The “Zaliznychnyk” (Railwayman) palace was built to a design by architect Alexander Dmitriev between 1927 and 1932. It is The design of its façade was inspired by a unfurling banner.a monument of national architectural significance in the Constructivist style and originally was named “The Workers’ Palace”.
The design of its façade was inspired by a unfurling banner.
Despite its ‘reinforced concrete’ appearance, the Palace is built of brick, and some researchers describe it as one of the few buildings in Kharkiv that is not so much in the Constructivist style as in Art Deco; this ‘Art Deco’ character is particularly evident in the interior.
The building’s interiors are truly astonishing in their opulence, as befits a palace—marble, labradorite, granite, and plenty of brass fittings…
The highlight of the interiors is the murals by Yevgeny Yevgenyevich Lansere, son of the remarkable sculptor Yevgeny Alexandrovich Lansere and brother of Zinaida Serebryakova.
During the Second World War, the murals were damaged and in the 1950s were covered with screens bearing images of Khrushchev and Lenin.
In the 1970s, the murals were restored, but the work was carried out unprofessionally, and as a result, they were covered up again. It was not until 2011–2012 that a second, higher-quality restoration was carried out.
The main concert hall. Its stalls could accommodate 813 spectators.
Behind the main hall there was a separate gymnasium hall.
There was also a restaurant on the left side of the building, and an auditorium on the right.
The modern double-glazed windows on the façade of the Cultural Centre are an interesting feature. Fortunately, they have retained the shape of the old window frames, and only the external windows have been replaced; the internal windows remain the original wooden ones.
Architect Alexander Dmitriev designed the South Railway Administration building on Pryvokzal’na Square. The architect’s name can be seen on a plaque at the entrance to the ‘Zaliznychnyk’ Palace. The design calculations were carried out by engineer N.N. Aistov.
The Old South Railway Museum, located inside the Palace, houses the original large-scale drawing of the administration building, produced by Dmitriev.
Unrealized design for the Southern Railway Palace of Technology (1933)
The old Southern Railway Museum in the ‘Zaliznychnyk’ Palace has been preserved, although it has shared some of its exhibits with the new museum, which opened in 2014 near the Kharkiv Railway Station.
The museum features a diorama depicting the WWII battles for Kharkiv railway station, charming models of the main stations on the route from Kharkiv to Kyiv, and many other historical artefacts.
19th-century station bell
Kyiv Railway Station:
Kharkiv Railway Station
The main concert hall
Until recently, the palace hosted numerous children’s clubs and educational groups, as well as concerts and performances.
As a result of a Russian missile strike in March 2022, the building was damaged and lost most of its windows.
On 18 August 2022, the building was hit by a second missile strike.
The main concert hall was destroyed, and a fire broke out in the building.
Video of the fire being extinguished: