The city of Naples, with its rich history and vibrant culture, is known for its stunning architecture, delicious cuisine, and passionate people. But one of the city’s most awe-inspiring attractions lies not above ground in its historic streets but deep beneath the bustling cityscape. The Toledo Art Station, located 130 feet underground, is often hailed as Europe’s most beautiful metro station, and for good reason.
About Toledo Art Station
The Art Station project was designed to bring art to people’s everyday lives.
The most incredible underground station that stands out from the rest and has been nominated as the most beautiful transit station in Europe is Toledo#Naples #Italy #TOLEDO pic.twitter.com/LOclDqId0K
— Antonia (@flaminhaystacks) August 24, 2023
Taking the metro in Naples entails far more than simply getting from one location to another. At least at Toledo Station, which is regarded as the most beautiful metro station in Europe. Toledo is more than simply a station; it’s a true art gallery that everyone may visit and will captivate you.
Toledo Metro Station, which opened in 2012, is on the Underground Line 1 and is located directly off Via Toledo, one of Naples’ most major retail streets. Along the 50-meter plunge into the station’s depths, darkness turns to light, the ground transforms into the sea, and at the bottom, waves (in the form of Robert Wilson’s light-panel installation) transport passengers to the below-sea-level platform.
The Toledo station is one of the deepest on the line, measuring 50 meters, and it is themed around water and light. Achille Bonito Oliva, an art critic and former Venice Biennale director, curated the station’s art, which includes two mosaics by South African artist William Kentridge, as well as Light Panels Robert Wilson and works by Francesco Clemente, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, Shirin Nehsat, and Oliviero Toscani.
The Artistic Vision
#Arquitectura
World’s most beautiful Metro stations:
Toledo Metro art Station. Italia pic.twitter.com/DKEuA5EY69— maika vergara (@vergara_maika) June 24, 2014
The station’s design is centred around the theme of water and light, elements that are particularly significant in a city like Naples, which is deeply connected to the Mediterranean Sea. On the first level, William Kentridge’s enormous mosaics stand out against the dark floor and ceiling. Descend to the second level on the escalators and elevate your gaze to observe Crater de Luz, a crater that runs through every level and allows sunshine to permeate from the outside, blending the colours of 144 LED lights and the tints of the Olas, the side waves. Experience the incredible illusion of standing in an underwater realm, which inspired the name Galleria del Mare (Sea Gallery). And that is not all. The Toledo Station hides several other lesser-known but interesting works of art.
While the artistic aspects of the Toledo Art Station are undeniably impressive, the station is also a feat of engineering. Constructing a metro station 130 feet below ground level in a city as ancient and densely populated as Naples was no small task. In 2013, it was named the most beautiful metro station in Europe by the Daily Telegraph, a title that it continues to hold in the eyes of many.
For the people of Naples, as well as the many visitors who come to see this underground masterpiece, the Toledo Art Station is more than just a transit hub…
Cover image credits: Visit Italia/Website