhachov Plant. Founded in 1916 in connection with a
state procurement contract. Known for production of
lorries (trucks).))
Technology Park ((Nagatino i-Land, a major urban
development project of the Moscow government.))
Kolomenskoye (n.a. estate, museum and park) ((The
Kolomenskoye estate was situated on the path to the town
of Kolomna, Moscow region))
Kashira (highway/tract n.a.
region n.a. river, origin of the name unknown, balt. or turk.
First mentioned in 1356.))
Kantemirov (n.a. tank division) ((N.a. village of
Kantemirovka, Voronezh region, which it had liberated
from German troops.))
Tsarina's (estate, museum and park) ((N.a. Catherine the
Great, 18-c. empress.))
Hazelby (n.a. village) ((First mentioned in 16 c., excavated
Slavic settlements date to 12 c.))
Household-Old-Man-by ((N.a. village n.a. legendary nick
name. First mentioned in 1401.))
Red Guards (former district) ((Paramilitary volunteer
formations of Bolsheviks during the October Revolution
and Civil War in 1917.))
Alma-Ata (city) ((Alma-Ata -- the biggest city in Kazakhstan;
station named in exchange of gestures between the
countries with one of the Alma-Ata Metro stations
receiving the name 'Moscow'.))
3. BLUE
Schelkovo (highway) ((N.a. city in Moscow region n.a.
certain Sholokhov before 15 c., origin unknown.))
First of May (street) ((First of May (Labour day) -- an
important Soviet holiday.))
Izmaelovo (n.a. park, avenue) ((N.a. village known from
1389 and later as a royal estate, origin uncertain.))
Partisan ((Renamed in 2005: a nearby park is a place of
meeting of partisan (resistance) veterans of WWII.))
Semyonov (square) ((Known from 18 c. as a part of Peter
I's soldiers sloboda of the same name. The regiment
accommodated here was one of the two in Peter’s toy
army that went on to become imperial army.))
Electric Plant ((Moscow Electric Lamp Plant (1907) - the
oldest electronics industry enterprise in Russia.))
Bauman (revolutionary) ((Known for being killed in 1905
while leading a protest and shouting 'Away with the Tsar!'.
A bystanding monarchist tried to take away his flag,
Bauman attempted to shoot him, but the man
counterattacked 'exceeding necessary defence'.))
Kursk (railway station n.a. city) ((A city in Western Russia
with a population of ca. 450,000.))
Revolution Sq. ((Renamed in 1918 as a site of heated
confrontation during October Revolution (former
Resurrection Sq.).))
Suburbs (arab.) ((The name supposed to be given to the
area by Oriental merchants. A renowned pedestrian street
Arbat and a promenade on New ('Novyi') Arbat St. are
situated here.))
Smolensk (Sq. n.a. city) ((A former major market square
n.a. tract to the city of Smolensk. Known from 17 c., rapidly
developed when trade was moved to the city outskirts in
18 c.))
Kiev (railway station n.a. city) ((Kiev - a capital of Ukraine
(ca. 3 mln). Trains from the station (1899) go to the south
and south-west.))
Students (n.a. street) ((Students St. is home to a lot of
student dormitories (halls of residence).))
Victory Park ((A memorial complex dedicated to the victory
in the Great Patriotic War (Eastern front of WWII.)))
Slavic Bd. ((Nearby Slavic Bd. was named in honour of
'fraternal Slavic nations' in 1966.))
Titby (village) ((Kuntsevo - literally 'titby'. Residents of the
village were avid birders according to the famous Dahl
dictionary. A site of one the oldest settlements in the
territory of Moscow tracing back to 5 c.))
Youth (n.a. street) ((Street in former Kuntsevo renamed in
1962 when the city became a part of Moscow.))
Wingedbury (district n.a. village) ((Former village dating
back to 14 c., through most of its history belonged to the
crown.))
Spearfishton (district n.a. village) ((Former village first
mentioned in 16 c. Presumably n.a. founder nicknamed
Spearfish.))
Rootcellarby (district n.a. village) ((Former village first
mentioned in 18 c. presumably n.a. pits for storage of
vegetables.))
Lama Portage (n.a. avenue n.a. town) ((N.a. portage from
Lama river to the confluents of Moskva River lying on the
trade route from Novgorod. First mentioned in 12 c. The
oldest city in Moscow region.))
Mityaton (district n.a. village) ((First mentioned in 14 c.
'Mitya' is a short form of the popular name Dmitry.))
Friday Avenue (n.a. village) ((Formerly a part of a portage
route, in 17 c. the village became associated with the fairs
on the day of 'Paraskeva Pyatnitsa', a saint and a
personification of Friday ('pyatnitsa') that took in qualities
of former pagan deities.))
4. LIGHT-BLUE
Alexander Gardens (n.a. Alexander I) ((One of the first
urban public parks in Moscow (1812).))
Suburbs (arab.) (see line Blue, 3)
Smolensk (Sq. n.a. city) (see line Blue, 3)
Kiev (railway station n.a. city) (see line Blue, 3)
Trade fairs ((N.a. nearby Expocentre, a major center for
trade shows.))
'Moscow City' after the major business district it’s located
in.))
Kutuzov (avenue n.a. general) ((Commander-in-chief in the
war of 1812 with Napoleon. The Fili council on
surrendering Moscow took place in this district, many
streets of which bear names related to this war.))
Fili (district) ((N.a. village originally known as 'Hvilya', most
likely a dialectism for foul weather.))
Bagration (general) ((One of the most prominent figures in
the war of 1812 with Napoleon. Pro-partisan.))
Fili Park ((Several historic sites are located in the vast park
area. The park itself was founded in 17 c. by a Peter I's
relative.))
Pioneer ((N.a. Soviet 'pioneer' movement for children
indoctrination celebrating its anniversary around the time
the station was commissioned.))
5. BROWN (RING)
(stations not mentioned as part of other lines)
New Sloboda (St.) ((N.a. New Dmitrov sloboda (a semi-
autonomous settlement) (16-18 c.).))
Red Freshwater (St.) ((Formerly Big Freshwater St. n.a. a
nearby river. Renamed in 1918 for ideological reasons.))
Dobrynin (Sq.) ((Soviet-era name of Serpukhov Sq. (see
Serpukhov, line 9) referred to Dobrynin, an October 1917
revolutionary.)
6. ORANGE + 12. LIGHTEST BLUE
Bearton (village) ((N.a. its owner prince Pozharsky
nicknamed Medved ('bear') in 16 c.))
Babushkin (district) ((N.a. Mikhail Babushkin, a Soviet polar
aviator, b. 1893, that took part in many major expeditions
in the Arctic.))
Svibleton (district) ((N.a. owner, a boyar nicknamed ‘lispy’
or ‘tongue tied’ (old russ.) tracing his lineage to one of the
fellows of the famed count Dmitry Donskoy.))
Botanical garden ((Moscow Botanical Garden of Academy
of Sciences, 3.61 km2, founded in 1945.))
VDNKh ((A Soviet 'Exhibition of Achievements of National
Economy', currently a park and a venue for trade fairs.))
Alekseyton (n.a. village) ((First mentioned in 14 c. Aleksey
is a popular male first name.))
Riga (railway station n.a. city) ((Riga - a capital of Latvia, ca.
640,000. Trains from the station (1901) depart in the
north-western direction.))
World/Peace Avenue ((A common Soviet name for an
avenue after 1957 World Festival of Youth when the Soviet
Union opened its doors to foreigners for the first time to
visitors from 130 countries.))
Sukharev's (Sq.) ((N.a. Sukharev tower (1695) built on
Peter I's orders n.a. regiment that was headquartered here
and supported Peter during his sister Sofia's attempt to
dethrone Peter when he was 7 y.o.))
Turgenev (writer) ((19-c. writer, author of Fathers and
Sons. One of the first free libraries n.a. him is also located
here.))
China Town ((Contrary to the modern literal meaning of
'Kitay' (China), historically the name of this one-time
commerce district more likely owes to Tatar 'kitay' for
'middle' referring to a part of a city behind a second
defensive wall.))
Tretyakov (gallery) ((N.a. its founder Pavel Tretyakov, a 19-
c. businessman, patron of art, collector and
philanthropist.))
October (Sq.) ((A popular Soviet name commemorating
October 1917 revolution. The square was formerly n.a.
Kaluga (city).))
Shabolovka (St.) ((Ancient street n.a. village and estate of
Shashebaltsev family that had ceased to exist by the Time
of Troubles (1598-1613).))
Lenin Avenue ((Several modern streets and avenue
sections were combined to form an avenue n.a. the leader
of the 1917 revolution in 1957.))
Academic (n.a. district) ((N.a. drives across the territory
allotted for housing and institutes of the Academy of
Sciences in 20 c.))
Trade Unions (street) ((A Soviet-era name celebrating
trade unions on their anniversary in 1958.))
New Bird Cherries (district) ((N.a. village n.a. wasteland
and a gulley of the name Birdcherry in 16-17 c. A site of
many Slavic burial mounds.))
Kaluga (avenue) ((N.a. Kaluga, a city of ca. 340,000 to the
south-west of Moscow. Center of a wealthy industrial
region.))
Whiteby (district) ((N.a. village and wasteland first
mentioned in 17 c. A home of a notorious serial killer
noblewoman Saltychikha that was imprisoned for life in
1767 for abusive treatment of serfs.))
Littlehorseby (district) ((N.a. village and wasteland, name
origin unknown. Slavic settlements from 12 c.))
Warm Camp (district) ((N.a. villages with inns set up in 17
c. in wastelands around the tract to Kaluga.))
Ashby (district) ((N.a. village first mentioned in 14 c. as
Moscow prince Ivan Kalita's land. A historic estate of the
same name is situated here.))
New Ashtrees (avenue) ((N.a. same 'Yasenevo' (’Ashby’)
village.))
Bitza Park ((N.a. nearby Bitza Forest conservation area n.a.
river which name most likely derived from a word for
‘runaround river flow’. Infamous as a site of a serial killer
Pichushkin's activity in 2000s.))
Urban Forest ((N.a. nearby Bitza Park and Butovo Urban
Forest.))
Oldswinging St. ((N.a. village which name derives from
either 'swing' or 'pump', first mentioned in 17 c.))
Skobelev St. (general) ((N.a. famous military commander
known for the campaigns in Central Asia, Russo-Turkish
war of 1877-78 and liberation of Bulgaria.))
Admiral Ushakov Bd. ((N.a. the most prominent naval
commander of 18 c. that had 43 victories and 0 defeats.))
Gorchakov St. (diplomat) ((N.a. the famous 19-c. diplomat
and statesman, a foreign policy minister under Alexander
II.))
Bunin Alley (writer) ((N.a. 20-c. writer and poet, winner of
Noble Prize in 1933.))
7. PURPLE
Glider (street) ((Constructed on the site of a former polar
airfield, n.a. glider pilots of the Central aero club.))
Getoff (n.a. city) ((N.a. town in Moscow region n.a. river
which name, taking varied forms of 'get off sth' (for ships
or people on board), presumably related to portage routes
from Novgorod.))
Bulkton (n.a. district) ((N.a. village n.a. owner - a boyar
nicknamed Bulk in 15 c.))
Spartacus (stadium) ((Station was opened together with
the home stadium of 'Spartak' FC in 2014.))
Piketon (n.a. district) ((N.a. village n.a. owner - a man
nicknamed Pike (the name features in Novgorod birchbark
manuscripts). First mentioned in 1441-42.))
October Field ((N.a. field formerly known as 'Military' and
renamed in 1922 in honour of October Revolution.))
Polezhaev (n.a. engineer) ((Soviet engineer, builder in
Moscow Metro Construction and later its CEO.))
Horseracing ((N.a. railway platform n.a. Moscow
Hippodrome (1834).))
1905 St. ((Renamed in 1931 to commemorate the 1905
workers uprising, the main events of which unfolded in the
vicinity.))
Barricades (street) ((Renamed in 1919 to commemorate
street clashes with the state and barricades set up by
workers during the uprising of 1905.))
Pushkin (poet) ((A major 19-c. poet and writer considered
to be the founder of modern Russian literary language.))
Smiths Bridge (street) ((N.a. a bridge over river Neglinnaya
that was later put into a tunnel. The bridge was n.a. smiths
sloboda (a semi-autonomous settlement).))
China Town ((Contrary to the modern literal meaning of
'Kitay' (China), historically the name of this one-time
commerce district more likely owes to Tatar 'kitay' for
'middle', because it refers to a part of a city behind a
second defensive wall.))
Trivet ((N.a. 16-c. gate n.a. sloboda (a semi-autonomous
settlement) of trivet manufacturers.))
Proletarian ((N.a. former district renamed by the Soviets in
1929 from Mat (see also Ilyich Sq. (line 8). Workers of the
district took active part in the revolution.))
Volgograd Avenue (city) ((Renamed in 1964 after the city
in the South (also known as Stalingrad, renamed in 1962
"in response to public demand"). Formerly Oak Ridge,
Breakoffe, Eustace avenue.))
Textile workers (district) ((N.a. former town of textile
workers that developed by 1930s on the site of nearby
textile-related factories existing from 19 c.))
Cosmostead (district) ((N.a. estate n.a. area n.a. mill that
belonged to a certain Cosmos (surname: 'of Cosmo') in 16-
17 c. Settlements in the area date back to 13 c.)
Ryazan Avenue (city) ((A city to the south-east of Moscow,
ca. 540,000. Settlements from paleolithic times, Slavic city
in 6-8 c., modern city founded in 1095.))
Vykhino (district) ((N.a. village that emerged in 16 c. Name
origin unknown.))
Lermontov Avenue (poet) ((A 19-c. poet considerd to be
the most important after Pushkin, a main figure in Russian
Romanticism.))
Swindleton (district) ((N.a. village dating back to 1499 n.a.
a boyar nicknamed Swindler or Cheater (archaic form).))
Boilermakers (town) ((N.a. village, name origin unknown.
First mentioned in 17 c.))
8. YELLOW
New Mowing ((N.a. village first mentioned in 1401 near
the lakes of the same name; origin unknown, might be
from 'kosa', a scythe.))
New Weights ((N.a. village known from 16 c., name origin
unknown, might be from 'girya', weight piece.))
Featherby (district) ((N.a. city, former village and
wasteland known from 14 c. The name likely reflects on
history of hunting activity in the area, like other nearby
toponyms: Black Grouse Keepers, Honey-hunting.))
Enthusiasts Avenue ((In 1919 renamed after
revolutionaries and political prisoners that were sent to
Siberia by this road.))
Aircraft Engines ((N.a. The Central Institute of Aviation
Motor Development (1930).))
Ilyich Sq. ((Former name of a nearby Sq. referring to
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. Currently Mat Gateway Sq. (historic
name).))
Marxist (n.a. street) ((In 1919 a former 'Empty' St. was
renamed as 'marxist' according to the spirit of the times.))
Tretyakov (gallery) ((See line Orange, 6.))
Peter's Park ((Landscape park founded in 19 c. behind the
Peter's palace created by Catherine II. The palace imitated
Turkish style due to the foreign politics of the time.))
CSKA (sports club) ((CSKA - Central Sport Club of the Army
(1911). During the Soviet era the club became a part of the
Armed Forces sports society and still is run by the Ministry
of Defense. One of the oldest in Russia.)).
Fineby (avenue) ((N.a. village first mentioned in 1572.
Moscow princes estate since at least 14 c. The first stud
farm in Russia was established here by Ivan III.))
Shelepton (n.a. village) ((N.a. certain Shelepa (informal
personal name). Village known from 15 c.))
Victory Park (see line Blue, 3)
Minsk (city) ((N.a. Minsk, a 2.65-m. capital of Belarus, due
to its location in the city's west.))
Lomonosov Avenue (scientist) ((An 18-c. polymath (homo
universalis): scientist, writer. Among his discoveries is the
law of conservation of mass in chemical reactions.))
Ramenki (district) ((N.a. river n.a. an archaic word meaning
'a deep, dense forest'.))
9. GREY
Altufievton ((N.a. village most likely n.a. certain Altufievs
that used to own it. First mentioned in 1585.))
Beaverton ((Village (16 c.) name origin uncertain, probably
n.a. ancestor nicknamed 'Biber' (old form for ‘beaver').))
Joyful ((Bedroom suburb n.a. collective farm that had
occupied the area and belonged to the Timiryazev
agricultural academy.))
Reverend's (village) ((Village formerly known as Benjamin's
belonging to a royal family branch received its current
name when its last owner died heirless in 17 c. and the
land passed to the patriarch Nikon.))
Peter-Sensible's (village) ((A former estate bought by the
government in 19 c. to accommodate the Timiryazev
agricultural academy. Currently a conservation area.))
Timiryazev (scientist) ((Agricultural academy n.a.
Timiryazev, a renowned plant physiologist, occupies a large
part of the district of the same name.))
Dmitrov (city, avenue) ((The avenue is a former tract to the
city of Dmitrov founded in 12 c. by Yuri Dolgorukiy and n.a.
his newborn son.))
Savyolovo (railway station n.a. terminal station) ((N.a. male
name Saveliy, origin unknown.))
Mendeleev (chemist) ((A nearby university is n.a. famous
19-c. scientist and inventor that formulated the Periodic
Law.))
Coloured Bd. ((N.a. flower market in 19 c.))
Chekhov (writer) ((19 c. writer and playwright, author of
The Seagull, Three Sisters, The Cherry Orchard, short
stories.))
Pine Wood (Kremlin tower) ((The tower's name derives
from an ancient pine wood that covered one of the 7 hills
of Moscow.))
Small Lawn (streets) ((Contrary to the contemporary
meaning of the word 'polyanka' (little glade or lawn) , the
street received its name from the ‘fields’ from the edges of
which it ran in 18 c.))
Serpukhov (city) ((Currently a town of 125,000, dates back
to 14 c. As many other settlements to the south of
Moscow, served as a fortress in the times of Mongol
invasion.))
Tula (city) ((A city to the south of Moscow (ca. 500,000). A
major ironworks center in imperial times. First mentioned
in 12 c.))
Nagatino (village) ((Former village first mentioned in 14 c.,
name origin unknown.))
Nakhimov Ave. (admiral) ((A famous Crimean War admiral,
a commander during the Siege of Sevastopol (lost) and in
the Battle of Sinop naval victory over the Ottomans.))
Sevastopol (city, avenue ((A city in Crimea of ca. 435,000
founded in 1783 by Catherine II's edict. Ancient
settlements in the territory of current Sevastopol date
back to 6 BC.))
Chertanovo (village) ((Origin uncertain, may be from Great
Abatis Line (chain of fortifications from Tatar raids).))
Southern
Prague (city) ((The station was built with participation of
Czech architects and engineers.))
Academician Yangel St. (engineer) ((A Soviet scientist and
missile designer.))
Ann's (village) ((Former village known from 19 c. n.a.
certain Ann: the patron Saint Ann or Princess Ann (wife of
the founder)).)
Dmitry Donskoy Bd. (prince) ((Moscow 14-c. prince Dmitry
Donskoy is known for being the first to challenge Tatars
and for defeating them in the Battle of Kulikovo.))
10. SALAD GREEN
Seliger (lake) ((N.a. war efforts during the Battle of
Moscow (WWII) by Lake Seliger – name origin is uncertain,
partly from finn. 'jarvi' (lake).))
Upper Wicked Pine Woods ((N.a. villages and river most
likely n.a. woods (literally 'dangerous pine woods') where
bandits dwelled on the route to Dmitrov.))
Fonvizin (St, writer) ((N.a. 18-c. playwright and statesman,
author of satirical comedies.))
Butyr (n.a. district) ((N.a. village n.a. an archaic word for 'a
settlement separated from a city by a forest or a field'.
First mentioned in 14 c.))
Mary's Grove (district) ((N.a. either Maria's sloboda (a
semi-autonomous settlement) or a female gang leader (up
to 18 c. the area was part of the woods where bandits
dwelled).))
Dostoevsky (St, writer) ((A famous 19-c. writer who lived
on the nearby street renamed in his honour in 1954.))
Pipe (n.a. Sq.) ((The square's name is related to Neglinnaya
river, which was put into a 'pipe' (tunnel) in 19 c.))
Presentation of Jesus Bd. ((N.a. nearby monastery founded
in 1397 in honour of victory over Timur, a Turco-Mongol
invader. Functioning.))
Chkalov (pilot) ((N.a. St. (of the same name at the design
stage) n.a. a Soviet test pilot that took a pioneering flight
over the North Pole (8811 km/5475mi) from Moscow to
Vancouver.))
Roman ((A stylistically 'experimental' station paying
homage to the city of Rome. Features a fountain.))
Peasants' Gateway (Sq.) ((Renamed in 1919. Formerly the
Sq. of Saviour (Transfiguration) Gateway.))
Oak Forest (district) ((N.a. village known from 14 c. n.a. oak
woods. A common toponym in Central Russia.))
Leathermantle (district) ((N.a. St. n.a. village n.a. someone
nicknamed Kozhukh ('leather mantle'). A clerk of this name
is mentioned in records in 1489.))
Print workers (district) ((Contrary to the modern literal
meaning, thought to be n.a. village n.a. certain 16-c.
serviceman Pechatnikov.))
Volga (Bd., river) ((N.a. the river because of its south-
eastern location. Volga is the longest and one of the
largest rivers in Europe. The name derives from Proto-Slav.
'wetness'.))
Fondly loved (district) ((N.a. village that received this name
in 18 c., apparently due to fashion for all things pastoral.))
Bratislava (St, city) ((N.a. the capital of Slovakia 'in honour
of Russo-Slovak friendship'.))
Mary's (district) ((N.a. village presumably n.a. its founder
Maria, the mother of Ivan III. First Slavic settlements date
to 12 c.))
Boriston (n.a. village) ((Probably populated from 12 c.
Renamed after Boris Godunov, a member of the royal
family, when it was granted to him for the victory over a
Crimean khan.))
Shipilovo (n.a. St) ((N.a. village, name origin unknown.
Might be related to 'to hiss'. First mentioned in 16 c, Slavic
settlements from 12 c.))
Chaffinchby (district) ((N.a. village first mentioned in 17 c
which name most likely derives from a chaffinch bird.))
11. 2nd RING
Peter's Park (see line Yellow, 8)
CSKA (sports club) (see line Yellow, 8)
Fineby (avenue) (see line Yellow, 8)
Shelepton (n.a. village) (see line Yellow, 8)
Business Center ((The ‘Moscow City’ business district
featuring skyscrapers.))
11A. SEAWAVE BLUE
Kashira (see line Green, 2)
Warsaw (avenue) ((The 19-c. avenue n.a. Warsaw, a 1.7-m.
capital of Poland, most likely because it went over the old
tract that turned west to Poland.))
Kakhov (St.) ((N.a. village in Ukraine where Red Army
stopped the advance of Vrangel's White Army in 1920.))
12. LIGHTEST BLUE
See line Orange, 6.
(13. MONORAIL)
14. PINK (MCR) MOSCOW LITTLE RING RAILWAY
Panfilov (n.a. street) ((A general known for his command
during the defense of Moscow at WWII.))
Streshnevo ((N.a. village n.a. noble Streshnev family of 16-
19 c. Last name origin unknown, most likely Russian.))
Baltic ((N.a. Baltic St. due to the controversy surrounding
Voykov after whom the district was named in Soviet time
(see Voykovskaya, line 2).))
Sooton ((N.a. wasteland and, earlier, village n.a. either
Koptev family or a 15-c. boyar nicknamed 'Kopot' (soot).
First mentioned in 16 c.))
Wicked Pine Woods (see Upper Wicked Pine Woods, line
10)
Circumferential
Reverend's (see line Grey, 9)
Botanical garden ((Moscow Botanical Garden of Academy
of Sciences, 3.61 km2, founded in 1945.))
Forkby (district) ((N.a. village that sat on two rivers, Yauza
and its trbutary Goryainka, forming a fork.))
Whitestone ((Descriptive name for a station that was
constructed (1908) in the territory of a Moose Island
national park.))
Rokossovsky Bd. (see line Red, 1)
Locomotive (stadium) ((N.a. football club of the Moscow-
Kazan railway team, founded in 1922, one of the oldest in
Russia.))
Izmaelovo (park, avenue) ((N.a. village known from 1389
and later as a royal estate, origin uncertain.))
Falcon mountain (district) ((N.a. hawking facilities of the
17-c. tsar Alexis, an avid hunter.))
Enthusiasts Avenue ((In 1919 renamed after
revolutionaries and political prisoners that were sent to
Siberia by this road.))
Andronton ((N.a. village n.a. some Andron (a variation of
Andrew).))
Nizhny Novgorod (St, city) ((N.a. a railway station n.a. big
city to the east of Moscow (ca. 1,265,000).))
New Forelockton (St) ((N.a. village n.a. man nicknamed
Forelock. First mentioned in 17 c.))
Ugresha (St) ((N.a. Ugresha monastery, located on the
route to it. The monastery's name derives from the
founder Dmitry Donskoy's legendary quote about his
'heart warming' pious dream he had there.))
ZIL (plant) (see line Green, 2 – Car Plant)
Upper Cauldrons (village) ((First mentioned in 14 c. being a
frequent transfer point and place of meeting of visitors of
the capital.))
Crimean ((N.a. St and bridge n.a. a court where Crimean
khan's embassies often stayed in 17-18 c.))
Gagarin Sq. (cosmonaut) ((Famous Soviet cosmonaut, the
first human in outer space.))
Meadow workers ((N.a. vast fields near the river and
nearby slobodas of people who worked them. The stadium
of the same name (Luzhniki) is located here.))
Kutuzov (avenue) (see line Light-Blue, 4)
Business Center (see line 2nd Ring, 11)
Shelepton (see line 2nd Ring, 11)
nd
Fineby (see line 2 Ring, 11)
Polezhaev (see line Purple, 7)
Sorge (St) ((N.a. a Soviet spy Zorge (Sorge in English) that
worked in Nazi Germany and in the Empire of Japan and
tried to warn the USSR of the imminent invasion by
Hitler.))
EXPLANATION OF APPROACH:
This map is for entertainment and serves as an interesting
perspective on the historic context of the city. However, it
can be grounds for further research by the reader when he
is interested in anything particular.
Basically, in my translation of the name of a station I am
guided by the word that gave such station its name,
whether it’s a place, a person, event, etc. I do not refer to
the origins of such place or person or their names. They
are often covered in the explanatory section where I go a
little beyond the surface.
I should also note that this is not a history book and I try to
stick to my ‘name-explaining’ approach in the descriptions
so I just say a few words about who or what was important
enough to give the station its name, and if it’s something
random, such as a village that happened to be situated in
the area, I focus on its name origin, in a manner similar to
that employed in respect of the names of the stations
themselves. After all, in case of villages (districts) their
names are identical to the names of the stations, so there
is nothing meaningful I can do but translate the name of
the village (district) itself.
Examples: in case of, say, Chekhov, I write about him, not
of his name origin, because he himself gave a place (a
station) the name. In case of Semyonov (Sq.), if you look at
the history of the station, its name happens to refer to the
square, not to the village, sloboda, regiment or anything
else related to this square. The fact is they all share a
history: some nearby Semyonov tsar’s estate gave name to
the famous Peter’s regiment that gave name to the
settlement that gave name to the square, but why this
estate was called ‘Semyonov’s’ is actually unknown. So if
you plainly look at the name, even if you know the history,
it is just Semyonov (not Semyonov’s because there is no
tradition of making relative adjectives in English language,
especially possessive, for names of streets, stations, etc.
and I tried to stay away from it). I could name the station
Semyonov regiment, or Semyonov sloboda, but then it
would not be the name of the station and, unfortunately,
not even why it was named so. This is why I mention what
is most peculiar about that Semyonov neighbourhood in
the description, but not in the name. It’s also not
Semyon(‘s) because all of the names above refer to
Semyonov, not Semyon, otherwise the village would have
been called ‘Semyonovo’. And I did not choose an
immediate translation such as ‘Simon’s’, too, because this
is jumping over history, and when translating the stations
names I was trying to focus on unraveling the names layer
by layer, so to speak. In this case no one cares about Simon
(Semyon), because there is more immediate importance of
things that got their name from the village (?) that was
named after his supposed descendant Semyonov. They are
all Semyonov’s: settlement/sloboda, estate, regiment,
square, streets. Actually, we don’t even know why
Semyonov estate was called like this, so we should not talk
about ancestors at all. This means the translation that
deep is impossible. Example 3: Kuzminki. In this case it’s
just name->surname->village=station. So, the station’s
name is the same as the village’s and we get to do name
origin research. At least there is nothing left behind in an
era midway from antiquity to modern times, as Semyonov
objects would be in the example 2 if they gave way to
obscure and unfounded Semyon.
So, these are the general principles. Of course, there’s such
a variety of names on the map that sometimes I deviate a
bit, because the rules cannot be well applicable to
everything. I still tried to stay close to the concept and may
be I’ll be revising it, so, enjoy and comment.