DESIGN / THE BEAUTY, ART & ARCHITECTURE OF STOCKHOLM’S REMARKABLE 100 SUBWAY STATIONS

What is this? If you say it’s Stockholm’s Stadshagen (blue line) metro subway station then you’re correct. Note that this photo by Iamaxime shows the station is painted with monotone stripes. 

COULD BE THE WORLD’S 

BIGGEST ART GALLERY 

Stockholm’s subway/station system (Tunnelbana: T-Bana) has been called the world’s longest art gallery, with more than 90 of the network’s 100 stations decorated with sculptures, mosaics, paintings, installations, engravings and relics of over 150 different artists.

GUEST BLOG / Photo Essay text by Business Insider’s Clinton Nguyen--If you ever plan to take a trip to Stockholm, Sweden's capital city, take note of the subways: they're works of art in and of themselves. 

The stations are hewn into the bedrock in a way that makes them feel organic. At the same time, the layers of paint and murals add man-made, artistic touches. It's a fantastic juxtaposition between rugged and ultra-refined. 

Stockholm's three main lines (blue, green, red) all began in 1941 and continued well into this century.

Here's a look at some of the city's amazing, cave-like subway stations: 

Radhuset station: Note the roughly carved, ochre-colored arc, juxtaposed with the perfectly smoothed concrete that supports the ceilings (blue line). 

 Swedish artist Ulrik Samuelson painted the murals that line the ceilings of the Kungsträdgården metro station in the 1970s. The station also holds relics and debris from buildings that were torn down during central Stockholm's reconstruction in the 1960s (blue line). 

 This blue mural showing vines and flowers is located in the T-Centralen station, arguably the city's most trafficked metro station with 330,000 passengers a day. 

Equally as vibrant, the Alby metro station is completely covered in a grass-like green color. The designs are inspired by local petroglyphs, or ancient stone carvings (red line). 

 This striking red emergency emergency exit passageway is built right into the Universitetet Metro station (red line). 

Five bands of this rainbow at Stadion station (red line) celebrate the 1912 Olympics held in Stockholm

Hornstull station shows brick tiling and mock fossils (red line).

Gamla Stan station. Geometric patterns on floor symbolize the Old Town’s location on an island where the freshwaters of Lake Malaren confluence with the Baltic Sea. Stockholm is built on an archipelago of 14 islands.

Ostermalmstorg station shows concrete tunnel wall with graffiti-style art ala prehistoric design (red line).

Karlaplan station with geometric design of colored patterned brick (red line).

Subway Construction, 1957, just north of today's T-Centralen station.

 The T-Centralen station's blue colors even stretch up the escalator shaft, adding to the sense that commuters might just be cave spelunking (T-Centralen station is accessed by all lines). 

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SAVE THE DATE. OPENING DAY AHEAD.

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is a National Historic Landmark. At 64-miles in length, it is the longest, the highest and most authentic steam railroad in North America, traveling through some of the most spectacular scenery in the Rocky Mountain West. 

Owned by the states of Colorado and New Mexico, the train crosses state borders 11 times, zigzagging along canyon walls, burrowing through two tunnels, and steaming over 137-foot Cascade Trestle. 

All trains steam along through deep forests of aspens and evergreens, across high plains filled with wildflowers, and through a rocky gorge of remarkable geologic formations. Deer, antelope, elk, fox, eagles and even bear are frequently spotted on this family friendly, off-the grid adventure. 

Join this vintage train line for a day trip through the still stunning Rocky Mountain West and on what the readers of USA Today have called the best, and most scenic train ride in America (2016, 2019, 2020). 

Depart from Antonito, Colorado or Chama, New Mexico aboard the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad for a journey packed with fellow tourists (who love steam trains).

    Info@cumbrestoltec.com 

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad’s passenger service operates May 25th-October 19th, six days a week, Tuesday-Sunday.

 Looking for something different?  You just found it, Come to Northwest New Mexico and climb aboard one of seven different train excursions and three different classes of service.

Departures include our geology trains and our 4th of July fireworks trains.

Tickets & Info: 1-888-286-2737 info@cumbrestoltec.com