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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!

#1

Toledo Metro Station, Naples, Italy

Toledo Metro Station, Naples, Italy

Toledo Metro Station, Naples, Italy Toledo Metro Station, Naples, Italy

Mario Laporta Report

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    #2

    Kievskaya, Mayakovskaya And Park Pobedy Stations, Moscow, Russia

    Kievskaya, Mayakovskaya And Park Pobedy Stations, Moscow, Russia

    Kievskaya, Mayakovskaya And Park Pobedy Stations, Moscow, Russia

    imgur Report

    #3

    Rådhuset Station, Stockholm, Sweden

    Rådhuset Station, Stockholm, Sweden

    Alexander Dragunov Report

    LisaUlfves
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nice, but the top one is Rådhuset station. Not Solna.

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    #4

    Avtovo Metro Station, St. Petersburg, Russia

    Avtovo Metro Station, St. Petersburg, Russia

    Avtovo Metro Station, St. Petersburg, Russia Avtovo Metro Station, St. Petersburg, Russia

    asergeev.com Report

    JeromeJanelle
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This picture is the station Komsomolskaya in Moscow.

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    #5

    Tilework In Szent Gellért Square, Budapest, Hungary

    Tilework In Szent Gellért Square, Budapest, Hungary

    acdn.architizer.com Report

    DABlumenhagenLoiselle
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is beautiful. One of my biggest complaints about most metro stations is that they are so dark. This one is nice and bright.

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    #6

    Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, Shanghai, China

    Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, Shanghai, China

    Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, Shanghai, China Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, Shanghai, China

    mic-ro.com Report

    #7

    University Of Naples Subway Station, Italy

    University Of Naples Subway Station, Italy

    University Of Naples Subway Station, Italy University Of Naples Subway Station, Italy

    dezeen.com Report

    #8

    Arts Et Métiers Station, Paris, France

    Arts Et Métiers Station, Paris, France

    Arts Et Métiers Station, Paris, France

    RG1033 Report

    HipChick
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have been in this station and the picture doesn't do it justice. Gorgeous.

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    #9

    Formosa Boulevard Station, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Formosa Boulevard Station, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    Formosa Boulevard Station, Kaohsiung, Taiwan Formosa Boulevard Station, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

    getintravel.com Report

    FabioNodari
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I live just 5 minutes from this amazing station... http://www.fabionodariphoto.com/wrp/formosa-boulevard-metro-piu-spettacolare-del-mondo

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    #10

    Kungstradgarden Metro Station, Stokholm, Sweden

    Kungstradgarden Metro Station, Stokholm, Sweden

    Kungstradgarden Metro Station, Stokholm, Sweden

    A. Dragunov Report

    #11

    City Hall Station, New York

    City Hall Station, New York

    City Hall Station, New York

    nycsubway.org Report

    #12

    T-Centralen Station, Stockholm, Sweden

    T-Centralen Station, Stockholm, Sweden

    T-Centralen Station, Stockholm, Sweden

    A. Dragunov Report

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    #13

    Olaias Station, Lisbon, Portugal

    Olaias Station, Lisbon, Portugal

    Olaias Station, Lisbon, Portugal

    Miguel Riopa Report

    José Valente
    Community Member
    9 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    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.

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    #14

    Stadion Station, Stockholm, Sweden

    Stadion Station, Stockholm, Sweden

    Stadion Station, Stockholm, Sweden

    Jonathan Nackstrand Report

    MayaAb
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Stockholm has the most beautiful stations!! Great architecture.. Magnifique!!

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    #15

    Slavyansky Bulvar Station, Moscow, Russia

    Slavyansky Bulvar Station, Moscow, Russia

    Slavyansky Bulvar Station, Moscow, Russia

    fotogaleri.com Report

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    #16

    Stockholm, "the Water Lily Station" - Näckrosen

    Stockholm, "the Water Lily Station" - Näckrosen

    fnurra.wordpress.com Report

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    #17

    Atocha, Madrid, Spain

    Atocha, Madrid, Spain

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    Fernandito
    Community Member
    10 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It is both, train and metro station. http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/60000/informacion_000070.shtml.

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    #18

    Georg-Brauchle-Ring, Marienplatz and Candidplatz U-Bahn Stations, Munich, Germany

    Georg-Brauchle-Ring, Marienplatz and Candidplatz U-Bahn Stations, Munich, Germany

    Georg-Brauchle-Ring, Marienplatz and Candidplatz U-Bahn Stations, Munich, Germany Georg-Brauchle-Ring, Marienplatz and Candidplatz U-Bahn Stations, Munich, Germany

    Christian Beirle González Report

    AlfredoPagnotta
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    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!!

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    #19

    Tunel, Istanbul Old Metro, Turkey

    Tunel, Istanbul Old Metro, Turkey

    upload.wikimedia.org Report

    #20

    Metro Station Wilhelminaplein (wilhelmina Square), Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Metro Station Wilhelminaplein (wilhelmina Square), Rotterdam, The Netherlands

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    #21

    Oez, Munich

    Oez, Munich

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    #22

    Malostranská Station In Prague.

    Malostranská Station In Prague.

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    #23

    Budapest Metro 4

    Budapest Metro 4

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    #24

    São Bento Station, Porto, Portugal

    São Bento Station, Porto, Portugal

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    Necy Guerreiro
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    that ist not underground station, it is a train station!

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    #25

    "zoloti Vorota" Station, Kiev, Ukraine

    "zoloti Vorota" Station, Kiev, Ukraine

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    #26

    Hamburg Hafencity Metro

    Hamburg Hafencity Metro

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    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pana53/12948237143/in/photostream/

    #27

    Namur Station Lighting, Montréal

    Namur Station Lighting, Montréal

    Stm Report

    #28

    Finding It Hard To Step Up

    Finding It Hard To Step Up

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    DorindaMartin
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    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.

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    #29

    Kyoto Station, Japan

    Kyoto Station, Japan

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    Hans Ongerth
    Community Member
    5 years ago

    This comment has been deleted.

    #30

    Metro Station Plac Wilsona, Warsaw, Poland

    Metro Station Plac Wilsona, Warsaw, Poland

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    Kinga Walenta
    Community Member
    6 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Most beautiful metro station i've even been

    #31

    Syntagma Station, Athens, Greece

    Syntagma Station, Athens, Greece

    www.usemycamera.net Report

    #32

    Liège Guillemins, Belgium

    Liège Guillemins, Belgium

    www.e-architect.co.uk Report

    Juraj Kováč
    Community Member
    6 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Again, a train station – not a metro station.

    #33

    #17 U3-volkstheater, Vienna, Austria

    #17 U3-volkstheater, Vienna, Austria

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    FrankHuber
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What about Nürnberg? I think about the one giving you a great optical Warp Drive style illusion when entering the station

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    #34

    Bochum Rathaus, Germany

    Bochum Rathaus, Germany

    view.stern.de Report

    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    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

    Parque Metro Station, Lisbon, Portugal

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    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    On the ceiling is writing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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    #36

    Devyatkino, St. Petersburg, Russia

    Devyatkino, St. Petersburg, Russia

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    redhood1504
    Community Member
    4 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's not Devuatkino. It's ploschad Vosstaniya

    #37

    Arbatskaya Station, Moscow, Russia

    Arbatskaya Station, Moscow, Russia

    sormabulmadunyasi.blogspot.com Report

    #38

    U-bahn Station Westfriedhof, Munich, Germany

    U-bahn Station Westfriedhof, Munich, Germany

    view.stern.de Report

    #39

    Metro Station Pannenhuis - Brussels

    Metro Station Pannenhuis - Brussels

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    Simon Chabrillat
    Community Member
    4 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a very beautiful station, in a quintessential 1970's style. It deserves a much better picture! Just lsearch on Google Image...

    #40

    Lavov Most Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Lavov Most Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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    #41

    Kremlevskaya Metro Station, Kazan, Russia

    Kremlevskaya Metro Station, Kazan, Russia

    k-metro.ruz.net Report

    #42

    Almaty, Kazakhstan - Metro Station "baikonyr"

    Almaty, Kazakhstan - Metro Station "baikonyr"

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    #43

    National Stadium Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

    National Stadium Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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    Mihaela Dineva
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It’s National Palace of Culture station

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    #44

    Metro Station In Dubai - Uae

    Metro Station In Dubai - Uae

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    #45

    Caís Do Sodré Metro Station, Lisboa, Portugal

    Caís Do Sodré Metro Station, Lisboa, Portugal

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    Ramón Ruedas
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    you can't really see the tile artwork from the platform, still very nice

    #46

    Rákóczi Square, Budapest, Hungary

    Rákóczi Square, Budapest, Hungary

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    #47

    Belgica Station - Brussels

    Belgica Station - Brussels

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    #48

    Estación De Metro Arganzuela-planetario (madrid, España)

    Estación De Metro Arganzuela-planetario (madrid, España)

    www.metromadrid.es Report

    #49

    Namur Station Lighting, Montreal, Canada

    Namur Station Lighting, Montreal, Canada

    STM Report

    Tantethenoma
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Those balls again.. Great for advertising products...or scantily clad men..

    #50

    Duvbo Subwaystation, Stockholm

    Duvbo Subwaystation, Stockholm

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    #51

    Nydalen Metro Stastion, Oslo, Norway. Kristin Jarmund Arkitekter

    Nydalen Metro Stastion, Oslo, Norway. Kristin Jarmund Arkitekter

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    #52

    Terreiro Do Paço Metro Station, Lisboa, Portugal

    Terreiro Do Paço Metro Station, Lisboa, Portugal

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    #53

    Lisbon Airport Metro Station, Portugal

    Lisbon Airport Metro Station, Portugal

    upload.wikimedia.org Report

    Necy Guerreiro
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That is my Picture! https://youtu.be/sR88TP1y_2Q

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    #54

    Emirates Towers Metro Station, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Emirates Towers Metro Station, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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    #55

    Mladost 3 Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Mladost 3 Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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    #56

    Joliot Curie Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Joliot Curie Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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    #57

    European Union Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

    European Union Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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    #58

    Musagenitsa Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Musagenitsa Station, Sofia, Bulgaria

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    #59

    Metro Station Wilhelminaplein, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Metro Station Wilhelminaplein, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

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    #60

    Hamburg, Hafencity Metro Station

    Hamburg, Hafencity Metro Station

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    Maya Ab
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I kind of like it.. But I wouldnt dare going down there alone, doesnt look safe at all.. So dark and mysterious tho, Its cool!

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    #61

    Metro Copilco Station (mexico City) . Mexico.

    Metro Copilco Station (mexico City) . Mexico.

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    #62

    Bochum, U35 Haltestelle Rathaus

    Bochum, U35 Haltestelle Rathaus

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    #63

    Almaty, Kazakhstan - Metro Station "alatau"

    Almaty, Kazakhstan - Metro Station "alatau"

    Report

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    #64

    Metrostation Wilhelminaplein

    Metrostation Wilhelminaplein

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    #65

    Hafencity University, Hamburg, Germany

    Hafencity University, Hamburg, Germany

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    #66

    Marienplatz, Munich, Germany

    Marienplatz, Munich, Germany

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    #67

    Rathaus Spandau U-bahn Station, Berlin

    Rathaus Spandau U-bahn Station, Berlin

    upload.wikimedia.org Report

    #68

    Titan Station, Bucharest, Romania

    Titan Station, Bucharest, Romania

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    #69

    Střížkov Station, Prague, Czech Republic

    Střížkov Station, Prague, Czech Republic

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    #70

    Garching Forchungzentrum (tum Station), Munich, Germany

    Garching Forchungzentrum (tum Station), Munich, Germany

    upload.wikimedia.org Report

    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The walls are filled with brief display of famous scientists

    #71

    Syntagma Station, Athens, Greece

    Syntagma Station, Athens, Greece

    history-pages.blogspot.com Report

    #72

    Station Champ-de-mars, Montréal

    Station Champ-de-mars, Montréal

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    #73

    Letňany, Prague, Czech Republic

    Letňany, Prague, Czech Republic

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    #74

    Westminster Station, London

    Westminster Station, London

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    #75

    Shibuya Station, Tokyo

    Shibuya Station, Tokyo

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    Liane Fleury
    Community Member
    11 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like ghosts walk this station....

    #76

    Metrostation Wilhelminaplein

    Metrostation Wilhelminaplein

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    Freddy Lubin
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Am I the only one who notices that this station appears four times?

    #77

    Steglitz Station, Berlin, Germany

    Steglitz Station, Berlin, Germany

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    #78

    Rajská Zahrada Station, Prague, Czech Republic

    Rajská Zahrada Station, Prague, Czech Republic

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    #79

    Union Station, Los Angeles, California

    Union Station, Los Angeles, California

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