A BEAUTIFUL underground train station in London could be mistaken for somewhere in Moscow.
From the outside, Gants Hill looks like nothing special, being on a roundabout in Zone 4.
However, the interiors were designed by modernist Charles Holden, known for creating most of the London Underground system.
Originally starting works in the 1930s, Gants Hill station wasn’t able to open until 1947 due to delays caused by WWII.
During this time, it was even used as an air raid shelter during the war.
It was inspired by the Moscow Metro system, after Holden returned from the Russian city having been there as a consultant.
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The barrel vault ceilings are similar to Elektrozavodskaya metro station in Moscow.
The central concourse even has the nickname “Moscow Hall”.
Joshua Abbott, author of the Modernism in Metroland blog, told local media that the underground “should be listed.”
He added: “It is unique among Holden’s stations due to the Moscow Metro influenced platform design and lack of surface buildings.
“Gants Hill should be very proud of its most secret building.”
Some commuters have raved about it as well.
One wrote: “For an underground station Gants Hill has amazing interior architecture.
“Definitely, a place to visit if you’re into building structures and design.”
If you want to visit it yourself, you can easily hop on the Central Line from London, with the line ending in Essex.
Another unusual metro station was Marlborough Road in North London on the Metropolitan line.
It opened in 1868 before closing in 1939 and later even becoming a Chinese restaurant where the “chopsticks rattled because of the trains”.
And earlier this year, the London Underground ran vintage 1930s trains – here’s everything you need to know.