Beautiful Subway Concepts

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Last updated on July 29th, 2011 at 04:33 am

Beautiful. Not a word youd often associate with an underground train network. We’re more used to the idea of grotty, ramshackle, graffiti scrawled, noisy places we would rather avoid. This isnt always the case though. Some countries take great care and pride over their subway stations, spending money and keeping up a good maintenance schedule as if they were historic buildings. Indeed, some of these subways are monuments to the past. They go hand in hand with the experience of romantic breaks in Europe.

Even if you arent indulging in a weekend getaway with your beau, you can have a great time with some sightseeing and retail therapy. Shopping in Paris is still one of the most exciting diversions of these modern times. All across Europe there are magnificent examples of beautiful subways. Ive found many instances of great architecture, amazing masonry, painting, sculpting and the incorporation of light shows. Its not just confined to Europe either. Over the Pond, the Americans are rewarded with gothic curves that would not go amiss in the latest realisation of Batman’s Gotham City. Only downside is that they arent always in operation.

A stones throw from the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City is this great subway station. Unfortunately, it’s been closed to the public for almost 70 years but maybe this gem will be re-opened in some form or other. It features Guastavino tile, brass-coated chandeliers, large skylights and colourful glass mosaics. It was built as a showpiece of the system

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Solna Centrum Metro Station, Stockholm, Sweden

I’m staggered by the ‘world’s longest underground art gallery’ courtesy of its extensive cave paintings.

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Linea Starmestska Station, Prague, Poland

Vaguely reminiscent of the inside of the TARDIS, this station uses repeated simple geometric shapes and limited colour palette to strong effect.

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Mayakovskaya Station

Built during pre-World War 2, this example of Stalinist architecture is named after Russian poet, Vladimir Mayakovsky. Its design relies heavily on the art deco period and its entrance features motives from ‘The Backbone Flute’. 34 mosaics line the ceiling and portray brilliant Soviet future by painter Alexander Deyneka.

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Elektrozavodskaya, Moscow

Vladimir Schucko, Vladimir Gelfreich and Igor Rozhin, three of the Soviet Union’s most famous architects built this as a tribute to how the advent of electricity improved so many people’s lives.

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Prospekt Mira

The north of Moscow boasts this station inspired by the Botanical Gardens of Moscow State University. This one was designed by Vladimir Gelfreyech and Mikhail Minkus. The pillars are white marble and feature intricate bas-reliefs and ornate chandeliers for a lavish touch.

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