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Underground metro stations are associated with rats, garbage, noise and filth, not their interior design. However, there are a few subway stations in the world that go against the grain, standing out as excellent examples of the beautiful architecture and unique design that can be created in underground spaces.
The interiors achieved in some of these underground stations become all the more impressive when you consider the particular challenges to creating comfortable spaces below the surface of a city. The architects must keep track of the structural integrity of the walls, air circulation, excessive moisture, and a million other concerns. Their maintenance is another difficulty entirely – one that transit organizations often have difficulty with.
In this list, you'll not only find the most famous, elegant stations of Moscow subway and New York subway, but also some very modern ones in Madrid and Oslo metro. Vote for your favorite stations and, if there's a beautiful metro station in your city that should be on this list, we'd love to see it!
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#1
Toledo Metro Station, Naples, Italy
#3
Rådhuset Station, Stockholm, Sweden
#5
Tilework In Szent Gellért Square, Budapest, Hungary
Final score:
106points
DABlumenhagenLoiselle 10 years ago
This is beautiful. One of my biggest complaints about most metro stations is that they are so dark. This one is nice and bright.
#6
Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, Shanghai, China
#7
University Of Naples Subway Station, Italy
#9
Formosa Boulevard Station, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
FabioNodari 9 years ago
I live just 5 minutes from this amazing station... http://www.fabionodariphoto.com/wrp/formosa-boulevard-metro-piu-spettacolare-del-mondo
#10
Kungstradgarden Metro Station, Stokholm, Sweden
#12
T-Centralen Station, Stockholm, Sweden
#13
Olaias Station, Lisbon, Portugal
José Valente 8 years ago
Don't get me wrong, in combining kitsch, colour and brutalist post modernism in architecture (I'm told many people love the style and this is obviously not a purist example of it) this is by no means the worse (and it looks better than you'd guess from the pics if you haven't been there) you could have chosen but there much more beautiful (Parque), original(Campo Pequeno) and yes, even Poetic stations (Cidade Universitária). All have works of art. And if you are going to go for impressive post-modernism with better art you could always plump for Oriente as apart from some fairly awesome panels you'll just have a two (or three) level climb and you are in Gare do Oriente one of the most beautiful multimodal (but really mainly railway) station on the continent.
#15
Slavyansky Bulvar Station, Moscow, Russia
#16
Stockholm, "the Water Lily Station" - Näckrosen
Final score:
39points
#17
Atocha, Madrid, Spain
Final score:
37points
Fernandito 9 years ago
It is both, train and metro station. http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/60000/informacion_000070.shtml.
#18
Georg-Brauchle-Ring, Marienplatz and Candidplatz U-Bahn Stations, Munich, Germany
AlfredoPagnotta 10 years ago
Some U-bahn stations in Munich are really beautiful I live in Munich since more than one year but I don't know 2 of those three!!
#19
Tunel, Istanbul Old Metro, Turkey
Final score:
31points
#20
Metro Station Wilhelminaplein (wilhelmina Square), Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Final score:
29points
#21
Oez, Munich
Final score:
26points
#22
Malostranská Station In Prague.
Final score:
22points
#24
São Bento Station, Porto, Portugal
Final score:
17points
#26
Hamburg Hafencity Metro
Final score:
15points
Andrius Bačianskas (Submission author) 10 years ago
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pana53/12948237143/in/photostream/
#28
Finding It Hard To Step Up
Final score:
12points
DorindaMartin 10 years ago
Some of the top 15 and your ideas of good design seem to be in the eye of the beholder and not judged on all round merit.
#29
Kyoto Station, Japan
Final score:
12points
#30
Metro Station Plac Wilsona, Warsaw, Poland
Final score:
11points
#31
Syntagma Station, Athens, Greece
Final score:
11points
#32
Liège Guillemins, Belgium
Final score:
9points
#33
#17 U3-volkstheater, Vienna, Austria
Final score:
8points
FrankHuber 10 years ago
What about Nürnberg? I think about the one giving you a great optical Warp Drive style illusion when entering the station
#34
Bochum Rathaus, Germany
Final score:
8points
Kristina Lohe (Submission author) 10 years ago
http://www.coolibri.de/blogs/stadtschwarm/2013/08/08/katja-kulin-gedicht-fur-eine-haltestelle-oder-bochum-rathaus-sud/
#35
Parque Metro Station, Lisbon, Portugal
Final score:
8points
Pedro Cruzeiro (Submission author) 10 years ago
On the ceiling is writing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
#36
Devyatkino, St. Petersburg, Russia
Final score:
6points
#39
Metro Station Pannenhuis - Brussels
Final score:
5points
Simon Chabrillat 3 years ago
This is a very beautiful station, in a quintessential 1970's style. It deserves a much better picture! Just lsearch on Google Image...
#43
National Stadium Station, Sofia, Bulgaria
Final score:
4points
#44
Metro Station In Dubai - Uae
Final score:
3points
#45
Caís Do Sodré Metro Station, Lisboa, Portugal
Final score:
3points
Ramón Ruedas 9 months ago
you can't really see the tile artwork from the platform, still very nice
#49
Namur Station Lighting, Montreal, Canada
Final score:
1point
Tantethenoma 10 years ago
Those balls again.. Great for advertising products...or scantily clad men..
#53
Lisbon Airport Metro Station, Portugal
Final score:
1point
#59
Metro Station Wilhelminaplein, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Final score:
1point
#62
Bochum, U35 Haltestelle Rathaus
Final score:
0points
#70
Garching Forchungzentrum (tum Station), Munich, Germany
Final score:
-1point
Anish K (Submission author) 10 years ago
The walls are filled with brief display of famous scientists
#75
Shibuya Station, Tokyo
Final score:
-3points
#76
Metrostation Wilhelminaplein
Final score:
-3points
#78
Rajská Zahrada Station, Prague, Czech Republic
Final score:
-4points
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What do you think ?
André C. Mota ACM 4 years ago
Rússia, ya por isso é que o alcunha do Metropolitano de Moscovo é: "O Palácio subterrâneo."
Load More Replies...
peri 10 years ago
If I'm not mistaken, I believe the City Hall Station in NYC is abandoned/not in use. Correct?
LisaPetillo 10 years ago
Yes! The NYC stations that are IN USE, do NOT look like that at all! What a freaking mess they are. So embarrassing compared to these!
André C. Mota ACM 4 years ago
Rússia, ya por isso é que o alcunha do Metropolitano de Moscovo é: "O Palácio subterrâneo."
Load More Replies... peri 10 years ago
If I'm not mistaken, I believe the City Hall Station in NYC is abandoned/not in use. Correct?
LisaPetillo 10 years ago
Yes! The NYC stations that are IN USE, do NOT look like that at all! What a freaking mess they are. So embarrassing compared to these!
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