The architecture at the ‘world’s most beautiful station’ is so breathtaking it’s been dubbed the Railway Cathedral by locals – many visit it even if they don’t have a train to catch
Fittingly a stunning station, part of which was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, sits at the entrance to Belgium’s glamorous diamond district and has been described as “jaw-dropping” by one impressed visitor.
It’s fair to say that most of us hurry through railway stations in a desperate rush on the daily commute or while attempting to catch a connection as part of a meticulously planned travel itinerary. Unless your train is delayed or you’re lucky enough to arrive early we don’t tend to spend much time inside the station building, other than to grab tickets or some refreshments for the journey ahead.
However, it’s worth taking a moment to look around and often up at the impressive structures that make up the buildings and surround them as many were built during the golden age of railway when architects were employed to create grand entrances to greet people and encourage travel. One city which has certainly nailed the perfect welcome is Antwerp, in Belgium.
In its centre is the centuries old glitzy diamond district which houses thousands of traders of the precious stones. Naturally it’s only fitting that one of the entrances to the opulent area should be a grandiose station for travellers to arrive by and they certainly didn’t hold back when it came to its design.
Antwerp Central is so breathtaking it could come straight out of a Hollywood film and it’s been named the most beautiful station in the world numerous times by publications such as Newsweek, Mashable and The Telegraph. It has a huge stone facade which was built between 1899 and 1905 by Louis Delacenserie in an eclectic style – one of his inspirations was the Pantheon in Rome.
The station also features a huge 246 foot dome, which was needed to disperse the steam from old locomotives, marble floors and gold decoration. Such is its majesty, locals have dubbed it the Railway Cathedral. In 1975 it became a protected monument and it was completely renovated in 1986. The railway hall was later doubled in capacity with platforms on two underground levels, meaning the station went from being a terminus to a through station which allows for high-speed trains to continue their journeys.
Impressed visitors to the station have shared their experiences on Tripadvisor. One said it’s “one of many grand architectures in Antwerpen” and continued: “What a magnificent entrance to enter by train to this station building that has few equal in the world. Restored for gigantic sums and is now part of a station building that handles everything from local traffic to long-distance trains.”
Another shared: “Rarely would a train station make it to the top of a city’s list of must-see attractions, but when visiting Antwerp, the Antwerpen-Centraal train station is exactly that in most travel websites. The first thing that struck you as you stepped out of the train upon arrival at the station is the multiple levels of platform – four to be precise. In fact, this is probably the first split-platform railway station (excluding metro stations) that I have come across. As you ascend to the ground level, you’ll be greeted with a spectacle of marble, staircases, iron arches, columns, stained-glass windows and imposing dome in neo-Renaissance and Art Nouveau decorations, giving a jaw-dropping sense of wonderment at the architectural masterpiece unfolding before your very eyes. You will be forgiven for thinking that you’ve just entered a majestic church.”