{"id":41447,"date":"2015-03-09T14:00:04","date_gmt":"2015-03-09T13:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/?p=41447"},"modified":"2015-12-30T19:56:36","modified_gmt":"2015-12-30T18:56:36","slug":"top-10-most-spectacular-railway-stations-in-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/turkeyalwan.net\/top-10-most-spectacular-railway-stations-in-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10: most spectacular railway stations in the world"},"content":{"rendered":"

Monday newsletters<\/a>\u00a0always feature\u00a0top 10 travel lists<\/a>\u00a0to inspire.<\/p>\n

Today (March 9, 2015): Top 10 most beautiful railway stations in the world.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Train travel is not only fast and efficient, but also provides ample opportunity to admire some of the world’s greatest wonders. Though now a less used means of transport, train travel was once at the forefront of innovation, revolutionizing travel and prompting monarchs, architects, and city planners to build magnificent train stations to impress passengers. From lavish Beaux-Arts stations to ultra-modern masterpieces, here are the 10 most amazing\u00a0railway stations from around the world.<\/p>\n

I previously published my top 10 of the\u00a0greatest train journeys in the world<\/a>.<\/p>\n

There is more\u00a0information below the slide show.\u00a0Think I missed one? Share your favorite train station in the\u00a0comments section<\/strong>, or take my\u00a0poll\u00a0<\/strong>below!<\/p>\n

This slideshow requires JavaScript.<\/p>

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*** Follow me on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and Facebook<\/a>\u00a0for a daily moment of travel inspiration ***<\/em><\/p>\n

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10. STATION LIEGE-GUILLEMINS, BELGIUM<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Santiago Calatrava’s sleek, curvaceous train station in Li\u00e8ge has earned the contemporary architect countless accolades and attracts architecture buffs to this small Belgian city. Made of steel, glass, and white concrete, the station seems to bring the outside in, with light pouring in through the windows and skylights. High-speed trains shuttle passengers off to other parts of Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The main concourse has plenty of shops, caf\u00e9s, and restaurants, plus a tourist information office and ticket office.<\/p>\n

\"STATION<\/a>
STATION LIEGE-GUILLEMINS, BELGIUM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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9. ESTACAO DE SAO BENTO, PORTO, PORTUGAL<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Occupying the site of the former convent of S. Bento de Av\u00e9-Maria, the Estacao de Sao Bento\u00a0is celebrated for its exquisite blue and white mural depicting scenes from Portugal’s history. It took artist Jorge Cola\u00e7o 14 years to complete the masterpiece made of 20,000 tin-glazed ceramic tiles. The exterior isn’t bad either\u2014architect Marques da Silva was inspired by Parisian architecture\u00a0and included a mansard roof and stone fa\u00e7ade in his design.<\/p>\n

\"ESTACAO<\/a>
ESTACAO DE SAO BENTO, PORTO, PORTUGAL<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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8. KANAZAWA STATION, JAPAN<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The ultra-modern entrance to the Kanazawa Station was unveiled in 2005 to mixed reviews, but it has become a much-admired site since. Initially, many felt the modern architecture didn\u2019t represent the historic town, which was miraculously unharmed during WWII and has preserved the former samurai quarters and geisha district. The station’s hand-drum-shaped wooden Tsuzumi Gate and glass and steel Motenashi dome have come to stand for the fusion of modern technology with traditional forms. Outside, a futuristic fountain displays the time like a digital clock.<\/p>\n

\"KANAZAWA<\/a>
KANAZAWA STATION, JAPAN<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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7. SOUTHERN CROSS STATION, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA<\/strong><\/h5>\n

While locals are more likely to regard Southern Cross as an inevitable time-suck to be navigated by train on the way to Flinders St., tourists and design-junkies from all over the world admire the station for its innovative and beautiful design. While the station in this spot dates back to 1859, the undulating, sand dune-shaped roof designed by Grimshaw Architects was completed in 2006 and covers an entire city block of over 60,000 square metres. The roof was designed to allow for cooling through natural ventilation, and to allow fumes and exhaust from trains to leave the station.<\/p>\n

\"SOUTHERN<\/a>
SOUTHERN CROSS STATION, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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6. GARE DE STRASBOURG, FRANCE<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Gare de Strasbourg\u00a0is the main railway station\u00a0in the commune of Strasbourg\u00a0in France. The current core building is an example of historic architecture\u00a0of the Wilhelminian period.\u00a0Prior to the opening of the high-speed train line LGV Est<\/a>, the station was refurbished by architect Jean-Marie Duthilleul\u00a0in 2006\u20132007 and its size and capacity largely increased by the addition of a huge glass roof entirely covering the historical fa\u00e7ade. \u00a0<\/span>The main hall is adorned by two larger than life statues\u00a0of female allegorical\u00a0figures representing Industry and Agriculture. They are the work of Otto Geyer, who\u00a0also sculpted the figured reliefs\u00a0adorning the historical fa\u00e7ade.<\/p>\n

\"GARE<\/a>
GARE DE STRASBOURG, FRANCE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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5. CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS, MUMBAI, INDIA<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The historic Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus\u00a0is a UNESCO World Heritage Site\u00a0and was a symbol of Bombay’s prestige. Originally known as Victoria Terminus, it was designed by British architect Frederick William Stevens to honor Queen Victoria, Empress of India. The imposing Victorian Gothic Revival station took 10 years to build and was completed in 1888. A fusion of Western and Eastern styles, it was inspired by\u00a0Indian palace architecture. Indian craftsmen aided in the construction and sculpted elements to represent the two cultures. Three million commuters pass through the station every day, as it connects Mumbai\u00a0to the suburbs.<\/p>\n

\"CHHATRAPATI<\/a>
CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS, MUMBAI, INDIA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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4. BERLIN HAUPTBAHNHOF, GERMANY<\/strong><\/h5>\n

A massive, five-storey cruciform construction in steel and glass, Berlin Hauptbahnhof gleams phosphorescent against the night sky. Curved glass tunnels and vertical lines intersect like a glowing rutilated quartz crystal cluster, with tracks extending north, east, south and west. The glass walls render visible – and somehow magical – the movement of each train that bisects its core on the upper levels, before they snake away on a network of raised bridges. When it opened, in 2006, national train operator Deutsche Bahn’s chief executive Hartmut Mehdorm described it as ‘the most beautiful station in the world’.<\/p>\n

\"BERLIN<\/a>
BERLIN HAUPTBAHNHOF, GERMANY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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3. GRAND CENTRAL, NEW YORK CITY, USA<\/strong><\/h5>\n

While Grand Central Terminal\u00a0remains the busiest train station in the USA, it is also one of New York City\u2019s most historical landmarks and a living, bustling temple to the city\u2019s illustrious past. First built in 1913, Grand Central was saved from destruction by New York\u2019s landmark laws and vocal New Yorkers, including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Brendan Gill, who wanted to see Grand Central restored. Extensive efforts to restore and revive this National Historic Landmark lead to its re-dedication on October 1, 1998 when Grand Central Terminal had been restored to its original glory. If you are hungry, do not forget to visit the food court at the station\u2019s lower level.<\/p>\n

\"GRAND<\/a>
GRAND CENTRAL, NEW YORK CITY, USA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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2. ST PANCRAS INTERNATIONAL STATION, LONDON, UK<\/strong><\/h5>\n

St. Pancras International station\u2019s immense halls greet people arriving in London\u00a0from all over the UK, France, and Belgium on the Eurostar. The station took 20 years to build, and when it was completed in 1868, it was the largest enclosed space in the world. The red brick Gothic fa\u00e7ade remains a testament to England\u2019s great Victorian architecture, even surviving the Blitz during WWII. During the war, it was an important escape route and meeting point for the Allied soldiers.<\/p>\n

\"ST<\/a>
ST PANCRAS INTERNATIONAL STATION, LONDON, UK<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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1. STATION ANTWERPEN-CENTRAAL, BELGIUM<\/strong><\/h5>\n

King Leopold II spared no expense in building the Antwerp Central Station\u00a0at the turn of the 20th century. Completed in 1905, the opulent neo-Baroque station contains more than 20 types of marble and stone. A handsome antique clock marks the time for passengers waiting to catch a train under the iron and glass vaulted ceiling. Though it was originally built as the terminus of the Brussels-Mechelen-Antwerp railway line, the station now functions as a through-station for commuter trains, intercity trains, and\u00a0Thalys high-speed trains\u00a0connecting Amsterdam to Paris and Lille via Belgium.<\/p>\n

\"STATION<\/a>
STATION ANTWERPEN-CENTRAAL, BELGIUM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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*** Follow me on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and Facebook<\/a>\u00a0for a daily moment of travel inspiration ***<\/em><\/p>\n

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