Madrid Atocha (also named Madrid Puerta de Atocha) is the largest railway station in Madrid. It is the primary station serving commuter trains (Cercanías), intercity and regional trains from the South, and the AVE high speed trains from Barcelona, Zaragoza, Sevilla and Valencia. These train services are run by the Spanish national rail company, Renfe.
At this site, Madrid's first railway station was
inaugurated on 9 February 1851 under the name "Estación de Mediodía". After the building was largely destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt and reopened in 1892. The architect for the replacement, in a wrought iron renewal style was Alberto de Palacio Elissagne, who collaborated with Gustave Eiffel. Engineer Henry Saint James also took part in the project. The name Atocha has become attached to the station because of the nearby basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Atocha. The train platforms were partly covered by a roof in the form of inverted hull with a height of approximately 27 meters and length of 157 meters. The steel and glass roof spreads between two brick flanking buildings.
inaugurated on 9 February 1851 under the name "Estación de Mediodía". After the building was largely destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt and reopened in 1892. The architect for the replacement, in a wrought iron renewal style was Alberto de Palacio Elissagne, who collaborated with Gustave Eiffel. Engineer Henry Saint James also took part in the project. The name Atocha has become attached to the station because of the nearby basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Atocha. The train platforms were partly covered by a roof in the form of inverted hull with a height of approximately 27 meters and length of 157 meters. The steel and glass roof spreads between two brick flanking buildings.
This complex of railway tracks expanded through the years. In 1985, a project of complete remodeling began, based on designs by Rafael Moneo. In 1992, the original building was taken out of service as a terminal and converted into a concourse with shops, cafés and a nightclub. Like the Orsay Museum in Paris, the concourse has been given a new function, this time a stunning 4000 m² m covered tropical garden.
On March 11, 2004, packed arriving commuter trains were bombed in a series of coordinated bombings, killing 191 people and wounding 1800...
Nowadays, inside Atocha Station there's a huge family of turtles enjoying the water and sun of the tropical garden. I couldn't verify this information but my son Ignacio, who lives in Madrid, has told me that after the bomb attack 191 turtles where allocated there to remember the victims.
Here you have some useful links:
Map click here
Directions from Costanilla's flat: walk 50 meters up to Atocha Street; turn left and walk 5 block direct to Atocha Station.
Watch my own pictures from Spain by clicking here.
No comments:
Post a Comment