Subways are not generally known for their beauty, but architectural photographer Alexander Dragunov’s work is highlighting one of the world’s most amazing subterranean transit systems, located in Stockholm, Sweden.
BBC News filmed the St Petersburg-born Dragunov as he explained his passion for the Stockholm subway, which he believes is “the most beautiful metro in the world,” Gizmodo reports. Dragunov also related how wait times of 10 minutes between trains make it easier for him to capture the perfect pictures of the artistically stunning subway system.
“It’s quite unusual and really exciting to be alone in these subway caves,” Dragunov told BBC News , speaking about his photos, which have become an internet sensation. Dragunov’s work is largely responsible for the Stockholm subway’s emergence as a tourist attraction in Sweden. Using a wide angle-lens, Dragunov was able to reveal the subway stations in a “way that you would never see with video, or eyes.” The photographer added that in his opinion, “No one would believe this station exists in real life.”
Dragunov said his first reaction was how different the subway in Stockholm was from the system in his native St.Petersburg. In Stockholm, extended wait times between trains are common, leaving the subway platforms virtually deserted for relatively long periods.
According to Dragunov, of the three lines that make up the Stockholm subway, the blue line is “far and away the best line for taking subway photos.” Solna Centrum ranks amongst Dragunov’s favorite stations to photograph, along with Radhuset station.
Surprisingly, Dragunov says that the strongest reaction to his photos came from the residents of Stockholm itself, who travel on the subway every day. “People were writing mails to me and saying that I opened their eyes,” Dragunov said, “because they haven’t seen Stockholm subway this way before.”
The residents of Stockholm thanked him for helping them to view their own subway in a different way, the photographer recounts, pointing out how the city’s travelers too often looked for the exit, instead of appreciating the beauty surrounding them.
Stockholm isn’t the only place in Sweden with eye-catching architecture. As The Inquisitr previously reported, a unique hotel in the northern part of the country offers travelers the option to lodge in unusual and visually stunning treehouses, including one designed to look like a bird’s nest and another that is a giant, mirrored cube.
Thanks to Dragunov’s photos, the Stockholm subway continues to be a draw for tourists; its unique architecture and beauty revealed to the world at large, as well as the city’s residents.
[Images via Businessweek and Dvice ]
