The Incredible Metro Stations of Moscow

Usually, city attractions take the form of monuments and squares, museums and palaces, boulevards and shopping plazas; but sometimes, the sights shine most brightly underneath the surface.

Touted as one of the most comprehensive, most efficient (minimal delay rates), and most well-maintained train stations in the world, the Moscow Metro can also add to its list of accolades the title of most beautiful and most nationalistic. And indeed, several of them are tourist attractions in itself!

* The adventure starts at ground level! Built during the Soviet era, the Moscow Metro is the perfect example of the State proudly exhibiting its most positive virtues: nationalism, productive citizens, efficient systems, unification, organization, and coordination. 

* Revolution Square Station lives up to its name by being full of sculptures of working folk in the socialist realism style.

* Comrade and comrade's best friend are on stand-by!

* Everyone is ready to contribute to the revolution!

* Komsomolskaya Station (say it five times fast!) is the busiest one amongst the whole Moscow Metro, being the transport hub connecting Moscow to the rest of Russia.

* And its walls are decorated with mosaics featuring scenes from the history of the USSR.

* The highlight of which is this bust of Vladimir Lenin, leader of the October Revolution which led to the creation of Soviet Russia.  

* Lenin was also the first Chairman of the Soviet Union, and was idolized and venerated by much of the world during the 20th Century for being the supreme example of Communism-Marxism (as opposed to the ideals of Democracy-Capitalism in the West.

* Kievskaya Station is named after Kiev, capital of the Ukraine and at one point major part of the USSR.

* Beautiful murals praising the hardworking people of the Soviet Union adorn the walls.

* And more than one mural (of course) dedicated to the exploits of Lenin.

* Nowadays Russia and the Ukraine aren't at the best of terms, with their most recent incident being the annexation of Crimea (part of Ukraine) by Russia in 2014.

* Which is pretty sad especially since the two countries have historically and culturally been allies; in fact an argument can be made that they are the same people, just living in different geographic areas.

* Novoslobodskaya Station is famous for utilizing stained glass in its decor. All in all, the station has over 32 panels illuminated beautifully from within.

* And at the end of the station is this mosaic titled "Peace Throughout the World".

* The writer agrees with the sentiment behind the statement!

* An added feature are these brass panels containing symbology from the Soviet Union.

* Belorusskaya Station is named after Belarus, now an independent country but formerly an integral part of the Soviet Union.

* The station is famous for its use of different types of marble (white, pink, and black davalu), along with murals depicting extremely blonde citizens of the Soviet Union; think Ivan Drago from Rocky IV.

* The station is also the main transport hub connecting Moscow to Western Europe.

* Krasnopresnenskaya Station is famous for its red granite pylons and bas-reliefs.

* In total there are 14 bas-refliefs: 8 depicting the events of the Russian Revolution of 1905, and 6 depicting the events of the Russian Revolution of 1917.

* It was the period between these two revolutions that Bolshevism began to gain strength in Russia, leading to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, the end of the Russian Imperial government, and the formation of Soviet Russia.

* Despite the collapse of Soviet Russia, the Moscow Metro system has maintained its world-class reputation, being continuously renovated and upgraded through the decades.

* What was unthinkable back in the day: station names in both Cyrillic (writing system in Russia) and Latin (writing system in the Western world) making navigation within the metro system manageable.

* Monicca enjoying the smooth, efficient, and punctual subway ride as much as I did.

* Mother Russia thanks you for your continued patronage of its transportation apparatus!