The Scandinavian city of Stockholm is known for many things: its enviable quality of life, progressive values, picturesque archipelago, innovative tech industry, historic Old Town and more. It is frequently counted among the one of the best cities in the world to live in due to its strong economy, high levels of education and excellent work-life balance.
This commitment to making Sweden a desirable place to live for its citizens extends to the transportation sector, too. The country's public transport network, including Stockholm's, is on par with the world’s best. The capital boasts an underground metro, trams, commuter trains, buses, ferries, cycling lanes and walkable streets.
Besides being known for running 100 per cent on renewable energy, Stockholm's subway system is said to be the world's longest art exhibition, at 110 km. Nearly all of its 100 metro stations feature unique art on their platforms, walls or waiting halls.
Unsurprisingly then, viewing this gigantic art gallery that stretches up and down all 14 islands that make up the city is one of the top things to do there. Here’s what you need to know about this underground art gallery.
In 1957, the Stockholm City Council approved the integration of art into the metro after lobbying by artists Vera Nilsson and Siri Derkert. The city established a program to commission works for new stations, starting with T-Centralen, the largest and busiest station on the network.
Thus began a project that has since roped in nearly 150 artists who have created sculptures, rock formations, mosaics, paintings, light installations, engravings and reliefs for both existing and newly-built metro stations.
The first major art installations in the Stockholm Metro appeared in the 1960s, with Derkert's 1965 work of sandblasted engravings on feminism, world peace and environmentalism put on display at Östermalmstorg Station.
These early installations often reflected modernist aesthetics and social commentary. As the metro expanded in the 1970s, large-scale, immersive artworks became common. By the 1980s and 1990s, historical motifs and archaeological elements were being incorporated into the artwork.
Today, art projects continue to be an integral part of all new station designs. Since 2015, public competitions have been held to select artists for new stations on the Blue and Green lines. These new works are developed in close collaboration with architects and engineers, and often respond to the local history, culture or natural surroundings of the specific station.
In 2017, graphic artist Liv Strömquist’s series of enlarged felt-pen sketches at Slussen station generated controversy for depicting naked bodies and women with unshaven legs and visible menstrual blood.
T-Centralen: The first station to display artwork, its Blue Line platform is arguably the most recognisable among the network. The leaf creepers and stylised flowers of Per Olof Ultvedt in striking cobalt blue are a serene contrast to the busyness of the station.
Solna Centrum: This Blue Line station has a bright green and red landscape—the green being the forest and the red an evening sun setting behind the treetops. Created by Karl-Olov Björk and Anders Åberg, it illustrates some of the most debated societal topics in 1970s Sweden, including the environment, deforestation and the depopulation of rural areas.
Tekniska Högskolan: This station serves the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, so the natural theme for its makeover was the fusion of science and art. The most eye-catching installations here are the five regular polyhedra on the platform, each representing one of Plato’s five elements: fire, water, air, earth and ether. Visitors will also find representations of Copernican heliocentrism, Polhem’s mechanical alphabet, Newton’s three laws of motion, and Leonardo da Vinci’s attempts at creating a flying machine.
Kungsträdgården: Located in the middle of downtown Stockholm, this station is the terminus of the Blue Line. Between 1643 and 1825, the area was the site of the majestic Makalös Palace and a beautiful French garden. After Makalös burned down, the site was used for military exercises. The station's colour scheme (red, white and green) is a reference to the old French formal garden, and statues around the station are replicas of Makalös Palace’s exterior art. Kungsträdgården station is also the only place in northern Europe where the cave-dwelling Lessertia dentichelis spider can be found.
Citybanan, Odenplan: Citybanan, a new track for Stockholm’s commuter trains that connects T-Centralen directly with Odenplan, features art by 14 artists. Hanging down from the ceiling of Odenplan’s western entrance hallway is “Life Line” by David Svensson. It consists of jagged white lines of fluorescent light, shining brightly in the tunnels. The shape of the lights was inspired by the heartbeats of the artist’s son, as shown on the CTG monitor during childbirth.
The best time to visit Stockholm is during the summer months of June to August, when the weather is warm and the city brims with outdoor activities and festivals. Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to October) are cheaper in comparison and more suitable for budget travellers.
Thanks to its relatively compact centre, getting around Stockholm is easy, either on foot or on two wheels, with cycle paths making biking safe and convenient.
Public transport is easy to navigate, with most instructions in English. You can use a contactless card or mobile for pay-as-you-go journeys lasting 75 minutes. You can buy and store almost all tickets in the SL App.
Indian travellers will have to travel through cities like Doha, Dubai, Frankfurt or London to reach Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN).
Use the VFS Global website to apply for a Schengen visa to Sweden. The processing time is 15 calendar days from when the application reaches the Swedish embassy in New Delhi.