Stations

In 192 BC, the Romans conquered the area and founded the outpost Toletum. Due to its iron ore deposits, Toledo developed into an important settlement. Since the first barbarian invasions, the ancient walls were reinforced. In 411 the Alans and later the Visigoths conquered the city. Toledo was the capital of the Visigoths' empire from about 531 to 711. The Moors conquered the place in 712. Toledo experienced its heyday during the period of Moorish rule as Ṭulayṭula during the Caliphate of Córdoba until its conquest by Alfonso VI in 1085, after a four-year siege. In 1088, only a few years after the conquest, Archbishop Bernard of Toledo obtained confirmation from Pope Urban II that Toledo should hold the "primatus in totis Hispaniarum regnis" (primacy in all the kingdoms of the Iberian dominions). The Archbishop of Toledo is still today the Primate of the Catholic Church of Spain. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the Toledo school of translators translated ancient philosophical writings (Plato, Aristotle) that had been translated from Greek into Arabic, but also genuinely Arabic writings from the fields of astronomy, mathematics, Islamic religion and theology into Latin. After the conquest by Alfonso VI, Toledo became the residence of the Kingdom of Castile in 1087 and remained the capital of Spain until 1561. The building looks like a church, but it is Toledo's train station. The current building was completed in 1919. There was a royal waiting room on the ground floor of the tower. The building and tower are richly decorated with Mudejar-style shapes, which makes the building a reference to the architectural heritage of the city of Toledo.

Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. Madrid is part of the historical landscape of Castile and is located in the middle of the Meseta, the plateau of Castile. The site of modern-day Madrid has been occupied since prehistoric times. The first document about the existence of an established settlement in Madrid dates from the Muslim age. In the second half of the 9th century Umayyad Emir Muhammad I built a fortress here. After the disintegration of the Caliphate of Córdoba in the early 11th century, Madrid was integrated into the Taifa of Toledo. In 1083, Madrid was conquered by the Kingdom of Castile. In 1309, under Fernando IV, the Assembly of Estates (Cortes) of the Kingdom of Castile was convened for the first time in Madrid. In 1561, Philip II moved the royal court from Valladolid to Madrid. It became the de facto capital of Spain, which it remains to this day. In 1701 the War of the Spanish Succession broke out, which led to the Anglo-Portuguese occupation of the city in 1706. It ended in 1714 with the Bourbons taking over the Spanish throne. Today's royal palace was built under their rule. Particularly during the reign of Charles III, who is therefore popularly referred to as the “best mayor of Madrid”, the city's public infrastructure was modernized and numerous public buildings were built. Atocha was created as a terminus station. The first station building on this site was built in 1851 as “Estación de Mediodía”, but fell victim to a fire and was replaced by the current building, which was inaugurated in 1892. The architect of the new wrought iron style station was Alberto de Palacio y Elissague, who worked with Gustave Eiffel. Atocha train station is located in the center of the city, not far from the Botanical Gardens and the Prado Museum. With the expansion of Chamartín station in the 1980s, Atocha temporarily lost its main station function but regained it when it was designated as the northern terminus of the Madrid-Seville line, which opened in 1992. Since a new, much larger platform hall was put into operation south of it to handle high-speed trains, there is a tropical palm garden under the huge vault of the old station hall, which is used as a waiting hall and meeting point.

Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. Madrid is part of the historical landscape of Castile and is located in the middle of the Meseta, the plateau of Castile. The site of modern-day Madrid has been occupied since prehistoric times. The first document about the existence of an established settlement in Madrid dates from the Muslim age. In the second half of the 9th century Umayyad Emir Muhammad I built a fortress here. After the disintegration of the Caliphate of Córdoba in the early 11th century, Madrid was integrated into the Taifa of Toledo. In 1083, Madrid was conquered by the Kingdom of Castile. In 1309, under Fernando IV, the Assembly of Estates (Cortes) of the Kingdom of Castile was convened for the first time in Madrid. In 1561, Philip II moved the royal court from Valladolid to Madrid. It became the de facto capital of Spain, which it remains to this day. In 1701 the War of the Spanish Succession broke out, which led to the Anglo-Portuguese occupation of the city in 1706. It ended in 1714 with the Bourbons taking over the Spanish throne. Today's royal palace was built under their rule. Particularly during the reign of Charles III, who is therefore popularly referred to as the “best mayor of Madrid”, the city's public infrastructure was modernized and numerous public buildings were built. Atocha was created as a terminus station. The first station building on this site was built in 1851 as “Estación de Mediodía”, but fell victim to a fire and was replaced by the current building, which was inaugurated in 1892. The architect of the new wrought iron style station was Alberto de Palacio y Elissague, who worked with Gustave Eiffel. Atocha train station is located in the center of the city, not far from the Botanical Gardens and the Prado Museum. With the expansion of Chamartín station in the 1980s, Atocha temporarily lost its main station function but regained it when it was designated as the northern terminus of the Madrid-Seville line, which opened in 1992. Since a new, much larger platform hall was put into operation south of it to handle high-speed trains, there is a tropical palm garden under the huge vault of the old station hall, which is used as a waiting hall and meeting point.

...unfortunately the by far biggest useless railway station worldwide - was under "reconstruction". It was finished in the 1920s and never was, what it was built for...

Antwerp´s central railway station was constructed between 1895 and 1905. The architect Louis Delacenserie created a kind of cathedral of mobility.

The platform.

Even before Leipzig was first mentioned in a document in 1015, a Slavic settlement existed here. The city was founded in 1165 when Margrave Otto the Rich of Meissen granted city and market rights to the city at the intersection of the Via Regia and the Via Imperii. Leipzig was in the Margraviate of Meissen, which became part of the Electorate of Saxony in 1439. Leipzig then belonged to the Duchy of Saxony, whose capital was chosen to be Dresden, which had been insignificant compared to Leipzig or Meissen. Leipzig was often the place where the state parliament met, but Leipzig was never a residence city or a bishop's seat and has always been shaped by the urban bourgeoisie. The University of Leipzig was founded in 1409 as "Alma Mater Lipsiensis" and was thus one of the three oldest universities in Germany. After being elevated to the status of "Reichsmessestadt" (imperial trade fair city) in 1497 and an extension of the staple right by the future Emperor Maximilian I, Leipzig became a trade fair city of European standing. It developed into the most important German trading center for the exchange of goods between Eastern and Western Europe. Alongside London, the Leipziger Brühl became the international trade center for the fur industry, and the important role played by the Leipzig Jewish community was closely linked to it. In 1539, the Reformation was finally introduced in Leipzig by Luther and Justus Jonas. Over decades, the development of Leipzig was characterized above all by the constantly improving living conditions. As a trading and trade fair city of increasing importance, Leipzig benefited from the wealthy Leipzig merchant class. The Thirty Years' War was a severe cut in the prosperous development of the city. Between 1631 and 1642 the city was besieged five times, from 1642 to 1650 it was occupied by the Swedes. The "Völkerschlacht" (Battle of Leipzig) near Leipzig took place in 1813. In this battle, the allied armies of Austria, Prussia, Russia and Sweden defeated Napoleon's troops and their allies which ultimately led to Napoleon's banishment to the island of Elba. The dimensions of Leipzig Central Station can only be seen from the viewing platform of the City Hochhaus. At 83,460 square meters, it is Europe's largest railway station measured by floor area. It has 19 overground platforms housed in six iron train sheds, a multi-level concourse with towering stone arches, and a 298-meter-long facade.

Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. Madrid is part of the historical landscape of Castile and is located in the middle of the Meseta, the plateau of Castile. The site of modern-day Madrid has been occupied since prehistoric times. The first document about the existence of an established settlement in Madrid dates from the Muslim age. In the second half of the 9th century Umayyad Emir Muhammad I built a fortress here. After the disintegration of the Caliphate of Córdoba in the early 11th century, Madrid was integrated into the Taifa of Toledo. In 1083, Madrid was conquered by the Kingdom of Castile. In 1309, under Fernando IV, the Assembly of Estates (Cortes) of the Kingdom of Castile was convened for the first time in Madrid. In 1561, Philip II moved the royal court from Valladolid to Madrid. It became the de facto capital of Spain, which it remains to this day. In 1701 the War of the Spanish Succession broke out, which led to the Anglo-Portuguese occupation of the city in 1706. It ended in 1714 with the Bourbons taking over the Spanish throne. Today's royal palace was built under their rule. Particularly during the reign of Charles III, who is therefore popularly referred to as the “best mayor of Madrid”, the city's public infrastructure was modernized and numerous public buildings were built. Madrid, which is historically and geographically part of "Castilla la Nueva" (New Castile) now is one of the 17 autonomous communities of Spain The “Metro de Madrid” operates a network 294 kilometers long and has 302 stations. Seen here is the station "Gran Via".In October 1919 Alfonso XIII officially opened the first section of Line 1. This was four kilometers long. Scheduled operations began soon after.

Liège is the center of the largest Walloon agglomeration, and the cultural center of the Walloon region of Belgium. The city, with a population of about 200.000, is located at the confluence of the Ourthe and Meuse rivers. Around 705, Saint Lambert of Maastricht is credited with completing the Christianization of the region, but conversion may still not have been quite universal, since Lambert was murdered in Liège. To enshrine his relics, the successor, Hubertus (later St. Hubert), built a basilica which became the nucleus of the city. In 1468, following an uprising of the inhabitants against Burgundian rule, xof Burgundy had the city plundered and systematically destroyed. The few survivors who had fled into the forests—Charles the Bold allegedly had more than 5,000 inhabitants murdered—were only able to return to the city for reconstruction after seven years. In 1789, partly in connection with the French Revolution, the Liège Revolution occurred. It was directed against the absolutist rule of the Prince-Bishop and was crushed in early 1791 by troops commissioned by the Holy Roman Empire. In 1795, Liège was occupied by French troops and became part of the First French Republic. The Congress of Vienna annexed it to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which in 1830 became the Kingdom of Belgium, to which Liège has belonged ever since. The first station was opened in 1842 on the railway line from Brussels, after the line had already reached Ans in 1838. In 1863, a new station building was built. The building was extended for the 1905 World Exhibition. To mark the electrification of the railway line in 1958 a new building was built, that got damaged during the Belgian general strike of 1960/61. Planning for the new station building began in 1996. 312 million euros were invested. The building has no exterior facade in the traditional sense; instead, the transition from inside to outside is seamless. The new station is made of steel, glass, and white concrete. It has a monumental canopy 200 m long and 35 m high. It was originally scheduled for completion in April 2006. In fact, it was not opened until September 19, 2009, two weeks after its completion.