"Railway Cathedral" or the most beautiful railway station in Europe.
If you type "the most beautiful train station in the world" into the search bar, the output will give you a lot of tops, where the Belgian train station will always be in the first lines. Antwerp Central Railway Station quite deservedly occupies the top positions. This city starts from the train station, and the train station is a special attraction. Let's take a look from all sides at this European train station, answering the question why it is the most.
Antwerp is the second largest Belgian city, but in its beauty and liveliness is not inferior to Brussels. With only one significant difference is that in Antwerp it is cheaper in some places than hotels. In addition, it is the second largest port, after Rotterdam, as well as the center of the fashion and diamond industry. Also, this place is very controversial. Once the richest and largest city in Europe, it has preserved a magnificent architectural ensemble and many museums. And modern youth and the development of tourism have made this place fashionable with many pubs and night discos. Therefore, the historical past is incredibly combined with a dynamic life. And the most interesting thing is that the city is such a magnet for travelers from all over the world.
Thanks to the well-developed transport system of the country, travelers from neighboring European countries easily make trips to this and other cities of Belgium. Therefore, for those who are going to conquer Europe, Antwerp will be an ideal start or transfer point for a trip. Returning to the original topic, the first place where a tourist most often gets is the train station.
The Central Station has an interesting history. No wonder we said that the city is the center of the diamond industry. They say that the place for the construction of the station was chosen not in vain, but specifically in the place where precious stones are sold, so that without too much attention: he arrived, bought and left. We cannot confirm the plausibility of this information. But apart from jokes, there are a lot of shops with jewelry and not only in front of the station. The so-called Diamond Quarter, where almost most of all the diamonds in the world are sold. And the station itself boasts a diamond gallery.
The first wooden station building dates back to 1836. The stone building acquired its appearance in 1905 and it was erected for 6 years by the architect Louis Delacencerie. In the 50s, the building fell into disrepair, including stone slabs were collapsed, some elements were dismantled. The building was declared an architectural monument and in the early 2000s it was modernized and acquired its former appearance.
Now Antwerp is the central – e that luxurious and majestic building. If you didn't come by rail, you won't immediately admit that this is a train station. Outwardly, it looked more like a cathedral, because it has a dome 75 meters high and eight Gothic towers. Therefore, sometimes this station is called the "Railway Cathedral". It is worth noting that the building is made in an eclectic style. And the interior is more reminiscent of palace interiors. The decor impresses with its variety of marble, more than 20 types. At the entrance there are memorial plaques in memory of those who died in the First World War. A luxurious staircase leads to the platforms. Many cathedrals cannot boast of such beauty and scope. Of course, the grandeur and beauty of this building can be described endlessly, but it is better to see it at least once.
There are four levels in the building (+1, 0, -1 and -2). Previously, the station was one-level, and trains came to the current + 1 floor, and now they come to three levels. By the way, it is very difficult to get confused here, there is competent navigation and understandable to any tourist. On the ground level, you can go outside from the side, and there are also cafes, shops and small offices. In addition, there is a transition to the local metro station. But in fact it is a metrotram (in other words, an underground tram). Despite modern improvements, even ticket vending machines fit perfectly into the local design, wires and other communications do not spoil the impression and appearance of the building. Sometimes it seems as if it was originally planned this way.
