Uzbekistan: Tashkent Metro Stations

The Tashkent Metro opened in 1977, built during the Soviet era as both a public transit system and a civil defense shelter, which is why its tunnels run deep and its stations were designed to be structurally resilient. For decades, photography was restricted inside due to its strategic military purpose, which only added to its mystique.

Today, it’s still one of the most visually distinctive metros in the world — less utilitarian, more ceremonial. Marble columns, intricate mosaics, and chandeliers turn everyday commuting into something closer to walking through an underground museum, a reminder of how infrastructure can also be a statement of identity and history.  Below are some photos from some of the stations we visited.