Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Barbara Snyder’s gravestone.
The Witch’s Grave
Discover unique jewelry, sculpture, photography, and more on your trip to Kayenta Art Village.
Kayenta Art Village
Musée du Coeur
The building seen from the northeast corner in 2026.
Goldfield Historic High School
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Akureyri Domino’s Pizza
Site of the Original Krispy Kreme Doughnut Shop
Neuhaus Chocolate Shop
Caesar Salad being prepared table side
Caesar’s Restaurant Bar
Local favorites include chicken tacos, guacamole, and the strawberry limeade.
El Weirdo
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Jane August poses in front of the painting, “The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit, 1882,” by John Singer Sargent at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Visiting every museum in New York City
Welcome to The Obscura Society
Taking advantage of Florida’s never-ending summer, Sajoma has a spacious outdoor eating area.
Pedro Rodriguez Is on a Quest for Freshness
Edison’s laboratory
Inside Thomas Edison’s Botanical Laboratory

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Poland Warsaw Metroteka

Metroteka

This alluring underground library, hidden in a suburban Metro station, features a Space Age aesthetic and its own hydroponic garden.

Warsaw, Poland

Added By
Jan Meyer
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The futuristic interior of Metroteka   Jan Meyer / Atlas Obscura User
Part of the hydroponic garden at Metroteka where herbs are grown   Jan Meyer / Atlas Obscura User
Work and study spaces alongside the hydroponic garden inside Metroteka   Jan Meyer / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Before the age of the smartphone, reading a good book was the most common way to pass the time while riding public transport. Metroteka aims to give good old-fashioned paper books a shot in the arm by offering a wide range of reading materials to Warsaw commuters close to the station platform.

The underground library has an intriguing modern design with parametric furniture and sloping white bookcases which contrast sharply with the black walls. Metroteka also features a hydroponic herb garden, with lightly scented leaves growing in a vertical arrangement under the light of lamps.

The design of the library is intended to inspire thought and debate; about the loss of libraries in Poland during WWII and challenges to food security in the 21st century.

Visitors can borrow books using the self-service system or enjoy this unique, underground space; an ideal spot for study, reading, or a moment of contemplation.

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Related Tags

Future Subways Libraries

Know Before You Go

Metroteka is in the basement of Metro Kondratowicza, close to the Bródno end of the M2 line.

The library is open from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 19:00. Most of the books are in Polish, but visitors might find a few foreign language options to enjoy. Anyone can visit the library and enjoy it, even without a library card.

 

Community Contributors

Added By

Jan Meyer

Published

January 19, 2026

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.architekturaibiznes.pl/en/library-in-metro-metrics,41321.html
  • https://culture.pl/en/article/metroteka-warsaws-undergound-library-for-commuters
Metroteka
22 Ludwika Kondratowicza
Warsaw, 03-285
Poland
52.292107, 21.050599
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Neon Museum

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

Gnojna Góra (Dung Hill Lookout Point)

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Museum

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Warsaw

Warsaw

Poland

Places 41
Stories 2

Nearby Places

The Neon Museum

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

Gnojna Góra (Dung Hill Lookout Point)

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Museum

Warsaw, Poland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Warsaw

Warsaw

Poland

Places 41
Stories 2

Related Places

  • Celadon wares

    Hong Kong

    Treasures From Sacred Hill Exhibit

    Ancient artifacts discovered during the construction of an underground railway station are now on display in its concourse.

  • The library has collections of over 100,000 lending books, downloadables, DVDs, CDs, games, and musical instruments.

    Ketchum, Idaho

    The Community Library

    This independent library is rooted in community service and lifelong learning.

    Sponsored By Visit Sun Valley
  • Exterior image of the library

    Rockville, Maryland

    Rockville Memorial Library

    This library is designed to commemorate the work of the Human Genome Project.

  • Boston, Massachusetts

    PCC Car No. 3295 & Type 5 Car No. 5734

    A pair of antique trolleys are on display at one of the oldest subway stations in the United States.

  • The mural hangs directly underneath 42nd Street.

    New York, New York

    Lichtenstein Subway Mural

    A dazzling work by a Pop art legend hangs in one of the world’s busiest subway stations.

  • Part of the bridge in the station wall.

    Prague, Czechia

    Můstek Bridge

    The ruins of a medieval bridge are visible inside a Prague Metro station.

  • Rose Dorthea

    Provincetown, Massachusetts

    Rose Dorothea Schooner Model

    Half-scale model of a historic ship in the children's section of Provincetown Public Library.

  • Boston, Massachusetts

    Park Street Station Mural

    This mosaic commemorates the oldest subway tunnel and station in the United States.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2026 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.