To glorify his Communist regime as a workers' paradise, Stalin showcased the underground Metro systems of Moscow and St. Petersburg with richly decorated stations in the mid-20th century. Proletariat urban commuters can walk through these palatial settings during their daily drudge.
We visited the Admiralteyskaya station in the heart of the tourist district. Although it is a new station opened in 2011, it was built in the similar Art Deco style but without the opulence as the other stations. Due to the fact that Peter the Great’s capital was built on a swamp, the platform is 335 feet underground to stay well below the water table. Its proximity to the Admiralty inspired its maritime themed decoration.