MetroArt
– Europe’s Most Fascinating Underground Stations
– Europe’s Most Fascinating Underground StationsSince the construction of the first lines in London and Budapest over 150 years ago, underground stations have become the most frequented places on earth. Without highly efficient underground and suburban rail networks, mega-cities in particular would not be able to survive.
The design of most stations was initially purely functional – often dull caves for mass transport. Moscow was an exception from the very beginning. Later, Stockholm, Lisbon and Brussels also had their stations not only built by well-known architects but also adorned with works by renowned contemporary artists.
For some time now it has also been recognized that a more attractive station design can be a worthwhile investment to avoid vandalism.
At the end of the 1990s, 
became one of my main projects; with numerous publications, exhibitions and a multi-image slideshow in triptych projection on the Lisbon metro. My subway archive now contains over 15,000 images from around 350 stations in 34 cities in Europe.
Idea and realisation: Lothar Schiffler
Technical assistance: Nikolai Klassen
Editing: Marion Engels