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Underneath many cities one can find real treasures, from stations of another era to very modernist and colorful ones. The metro takes us on a journey. Just get a ticket, get aboard and begin the trip. Next stop: A ghost station in Madrid, a luxury metro in Russia, a colorful Taiwanese station and the painted caves of Stockholm.
By Rubendene
Ghost Station Chamberí (Madrid): If you take the Metro Line 1 and you pass between Bilbao and Iglesia, you will see that there is a dimly lit station that seems stuck in the previous century at which the train does not stop. It was created just a few meters from another station, which is why it was abandoned. It simply wasn’t worth taking the subway for such a short distance. It later became a squat for a few years. It’s almost like time stopped at the Chamberí station in 1966, which is when the last train stopped there. It will be a trip back in time as you take in the box office from half a century ago, the platforms, advertising and even the tickets and fees since opening in 1919. These cannot be compared with today’s prices, of course. It was ghost station for 4 decades until, in 2006, when it was converted and restored. It is now a museum of the Madrid Metro and visiting it is free of charge.
Stations from another era in Russia: One of the best examples is Avtovo Station in St. Petersburg. This station, designed by Levinson and opened in 1955, is full of classic columns and a variety of luxurious elements, including chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and white marble flooring. And the second metro station that I would recommend visiting in Russia is the Kiyevskaya Station in Moscow, which is a bit older than the last. This Baroque-inspired cave (with mosaics everywhere) has chandeliers as well as paintings on its walls. It’s more like an art gallery. As a result, walking along any of its platforms is like being visiting a palace.
The caves of Stockholm: This formula is repeated in many of the stations of this Swedish city. Here they maintain the shape of the cave and usually paint the roof and walls in bright colors, including some fluorescent colors. I’m referring in particular to the Solna Station (which is red and green) and the Stadium Station (in blue and white with primitivist figures.
The windows of Formosa Boulevard Station, Taiwan: This work by Narcissus Quagliata, who has become a recognized artist for constructing the world’s largest glass work here, in Kaohsiung. What is striking is that it has no more and no less than 4,500 panels spread over 2,100 square meters. The station is a tourist attraction in itself and has been since it opened in 2007, sought out especially for its expressive colors.
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