Moscow’s Most Beautiful Metro Stations
A journey through the capital’s underground wonders
The Moscow Metro turned 90 in 2025 — and it’s considered one of the most beautiful metro systems in the world. Some stations dazzle with stained glass and sculpted ceilings; others feature marble tiles embedded with ancient fossils. A few look more like grand palaces than public transport hubs. Often called an “underground museum,” the Metro is not just about history: it’s constantly evolving, with the Big Circle Line (the world’s largest metro circle line) and the modern Moscow Central Circle (MCC) expanding the network. Here’s our guide to the must-see stations of the Moscow Metro — ideal for soaking up Soviet architectural splendour and snapping some truly eye-catching photos.
Mayakovskaya
Opened in 1938, Mayakovskaya is full of secrets. Its metal-rimmed arches, for example, let you test the laws of physics for yourself: roll a coin across the top of one arch, and it’ll drop down on the opposite side. The same goes for sound — whisper something near one column and your travel companion will hear it on the other side. That said, even without these tricks, Mayakovskaya is a stunner. With its sweeping arches and details, it’s not just a backdrop for daily photo shoots — some couples have even chosen to celebrate their weddings here, taking advantage of this truly one-of-a-kind setting.
Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square)
This 1938 station features low, vaulted ceilings and a whole gallery of bronze statues. Originally, the station's western entrance hall was integrated into a grand 3000-seat cinema complex, providing direct access from the metro. The plans changed, but the station became iconic in its own right.
Komsomolskaya
Think soaring ceilings, intricate mosaics, giant chandeliers, and gold-framed bas-reliefs — Soviet architecture at its most ambitious. Opened in 1952 under Komsomolskaya Square, which serves three of Moscow’s busiest railway stations (Kazan, Leningrad, and Yaroslavl), it gets very busy at rush hour. But time your trip right — say mid-afternoon or late at night — and you might just catch it at its most peaceful, with the details all yours to admire.
Arbatskaya
Opened in 1953, Arbatskaya is set in the very heart of Moscow — within walking distance of the Kremlin, Red Square, and the Arbat pedestrian street. Just outside the entrance, on the left, you’ll spot one of Moscow’s oldest cinemas — Khudozhestvenny — first opened back in 1909. The station itself is long and often busy. Nevertheless, it’s easy to get lost in the beauty of its snow-white arches, elaborate plasterwork, antique bronze chandeliers, and crimson marble accents.
Novoslobodskaya
Also built after World War II, in 1952, Novoslobodskaya is unlike anything else in the metro. It looks like a Gothic cathedral, with 32 illuminated stained-glass panels — each one unique. You won’t find anything like it anywhere else in the world. One wall is dominated by a huge mosaic titled Peace Throughout the World — a popular backdrop for selfies among both locals and visitors.
Dostoevskaya
When Dostoevskaya opened in 2010, some passengers were put off by its sombre, monochrome look — it seemed almost too on-the-nose for a station named after Fyodor Dostoevsky. The walls feature mosaics depicting scenes from his most famous works: The Idiot, The Brothers Karamazov, The Devils, and Crime and Punishment. Over time, though, the station has come to be recognised as one of the metro’s most striking and intellectually rich spaces.
Kievskaya
Leading out to Europe Square and Kievsky Station, this station name appears on three different metro lines — and each version is distinct. On the Filyovskaya Line, the Kievskaya station opened in 1937: it has lofty ceilings, wide platforms, and elegant columns clad in pale marble. The Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya Line version opened in 1953 and features barrel-vaulted ceilings with large mural paintings and a grand mosaic called Folk Festivities in Kiev. The Koltsevaya (Circle) Line station, from 1954, is decked out with floral mosaics, heavy chandeliers, and rich ornamentation.
Sokolniki (Big Circle Line)
Sokolniki on the Big Circle Line is one of the metro’s newest additions, unveiled in 2023. The station is bright and spacious, with mirrored ceiling panels and decorative columns. On one platform wall, a striking mosaic titled “Thank You for the Metro” pays tribute to the original Sokolnicheskaya Line — the first stretch of the Moscow Metro — opened back in 1935. The artwork draws on the visual style of Soviet posters from the 1930s and feels like a nod to the system’s storied past.
Nagatinsky Zaton (Big Circle Line)
Also opened in 2023, this station is among the most unusually decorated stations in the whole Moscow Metro system. The walls feature twelve enormous mosaic fish — representing the native species found in Moscow’s rivers and ponds, as well as the Nagatinsky Backwater, from perch and pike to bream. Miniature fish adorn the vestibule, and the ceiling sparkles with golden tiles arranged to resemble shimmering scales. It’s like diving into a glittering underwater world — without ever leaving the metro.
