Why Soviet Bus Stops Look Weird

[@IMPERIALYT]

By clicking my link www.piavpn.com/imperial you’ll get an 83% discount on Private Internet Access! That’s just $2.03 a month, AND you’ll also get 4 extra months completely for free!

[@Dev1nci]

I feel like you put as much passion into making this documentary as those architects put into making those bus-stops.

[@GlennDavey]

Good video but the part where you suddenly started talking about private internet access was bizarre and off-topic and you misspelled Union in the video thumbnail. Keep trying one day you'll get there.

[@IMPERIALYT]

@@GlennDavey uhh sir, the misspelling of "Union" in the thumbnail is the joke. Also, I need to make a living if I hope to continue making content - PIA is helping with that.

[@GlennDavey]

The irony of you explaining the joke to ME @@IMPERIALYT

[@carkawalakhatulistiwa]

​@@IMPERIALYTSoviet metro stasion . The palace of the pople also great

[@thenorthernphilosopher]

One ofthe major reasons for these bus stops to exist and to be so unique and incoherent with common architectural practices is that a lot of them were architectural master thesis works, where students enjoyed quite a large room for independent art. Obviously, for them it was the only opportunity to show their architectural palette and style before being heird by a buro.

[@longiusaescius2537]

Exactly

[@davisdelp8131]

So go bold or go home

[@Peizxcv]

And where do American architectural students show off their architectural palette after graduation? The endless McMansions? Glass cladded luxury highrises? Government buildings?

[@darthvader7684]

Now that’s really fucking cool, a way to involve up and coming architects in real projects without sending someone starting off on something go difficult or major

[@TheAllMightyGodofCod]

​@@Peizxcvit depends. It depends on which American country you are talking about. Are you talking about Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua, Mexico, Canada? Or another American country? Architectural classes, thesis and work vary wildly depending on which American country you are referring to.

[@GURken]

You could mentioned that Khrushchev's direction to get rid of architecture ornaments and form was not because of his will or twisted mind, but because USSR at that time still was in a process of rebuilding the whole country after WWII. There was no time and money for extravagant buildings. Many people still lived in wooden shelters.

[@olliefoxx7165]

That's a good point. Alot of damage had been done during the war and tens of millions needed places to live. Getting them housing was a high priority.

[@davidjohnson5635]

And why pray tell were they still so horrifically poor? Khrushchev was definitely an improvement over his predecessor but this is like growing up in the Philippines (which I have) and hearing someone say that the reason why everyone was so poor after the dictator Marcos is because they had to focus on better things. True but only half of the story.

[@deeplowdock2727]

​@@davidjohnson5635 by which standard? Soviet citizens were poorer than citizens of the West, but still better than the rest of the world. And western europe was more rich because of the US and its help through Marshall Plan. And don't forget the fact that soviets were cut from international market. So basically they were the first in terms of relying on themselves.

[@olliefoxx7165]

@deeplowdock2727 You made good points however the Soviet Union had vast resources and access to alot of markets. I think the lack of accountability in an authoritarian govt was a huge problem for them. Corruption flourishes in such a govt and that affects efficiency, productivity and quality. The USSR did achieve fantastic achievements in science, art, music, mathmatics and technology. However, they couldn't keep up with the efficiency, innovation, science and quality of the West. It seems that Russia has learned from these mistakes in many areas. Their people seem happier and their quality of life seem better.

[@deeplowdock2727]

@@olliefoxx7165 USSR was a resource-rich country but you're right that its government didn't use it for its full potential. By putting themselves as a forefront of a communist future Russia wasted a lot to gain political points here and there. Some of which ended tragically like for example when USSR donated 1.5 million tons of grain to Poland, Czechoslovakia and Romania after WWII, which hurt soviets back when famine of 1946 came. Also it only had access to markets that were vastly inferior to the West in terms of purchasing power. That's why you won't find a business class Lada or a high-end electronics from there - there was no need to make these things because there was no one to sell them to. So the only way was to improve its own market which was much harder without external investments.

[@manugamer9984]

There’s another important reason why not only bus stops but public transport in general had to look cool, the same reason why the Moscow Metro is so opulent: public transport in the USSR was a service granted by the state to the workers, a stage for the state to show its best. People walk into and out of those tunnels every day, and though in a hurry they are inevitably having a look around. That was the perfect place for the state to show it cared for the people: every worker entering Arsenal’na Station after an exhausting day could walk into that magnificent building and think the state spared no expense for him and his comrades.

[@carkawalakhatulistiwa]

When bus tiket only 5 sen. And car 10.000 Rubel. and the average annual income is 1.800 Rubel . if you use the bus 2x a year every day only spend 36 Rubles. at this time the Soviets collapse .cheap cars invaded the market . and destroying public transportation, lacking funds and maintenance.

[@geilleadh4852]

the Moscow metro was designed and built under Stalin's reign, which tended to favour more ornate and decorative designs.

[@dickystrike6966]

​@@carkawalakhatulistiwa wrong. Mr.Eltsin got his popularity in Soviet Moscow by showing that he rides same people movers. In 80s all the busses, trolleybusess, trams and commutetrains were extremely owercrowded and poorly maintained (due to lack of repairs not to vandalism like in NY subway). Keeping mass transit in this poor condition led to riots against the Party and the USSR in a few short years before collapse.

[@dickystrike6966]

​@@geilleadh4852this topic is aclually regardin Leningrads metro. Moscow metro in it's beauty was constructed under comrade Kaganovich. Jewish guy that was cancelled from soviet history due to his atrocities on fellow workers. Check at least wiki on comrade Kaganovich if interested in Moscow metro.

[@YourLifeWillForeverBeALie]

Bro sounds like a middle school communist who has never touched the communist manifesto and always says "blyat" 💀💀💀

[@vladvladislav4335]

1:50 You missed the most important point! After the "architectural excesses" were denounced by Khrushchev, small-scale project like murals, mosaicks and *the bus stops* were effectively *the only possibility* for architects to express themselves. There was no decree from above which commanded them to make those bus stops unique, this was a grassroots initiative which later turned into its own culture

[@IMPERIALYT]

I do say at the end that one of the likely reasons that these bus stops were built was because they were small enough to not be subject to the same level of scrutiny, but I wanted to maintain the level of mystery for a bit longer so I waited until the end of the video to reveal that hahah. Hope you still enjoyed the vid!

[@mpouhahahha]

the edit is just frustating @@IMPERIALYT

[@maksiksq]

In reality these are incredibly rare. Most bus stops in USSR were just places that everyone agreed to stop (with no actual bus stop). According to my father our street was a very important street in our village and there's still an abandoned bus just sitting on the crossroad yet with no actual bus stop.

[@iam8401]

Back in USSR every bus stop was built to code, it was empire not colony like Russia today

[@laff__8821]

@@iam8401 "It was empire not colony" ????

[@iam8401]

@@laff__8821It was, your gov spent $10 trillion of your taxes fighting it. Have you seen American debt? 10 trillion in Vietnam and Cold War + $ 20 trillion in AFG, LYB, Iraq.. = you paying $1 trilliion to your elite in interest + 1 trillion for next war, In Ukraine now.... Congressrats loot you country and move money to Israel, it owns you too now. as well as Russia.

[@laurensa.1803]

In Sovjet Union Bus stops you?

[@NenadKralj]

Exactly 😅 In Soviet Russia 🪆 you don't choose the bus stop; the bus stop chooses you 😅

[@henrymelon8781]

Honestly within the context of post WW2 USSR the utilitarian approach to architecture makes a lot of sense. Most would’ve preferred to live in a functional but bleak home than none at all.

[@omgnelonr1631]

Also that was generally a characteristic of brutalist architecture. Those commie blocks or other kinds of huge concrete constructions usually with many geometric elements were part of brutalist architecture which started in post WW2 Britain, spread to many countries but in most countries died out except for many socialist countries.

[@capitaljushman5756]

that must be why they built a 237 meter building dedicated to a cult of personality in the middle of the smoldering remains of Warsaw

[@omgnelonr1631]

@@capitaljushman5756 This has to be the strawman of al strawmans.

[@capitaljushman5756]

@@omgnelonr1631 *relevant topic* "STRAWMAN!!!1!"

[@omgnelonr1631]

@@capitaljushman5756 The statue isn't relevant. It doesn't have anything to do with bus stops or brutalist architecture.

[@ironwheal]

Bus stops were considered too small and unimportant, and thus were usually left to students of architecture for their course and graduation projects.

[@franciscocesar2402]

Unimportant yet with millions invested in them,meanwhile my bustop is a sign next to a road

[@ironwheal]

@@franciscocesar2402 in the plan economy with state-owned everything investment does not really work that way)) but yes, these resources could've been put to much better use just about anywhere else.

[@hugodesrosiers-plaisance3156]

The artistic direction on this one is impressive. The bus stops on small discs of grassy road, very classy.

[@12theotherandrew]

Russian roads have undergone massive countrywide improvements in the last 15 years, along with improvements in bus and train services that would make Brits cry! I watched it, as I read about the disintegration of the same in the U.K.

[@Paul-vi3on]

I just wished he'd included some real-world pictures instead of _only_ those heavily edited or computergenerated models.

[@SanctusPaulus1962]

​@@12theotherandrew And yet many Russians in rural areas don't even have electricity or running water. What's up with that? Russian soldiers in Ukraine have been stealing basic shit like washing machines.

[@12theotherandrew]

@@SanctusPaulus1962 That’s not my experience of rural Russia. Yes, some far remote settlements in Siberia probably lack such services, but look at the distances involved, and the sparse population. As for stealing washing machines, that’s a fantasy of western propaganda. Do you really imagine soldiers stuffing a washing machine into their pockets?

[@SanctusPaulus1962]

@@12theotherandrew There's literally security footage of Russian soldiers loading washing machines into their trucks and driving off. Look it up. This isn't something that you can deny as "propaganda" when there's literal proof. Let me guess - you also think that all the very well documented war crimes that the Russian army has committed in Ukraine is also "western propaganda" despite the mountain of evidence which proves otherwise?

[@alexanderf8451]

That "onion" is clearly an upside down light bulb. Perhaps there was a factory nearby that made them?

[@IMPERIALYT]

Yep, I mentioned that in the description - I just couldn't pass up on the Soviet Onion pun.

[@olliefoxx7165]

I liked the design. It's unique.

[@Imperial_Lizardgirl]

​@@IMPERIALYTShould pass the pun, you've made the big mistake.

[@tikimillie]

@@IMPERIALYTlove that pun/ reference

[@therealspeedwagon1451]

⁠@@olliefoxx7165I like the design because it is unique but also seems to have utilitarian value. It has a roof and it shelters you on all sides from the elements as you wait for the bus. It also appears to have the ability to be mass produced if need be and could’ve been placed in every single city like any other cookie cutter concrete bus stop.

[@lexus0888]

You know it's a good day when Imperial has uploaded a video.

[@cottontheeastercottontailr265]

Get more original comments please.

[@adriano2308]

swear to fucking god. im over here just, happy.

[@KOzel2008]

NPC behavior 💀

[@lexus0888]

True@@KOzel2008

[@v.prestorpnrcrtlcrt2096]

​@CaliforniaHigh-SpeedRailaside from the Lexus, nobody else comes across as happy. Rather a queer bunch that needs to tell the Lexus what to say. Isn't that *nice? *13th century meaning.

[@georgflausch]

The bus stop with the horseman srarue is especially impressive and puzzling - it's acrually Saint George, killing the dragon. The top end of his lance is even shaped like a cross Now, the USSR wasn't exactöy keen om promoting Christian saints. So the architect who designed this was eiither extremely brazen, or he had the backing of someone who really liked this design, for whatever reason. Maybe it was an unusual attempt to utilize tradition: This depiction of Saint George was the coat-of-arms of Moscow until 1918, and it is again now. But perhaps this connection is a bit far-fetched. A truely baffling Soviet bus stop.

[@alexanderf8451]

That is definitely the weirdest one because that art is so specifically "St George and the Dragon" that it couldn't passed off as anything else. It is located near what is now Georgia which, while apparently not named for St George, seems to be a big fan of the saint today. Perhaps it was far enough on the periphery that the central government didn't care and the local Orthodox church wanted it.

[@12theotherandrew]

You have failed to understand the meaning of St George in the Slavic culture. The Christians just repurposed him.

[@ShearWave-g5r]

Also a treasure chest is a reference for a common russian fairy-tale

[@yumallah]

The answer is simple - it's not Soviet. While the bus stop was built during the USSR, the horseman statue was added already in Post-Soviet days.

[@Mohamed_amin120]

The Soviet Union really lowered the anti-religion stuff after ww2

[@TheMachinery.]

Absolutely stunning, what a sensational filmmaker you are, you managed to make a video about bus stops that is captivating, thought provoking and utterly hypnotic. I sincerely hope I see a lot more from this channel

[@anvi8189]

Great video as always, with an ever increasing production quality, keep it up!

[@lknight1266]

I’m curious as to why 3d models were predominately used to show the bus stops and not actual photographs/videos from real life

[@IMPERIALYT]

Footage is exceptionally rare and the photos are copyrighted

[@lknight1266]

@@IMPERIALYT well then I guess be a gigachad and go to each bus stop and take photos/vids yourself just for a KZbin video. The 3d models looked great btw

[@malkavianloner8808]

soooo you-tube wont let you use Google pictures huh?

[@zonuphaon]

Zero maintenance will show they are a shadow of their former selves and poor representation of the original vision.

[@gamermapper]

@@IMPERIALYT aren't there many photos made back in Soviet times? These aren't liked to be copyrighted, since the modern idea of copyright was a purely Western, capitalist concept, not really liked that much by socialists and communists. Because one of their main ideas was that sharing and caring.

[@ahzrukal4603]

I live in a "Commie Block" in East Berlin. Here we just call it "Plattenbau" = "plate construction". It's cheap, enough space to house your standard 2 adults and their 1,82 children and they're still being taken care of to this day. It's not the most prestigeous thing but it's way more cost efficient than a house and it can house way more people than a row of houses, for way cheaper. I honestly think, that it's a shame, that they are not still being constructed to this day because the housing market in Berlin is fucking terrible and I think, they'd definetely help the situation, instead of continuing to build prestige objects, which only a veeeeery small amount of the population can afford. The term "Commie Block" is obviously derogatory and I get how people could think, that they're not very aesthetically pleasing but I honestly don't mind it. All in all I'm a big fan of this kind of housing, because it actually helps the people, unlike those overpriced flats, constructed directly at the Spree (a river), which no one can afford. ONly thing, internet is a little slow here, because they weren't really built for it but otherwise I don't have any complaints

[@robandrews4815]

A lot of our cities-here in the US-have thousands of homeless, who would like to get in a "commie block" type of apartment.

[@ProfBoggs]

I lived in Berlin as a student and researcher in Berlin in 1994-95 and 2002. Housing was especially inexpensive in the former eastern sector. There was much upgrading already in those times , though when I was last there in ca. 2014, I was shocked by how much gentrification took place in the formerly low-rent neighborhoods. I can only imagine it has gotten noch teurer.

[@ahzrukal4603]

@@ProfBoggs yeah it has gotten really fucking expensive. I hear from colleagues, that their children just can't find a place of their own. Only thing, that is available are these overpriced pieces of sh- äh I mean prestige objects. If you don't have the most well paying career, then fuck you. There are however still some places untouched by gentrification and people from other parts of Germany, who want to live in Berlin and I live in one of those places. One of those places were a large part of the population is still socialist and the largest part of old people used to be in the Stasi and/or NVA (which is East Germany's Army). It's like you're living in a different time period but you can visit the "normal" one any time. But it won't be this way for long. They've already torn down our garages, in order to build a huge appartment complex, which will probably be very expensive, due to the desirable location for families. At the very latest point, which is, when my generation dies, the unique atmosphere of this place will go extinct and it will be like any other place, probably even before that. City's not really interested in providing affordable and efficient housing, but to make the city look nicer and richer, than it actually is. They want to create this grand illusion, which no one will believe. You can say about the DDR what you want but I think, that they did housing way better back then, than all the private companies and incompetent city planners of today, who all just want to make big money. Berlin could be used as a perfect device in a hypothetical socialism vs capitalism argument. I can only say, that most people I know, liked the DDR better, because they had a higher standard of living, than they do today. Even with more bananas than today

[@Aaliyashi]

The problem with just replacing everything with commie blocks (or whatever we want to call them), is precisely that it creates a ton of compact living space. This will create a very population dense city, which honestly is a terrible place to live. Instead I think people should take it as a hint when a city becomes too expensive to live in, and find somewhere else to settle that is much more healthy for them, instead of just piling more tiny apartments on top of each other. I know it's not all so simple and there's reasons you want to live in the city. In my opinion though, society should focus on making it easier to live outside the few main cities, instead of focusing on constantly stuffing more people into them and neglect everything else. For one thing having regular, reliable high-speed train connections to some adjacent smaller towns would make it more manageable for students to live outside the university city.

[@ahzrukal4603]

@@Aaliyashi The problem aren't the normal people, who "overcrowd" Berlin (Berlin isn't nearly overcrowded in the first place but I'll just ignore that, for the sake of the argument. Even in places where a lot of these types of buildings are, they are not overcrowded), it's private building companies, the city's administration and rich people from outside of Berlin. "Commie Blocks" are obviously not very aesthetically pleasing but the city's government wants Berlin to be a prestigious city, thus they almost exclusively build really expensive places, which can house less people, has the same size as an apartment in a "Commie Block" for more money and are generally not really better for the price they cost to build and live in. It's just inefficient housing. The problem now arises, that people, who grew up in Berlin from the second they were born, are unable to afford housing because the only vacant appartments are the new expensive ones because no one can actually afford them. These things only attract wealthy people from outside of Berlin, who think living in Berlin is "hip" and "cool" without actually having to experience Berlin, because they can just throw money at every problem. These shitty new and expensive flats just add more people to the city, while "Commie Blocks" would just house people, who are already born and raised here. Think about it, no rich asshole would come to Berlin, because they want to live in old Soviet architecture. Even if Berlin was overcrowded, this would only make it worse. Also I think that people, who have actually spent their whole lives in Berlin, should be allowed and be able to continue living here. Telling them to just move to the country side or another city, isn't really the solution here. Berlin and Germany overall have a very complex post world war 2 history. The East and the West are still very different places today, the people are different and the integration of East Berlin into West Berlin and East Germany into West Germany is even more complex and didn't go off without a hitch. You can't really approach this problem with the american way of thinking. Both east and west berliners would rather start a civil war with the rest of Germany, than hand over the city to some rich people from other parts of Germany. We're happy to share with all kinds of foreigners and refugees, who have no other choice but people, who come here willingly, when they could live literally anywhere else, that's where we draw the line. You can not urge or force berliners to move out of Berlin, we'll hang you for such blasphemy. We also have good train connections to smaller towns, that's not even a german problem. On that front, we're pretty good connected, except for when you live in some god forsaken village at the ass of the world but even then, there will still be public transport. As I've said: You can't approach this the american way at all, we have entirely different problems and most importantly history. Things will still be messy in a hundred years from now. This tend to happen, when you split a country in two and let it be controlled by different great powers, each trying to further their own influence. The consequences of that history didn't just magically disappear, when Germany was re-united. It created a whole set of new problems on top of that. You've said it yourself: "I know it's not all so simple [...]" You can't just take people from one place and move them to another. The city also has many things many people need to actually survive. There's a lot of poverty here, if you'd move these people to some village, they'd become homeless and starve to death. The country side is the country side for a reason. If you'd develop it, to have all the amenities of a city, then it'd just be another city

[@haydenrhysliutono5352]

Damn if only all the bus stops all looked like these. World would be at least 2% better

[@respectyourgrandma2410]

Indeed!

[@Jehty_]

It would be 100% worse. A bus stop without a roof 🤦‍♀️ which idiot allowed that to happen.

[@PavltheRobot]

Unless you happen to commute under one without roof 💀

[@respectyourgrandma2410]

@@PavltheRobot BAHHA fr😂

[@Canleaf08]

it would add some identity to some areas. In Canada, a lot of bus stops are just street corners or benches imported from the states.

[@hermandzialendzik7296]

The video is great, as always. There is, however, a problem with the map when the "autonomous republics" are shown (8:05). Estonia, for instance, is missing from the map entirely, and some republics, notably the Baltic ones ± Belarus, are simply mislabeled. I hope the issue will be addressed. Otherwise, I will reiterate that the video is fantastic. Keep up the good work!

[@IMPERIALYT]

Yep you're right! Error on my part - it's always hard to see whether you've missed a Soviet Republic out, especially with that map without borders haha. I'll make a correction in the script

[@ccdsds3221]

Considering the baltic countries are barely countries to begin with, no one cares...

[@adriano2308]

@@IMPERIALYTis it possible to edit stuff in-video after it’s been posted?

[@andrewthomson]

​@@adriano2308nope

[@dibby1045]

@@adriano2308 no, but you can remove stuff

[@gehtdichnichtsan5211]

I really miss some of the old bus stops in my east german home town. One of them was a frikkin UFO

[@flyingchic3n]

Really shows how much soviet society valued public transportation. In my town bus stops are mostly used as public toilets and trash cans

[@Anuclano]

Hmmm. No. Post-Soviet bus stops look better, are more practical, built from better materials and much better maintained. In the USSR the majority of bus stops were standard and usually broken.

[@el_Contra]

@@Anuclano still today my town's bus stops are just a bench with no protection from the harsh elements... I usually see the elderly waiting there, some have to stand (one 2 person small bench is not enough) it is brutal when it rains, and just as brutal under the hot Florida sun.

[@RandomizedRandom]

where do you live btw

[@Cyborg_Lenin]

@@Anuclano "Usually broken" mostly after USSR collapsed. Trust me ive been around from Ordzinikidze to Radujniy and things were out of order maybe on the remotest of places. Modern bus stops in moscow for example are great, but not all that interesting.

[@gamermapper]

It's a shame that the USSR collapsed, because in the past we had two different systems of society each with advantages and shortcomings, but now we only have the Western model, which often isn't questioned enough, because there's no significant alternative. That's why even developing countries in Africa build highways, not railways. That's also true in other ways too, like for example American fast food being spread worldwide, even in countries that aren't specifically West friendly. Because not doing so is seen as weird.

[@liva236muzika]

The visuals, man.... This is visually by far THE BEST channel I ever saw. Hats off to your team.

[@cobracrystal_]

Your aesthetics are once again just absolutely fantastic. I love your animation style.

[@alexhajnal107]

I never thought I'd be blown away by a video about bus stops! You (and they) did an amazing job. Thank you.

[@Cibershadow2]

Had no idea these existed! Much less all the wonderful history behind them, beautiful as always!

[@nixonhoover2]

You want to have intercourse with them?

[@soborskyfilm9776]

Me living in Russia didnt see any of this in all my life lol

[@SirNobleIZH]

He did NOT just pull the Soviet Onion pun

[@SonjaHamburg]

Interesting topic! I would have loved to see actual pictures of the stops. These renderings look impressive but i am interested how they actually look and how they fit with in with the area where they are.

[@jawadumar2999]

Why there's no clear pictures....

[@uis246]

"Architectural excesses" was only about housing to bring down construction cost. Public infrastructure wasn't as limited in decoration. Basically instead of making houses slightly better they made infrastructure much better for everyone.

[@0li945]

I’ve recently been to Belarus and I constantly seen statues and other art pieces that were built during the soviet era and had nothing to do with anything.

[@Felix-nz7lq]

Your modeling work is just fantastic as always, really appreciate the work that goes into these videos

[@la_m_pochka]

Хочется отметить, что "красивые" автобусные остановки обычно ставили за чертой города около маленьких населённых пунктах, а в самом городе менее футуристичные. И как по мне, делали это в первую очередь не ради пропаганды социализма, а ради практичности, ибо ресурсов на всё про всё не было и не особо хотелось по сто раз переделывать автобусную остановку, а так сделали один раз и навсегда

[@longiusaescius2537]

Yep

[@vbifusful]

В Ставрополе по крайней мере одна интересная бетонная остановка располагалась в самом центре города - возле дворца бракосочетаний. К сожалению, её снесли в середине 10-х.

[@criptonixzstudios]

Never thought id watch a 13 minute video about bus stops but I'm not complaining.

[@ZombieSazza]

I really love how outlandish the bus stops are, I imagine it was to give architectural students an opportunity to be creative before their creativity got stifled by the state. Very artistic and beautiful bus stops, honestly would love those over here (Scotland) as we just have green lean-to shelters at the side of the road, which barely offer shelter!

[@Jack-us6wl]

God forbid it rains at a slight angle

[@nlsdrf1290]

I’m pretty sure the fact that the USSR was socialist was the reason why they could express themselves like this haha

[@rickydo6572]

​​@@nlsdrf1290 Yup, they talk as if architects have that very freedom under capitalism, when they literally mentioned the bus stops in their country are boring and barely functional lol

[@DankRedditMemes]

At least in my part of the US, most bus stops don't even have a bench.

[@peterpeterson4800]

Soviet Metro stations, for example in Moscow and St. Petersburg are the same. They are highly ornate and in classical style. They look like palaces, with marble and chandeliers and decorated coloums, walls and ceilings. Meanwhile in the west, our bus stops are boxes of glass and steel with advertisements plastered all over. And the metro stations are concrete, white tiles and even more ads.

[@mtb416]

You want your cake and eat it, too, we get it. You’re likely a socialist wannabe living in the west who rails against capitalism all the while enjoying its benefits. Simpleminded and skin deep.

[@Anuclano]

The Hrushchev's era metro stations are worse than the worst in the West. The ornate ones are only from stalin's era. Brezhnev's stations are a bit more honest than Hrushchev's ones and post-Soviet ones are usually a bit better than Brezhnev's.

[@hewhoisbelovedofthegods]

the last few shots were just GODLY. Imperial always delivers visually aesthetics which I did not believe a KZbinr could pull off

[@arthamsingh366]

What a gem of a channel. I absolutely love the narration styles and the modelling. It truly provides an immersive experience which so many content creators lack. Hats off.

[@rubik__]

Niche topic, I really enjoyed it. This channel visuals and pace is also on point every time!

[@lukey666lukey]

this channel is a hidden jem of a channel. so glad I found it instant sub

[@sterlinsilver]

That "onion" i believe was supposed to be a lightbulb, and im pretty sure the stop itself was in near vicinity to various high tension powe lines. Perhaps a celebration of the electric workers of the soviet union?

[@adamcheklat7387]

Nah, it’s next to a lightbulb factory. Hence the shape.

[@sterlinsilver]

@@adamcheklat7387 that makes more sense. Regardless, definitely NOT an onion :)

[@greatachillini6001]

The animation models done for the bus stops in this are just incredible. Stunning video

[@Amonimus]

Isn't it related to underground subway stations all being unique?

[@WyvernYT]

That was my thought; highly memorable landmarks along a transit route will aid navigation. ("Oh, there's the giant fish, I'll have to get off soon...")

[@LyubomirIko]

Definitely. But the whole premise of this video is wrong, and it struggle to the end to justify it. In short - it's simply a nonsense that the Soviets weren't interested in aesthetic, art, weird experimental architecture and so on. Just check monuments, art, prominent architecture and so on from that period. But HE DID NOT! All he did is to point fingers at how commie blocks looks like to make a premise about architecture. It's like judging the architecture of US based on the supermarket's design in US. It will means only you have no idea what you are talking about. The blocks are incredible good solution to housing problem after WW2. What do you prefer - having no roof over your head or living in monotonous looking building???

[@markobrask5336]

You, like many commenters here, are missing an important point. Most of the beautiful metro stations were built during the Stalin era. Joseph was a supporter of the idea of ​​​​the superiority of the spiritual over the physical, and believed that such projects would lift the spirit of the people after the devastating war. This is evident not only in metro stations. "Stalin's skyscrapers" in Moscow and St. Petersburg, majestic factory buildings, the project of the "Palace of Soviets", and even the "Palace of Culture named after Stalin" (built by Soviet workers with Soviet money, but still hated by the Poles) express precisely this idea. At the same time, obsessed with grandiose projects, Stalin was really in no hurry to take care of the quality of life of ordinary citizens. People often lived in cold wooden barracks or communal apartments, where several families shared one room. It’s not that he didn’t plan to solve this problem at all: a plan was developed to build houses, all in the same “Stalinist Empire style” style, but it was never implemented on any scale due to the huge construction costs The bus stops in the video were built during the reign of the utilitarian Khrushchev, and if you Google the stations opened during his time, you are unlikely to find them unique. And that’s why this situation is so interesting

[@dvhughesdesign]

This video is absolutely gorgeous to look at. I applaud your modeling skills and dedication to a fascinating topic.

[@daniel_9704]

Soviet Onion

[@MitkoNikov]

The 3D models are unbelievably good! They make the heart of the video! It must have been pain to recreate these incredible structures accurately enough and in my opinion, it was the better choice. I'm sure images and videos won't do justice to them. Great work!

[@JacktheRah]

"You can't turn a modern residential building into a church or a museum. People need flats." He does have a point. Better to live in an ugly building than to live on the street. That said if you have enough homes for everyone you can and should make the homes look fancy.

[@charseraph9175]

I adore the production of this. Super captivating graphics, models, lighting, music, narration, and voice tone. Just a beautiful video.

[@91hrs]

Great renders, love to see the effort your putting in! (:

[@nicolasmarazuela1010]

The Soviet Onion was great. Although from the outside it doesn't look great, it had so many layers. While going deeper it brought you to tears, seeing the wonderful white and pure center.

[@psychoterrorV]

Are you some kind of pervert?

[@Cyborg_Lenin]

As someone born in USSR, even though its sarcasm, i feel this in my soul.

[@veryveryveryvery161]

Ожидал увидеть обычную ютубную политизированную клюкву. А тут прям база. Автор молодец.

[@CSLucasEpic]

2:47 The statue there clearly seems to be about Saint George slaying the Dragon. What surprises me more is the religious nature of the statue rather than anything else.

[@thofol]

Also check out the two great books "Soviet Bus Stops" by Christopher Herwig. Lots of examples of this great art form... And there's a movie, too. But this is only shown sparsely...

[@Zholobov1]

People in the USSR were getting their flats for free. No matter how their buildings looked in the eyes of the foreigners.

[@antonzadorozhniy6605]

I grew up in Soviet Union, and I can confirm that this last reason is the main one: those incredibly rare bus stops (most of bus stops in USSR were horrible utilitarian constructions) just slipped through the cracks in bureaucracy and ideology. The same happen with many other art forms, like literature or film, you just had to know were to look.

[@5oa8in2wr]

Какая нахрен идеология? Страна после войны в руинах лежала. Жрать было нечего. Электричесто вырубали повсюду, что бы уран наработать для бомбы пока культурные люди с запада не сожгли нас к херам как японцев.

[@carkawalakhatulistiwa]

For Russia Empire when 1914 16% Population can read.

[@ErikasKrupeckas]

8:03 Ahh yes Belarus is now part of Lithuania, thats one way to solve Lukashenko

[@antorseax9492]

Mainland Estonia isn't there either, haha.

[@IMPERIALYT]

Correction has been added to the script! Can't believe I killed off Estonia & Lithuania in one fell swoop

[@midleno8364]

I love how you said "solve lukashenko" as if he's a problem... Well he is but still that's hilarious

[@spaghettiisyummy.3623]

I mean, Belarus was a part of Lithuania once.

[@gamermapper]

Grand Duchy of Lithuania reunited! 😊

[@dCash117]

Not the video we wanted, but the video we needed

[@InTheNameOfCharityandGoodWill]

These videos possess the journalistic class and creative production value of a channel with well over 1 million subs. I’m sure this is only the beginning for imperial.

[@Cypher791]

In my country we have two types of traditional bus stop designs… burned melted plastic or broken glass…. ☝️😒……… Scotland

[@Casperski1312]

I dont know how you make these dioramas, but they look INCREDIBLE. Theyre as artistic as the bus stops they depict. Well done, Imperial.

[@nhadley]

The 3D modelling and music in your videos reminds me so much of Melodysheep while still being so distinct Amazing video

[@adriano2308]

thank you for providing sources. The vast majority of independent youtubers don’t do this. It lends you a lot of credence

[@JustRandomSymbols]

It's so refreshing to see the USSR treated fairly, just like any other country of the time, with its own strengths and problems. Usually people just go into cold war mode and scream about the whole "empire of evil" thing. And as a citizen of a post-soviet state, it's so reductive and patronising that I don't even try arguing with such people anymore. Thank you for staying "objective" and just telling the facts, instead of giving some sort of judgement. P.S. Nice "Molchat doma" T-shirt, they're just the best

[@midleno8364]

Maybe people felt that stating the proven and obvious constantly wasn't needed anymore (referring to the "empire of evil").

[@longiusaescius2537]

A lot of there were thesis projects however

[@davisdelp8131]

Well you know the entirety of Eastern Europe would have to disagree with you because they suffered under the authoritarian socialist regime

[@KuK137]

@@midleno8364 It's only ""obvious"" if you're a brainless moron without a clue about the country regurgitating primitive propaganda, sooo....

[@AWESOMERACECAR2013]

i agree, as a westerner and a history + politics enthusiast it is insane how much anti-soviet cold war propaganda is still in western collective consciousness. there was a lot wrong in the late USSR like russification and excessive bureaucracy, but there were also many good or cool things that happened that us in the west should learn from.

[@__HJK__]

Многие остановки - выпускные работы студентов-архитекторов. Поскольку это "малая форма", то на них обычно закрывали глаза. Кроме того многие из них могли быть изготовлены в кооперации с учениками-строителями из техникумов, не привлекая рабочих домостроительных комбинатов. Материалы давали шефствующие предприятия. В общем это такой большой дипломный проект, от которого была практическая польза. Ну и разумеется в стилистике выпускников сильно не ограничивали и даже предлагали сделать что-то необычное.

[@papernecklace]

Another Imperial video, what a lovely day! :)

[@lucianolizana446]

What the hell is going on with such quality content? the renderings, the music... what is this?

[@bigphishey]

Now I have a small footnote about the bus stop with the man on the horse. That sculpture is indeed a depiction of St George slaying the dragon. This metaphor was heavily used by Bolshevik propaganda in the Russian civil war to depict the bourgeoisie/upper class as the dragon/serpent being slain. A very niche ideological reference to a very cool looking bus stop.

[@Anuclano]

No. This sculpture was smply added in post-Soviet Russia.

[@therealsmiltins]

At 8:06 the nations are wrong. In the map there isn't Belarus, but in Belarus place there is Lithuania and in Lithuanias place there is Latvia, also on the map there isnt Estonia but Estonia is showing that it is Latvia.

[@jdsonical]

8:05 we did it boys, Estonia is no more🎉🎉🎉

[@IMPERIALYT]

Very embarrassing that I missed that - has been added to the corrections on the script in the description!

[@Батько7]

As a Russian, I miss these bus stops. Many of them are much better than modern plastic shit. In my city, I often drive past a preserved Soviet bus stop. It doesn't have an unusual shape, but it's painted to look like a library. And it's really beautiful. A year ago, its colors were updated, so it looks even better. I would like more of these stops.

[@RedGreene]

That's funny. I had a note saved on my phone that simply said "soviet onion", so this thumbnail stuck out to me immediately.

[@spellsans9951]

DAME. The animation, the background, the 3D models, AND THE FREAKING CALMING VOICE OF THE NARRATOR ! OMG I HAVE FOUND A GREAT CHANNEL!!!

[@hellomoto2084]

Well original photos of these bus stops would have been appreciated more , any way good video. Mate .i have Subscribed

[@IMPERIALYT]

Unfortunately most of the available photos were taken by a single person (Christopher Herwig) and they're all heavily copyrighted. Wish I could've included them though :///

[@hellomoto2084]

@@IMPERIALYT I understand it mate , best of luck for your next video.

[@jariprodofficial]

Your videos are criminally underviewed

[@jon.callaghan4165]

Western bus stops are so useless and ugly that I will just walk rather than wait at a sheet of perspex with useless benches and posters showing how great your national bus service is, for the bus to never show up.

[@Kyuschi]

not to mention the new trend of removing as much shelter and comfortable seating as possible because god forbid homeless people might want to sit there for a while and we have to make their lives as hard as physically possible.

[@Drag0nmaster]

@@KyuschiOut of sight, out of mind. They just want homeless people gone, so people don't "get scared away from businesses"

[@saltyleaf6002]

@@Drag0nmaster Say what you will about the USSR but they never had a homeless problem

[@zoom-ping]

Alternate history map at 8:07 where Estonian mainland has been destroyed and Estonians have annexed Latvia.

[@alphonsobutlakiv789]

Wanted to design some bus stops, here they only use sign posts, and it snows alot, some stops had glass shelters, but were removed due to matinee costs and left only the cement slabs they built on. Thought of dropping new shelters on the slabs and near other common boarding positions. I don't ride the bus anymore, but I did a long time, and this is at the end of one of the cities longest roots.

[@alphonsobutlakiv789]

It would be very difficult for me to take a bus for work as I would need to bring heavy tools and would change location during the day, was thinking of changes to the bus system it's self so I wouldn't need a car. Could really change peoples access to my kind of work.

[@TheMilitantHorse]

Art as Utility is probably the best form of art.

[@lordcola-3324]

Thats not a bus stop. Thats the Soviet Onion.

[@thereal757_ap]

The production value of these films are astonishingly amazing. What a treat to find.

[@yaronimus1]

Wow, this video is amazing and the art and 3D are so well made and creative.

[@lonewanderer412]

0:10 It's Georgia*

[@carlosperezit]

I think he meant in the USSR by Russia since yk Georgia used to be part of the USSR.

[@wclifton968gameplaystutorials]

Nah Abkhazia hasn't been a de facto part of Georgia since the Georgian SSR was dissolved in 1991 and the Abkhazian war was ended in 1994. You can cry all you want but until Georgia wins a war against Abkhazia (and likely Russia as well), the nation will stay "independent" as will South Ossetia...

[@lonewanderer412]

@@wclifton968gameplaystutorials independent my ass😂😂 they are indeed 100% dependent on russia, it’s basically a money laundering machine that provides nothing, they don’t produce anything, they do not have an economy, independent budget, or any ways to finance themselves, it is not independent, let’s call everything by its name, it is an occupied financial black hole, with rampant crime and non-existent governmental structure, they cannot even renovate the parliament building since the 90s, let alone anything else.

[@GagandeepSingh-me4qt]

@@wclifton968gameplaystutorialsmatter of perspective

[@Mau4ever2]

I can recommend the Canadian photographer Christopher Herwig work on these amazing structures.

[@matthiasek]

Very nice video, animations on point. Can you share with us how you achieved to animate this piece of art?

[@coreywebb1575]

Dude those architecture models with the animated foliage got to me

[@haltsling]

Bro has top-notch editing over interesting educational topics, You earned a subscriber.

[@bliponthe]

Another excellent video from you as always! The editing and storytelling are stellar! Also most of these bus stops would still amazingly fit into modern art!

[@gianlucaconsiglio8335]

Those were some epic bus stops. Well done.

[@5oa8in2wr]

Ideology has nothing with "utilitarian constructions". During WWII towns were ruined, villages burned. And those block building were a fast solution.

[@alinc3491]

Great video, so well documented and put together...and the visuals...fantastic!

[@eliassipunga1367]

The Soviet Cosmonaut is actually not propaganda. Their progress in this field was pioneering.

[@emilsinclair4190]

The best propaganda uses truths

[@SergyJoe]

"Propaganda" isn't necessary a lie.

[@erdos73]

Propaganda isn't necessarily a bad thinf

[@josemaria8177]

Philomena Cunk is going to love this thumbnail. I bet she'll even ring her mate Paul to inform him

[@lexsapla]

These bus stops show how much the Soviet Union valued mass transit. Whereas in many western countries we sadly connect mass transit with being poor, the Soviet Union understood how efficient and necessary mass transit is for a society, especially for large urban areas and cities with populations in the millions. The complexity of those bus stops shows the fact that they paid attention to them, because they regarded them as an important part of everyday life. It’s easy to view such things with the western propaganda “ussr bad’’ filter, but the fact of the matter is that bus stops, and mass transit in general is very important and we still in 2024 value them less than we ought to.

[@gamermapper]

Mass transit is also much, much better for sustainability and the environment. Using cars and planes to get to anywhere is a terrible idea

[@gamermapper]

I come from the former USSR and it's very hard to talk to western people who automatically believe that anything coming from the USSR or socialism is automatically bad. Meanwhile in reality both systems had their advantages and shortcomings. Of course I'm not a fan of Stalin but it's not like Andrew Jackson was any better. But it's really sad that the USSR collapses cuz the USA system doesn't have any significant alternative, isn't questioned and spreads worldwide like wildfire, which is why even African countries prioritise highways over public transport.

[@raschuetzer2987]

Amazing video as always. Very niche and fascinating. Perfect combination!

[@ilyapaliy]

I am living in Russia and every bus stop from this video I never seen before, so it's really rare Soviet artifacts

[@kcgm4059]

Wow! The animation was extraordinary for this video!!

[@kylefaris5487]

the "onion" one looks more like a floodlight bulb

[@IMPERIALYT]

It is! Just couldn't resist the pun

[@jonathan2350]

The thumbnail combined with the video is wonderful!

[@Jugi]

Weird? You mean awesome

[@StarlightNightflame]

Amazing renders of the bus stops, good job!

[@RhodianColossus]

As a kid I always wondered about the occasional curiously designed bus stops in Poland when I visited my grandparents there. There were not many per se, most bus stops were modern or at least vaguely contemporary shelters, ranging from 1980's glass-and-wood sheds to early 2000's standard western European ones, but every now and then you would come across something just weird as shit like two offset semi-circular walls with round windows in them or a structure vaguely reminiscent of a massive hollowed out tree trunk complete with peeling brown paint on the concrete, or just straight up flying saucer bus stations. Cool shit. Some of my favourite memories visiting a cousin who lived outside of town was just hanging out with the village kids at their weird bus stop because it was probably the most interesting thing in the whole village outside of just. leaving and walking to the city (unfortunately at that point in time in the middle of summer the bus came maybe twice a day, but the city was like a 10 minute cycle or half an hour walk to an actual municipal bus stop at a supermarket so nobody really minded)

[@alonsoramirez2025]

Amazing 3D models, I really enjoyed your work.

[@komsomolets3796]

Потрясающе, в русском интернете я не видел таких интересных и красивых разборов архитектуры обычных остановок (может просто плохо искал) но всё равно классное видео

[@SisterSunny]

the soundtrack and animation and art... wow. Simply wonderful

[@JasonHill98]

I'd love to know what the soundtrack is