Art in Stockholm Metro: best stations to see

Maybe you don't know that one of the great attractions of a tourist trip to Stockholm en Sweden is to visit…the subway.

And not because the Swedish capital's metro is one of the most modern in Europe, but because its stations have become true centers of modern art.

To the point that on your route you should contemplate seeing several of its most artistic stations, the ideal being that you sign up for one of the guided tours of the Stockholm Metro.

La Stockholm Metro network It began to be built in 1950, and currently has 110 stations that are distributed across three main lines with four complementary branches.

Art on the Stockholm Metro

The idea of ​​artistically decorating metro stations already began during the construction of the first stations.

These were designed by Peter Celsing, chief architect of Stockholm tram, from whose lines the metro network was developed.

But officially the Art on the Stockholm Metro It did not appear until 1957, when the main station of the network was built, T-Central, for whose decoration a competition was held.

Among the participants in said contest, the twelve proposals that were implemented at said station were selected.

At present, there are 90 stations with artistic decoration, in whose design more than 150 artists have participated.

Although currently in the Stockholm Metro No new stations are being built, but other stations on the current network are being decorated.

To see the decoration of the stations you have the option of traveling through the metro lines on your own and thus seeing the most notable ones.

But it may also be interesting to sign up for the guided tours offered by the Stockholm Metro, just as I did on my last trip to the Swedish capital.

Tour of the most beautiful Stockholm Metro stations

The guided tours of the Stockholm Metro They take place in summer, from June to September, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 15 p.m.

These visits are carried out in English and are free (you just have to bring your metro ticket).

You must sign up for them at the tourist office in the aforementioned station. T-Central.

The visit begins and ends at said station, next to the aforementioned office, and lasts one hour.

Of course the first thing you will see will be the decoration of the central station itself, with its walls covered with tiles from the 50s.

The decorations that you will find are very diverse, from artistic proposals developed on tiles, to others made through reliefs on concrete walls.

There is even a station (Royal garden, on the blue line) where you will find columns and other archaeological remains.

But I think what will catch your attention the most are the so-called grotto stations, which began to be built in the 70s.

Instead of covering the rocks excavated in the construction of the tunnels with concrete, they were decorated with layers of paint, creating a decorated grotto atmosphere.

This results in very striking environments, which you can see on your Stockholm Metro tour, specifically, on the blue line, whose station masmo was the first to incorporate this artistic proposal.

Photos of the most beautiful Stockholm Metro stations

Here you have more photos of Art in the Stockholm Metro.