Antwerp RR Station Interior (Travels Tuesday)
I composed this image of the Antwerp Railway Station while transiting through Antwerp during a recent visit to Belgium.
Antwerp's first railway station was the terminus of the Brussels–Mechelen–Antwerp railway line, which opened on 3 June 1836. The original station building was made of wood and was replaced by a new and larger building on the occasion of the opening of the new international connection to the Netherlands in 1854–55.
The current terminal station building was constructed between 1895 and 1905 as a replacement for the first station. The stone-clad building was designed by the architect Louis Delacenserie. The viaduct into the station is also a notable structure designed by local architect Jan Van Asperen.
During World War II, severe damage was inflicted to the train hall by the impact of V-2 rockets, though the structural stability of the building remained ntact. Nevertheless, the warping of the substructure due to a V-2 impact caused constructional stresses, including a wave-distortion in the roofing of the hall.
In the mid-20th century, the building's condition had deteriorated to the point that its demolition was being considered. The station was closed on 31 January 1986 for safety reasons, after which restoration work to the roof and façades was performed. The stress problems due to the impact of bombs during the war were solved by the use of polycarbonate sheets instead of glass, due to its elasticity and its relatively low weight, which avoided the need for extra supporting pillars.
(Adapted from Wikipedia.)
Antwerp RR Station Interior (Travels Tuesday)
I composed this image of the Antwerp Railway Station while transiting through Antwerp during a recent visit to Belgium.
Antwerp's first railway station was the terminus of the Brussels–Mechelen–Antwerp railway line, which opened on 3 June 1836. The original station building was made of wood and was replaced by a new and larger building on the occasion of the opening of the new international connection to the Netherlands in 1854–55.
The current terminal station building was constructed between 1895 and 1905 as a replacement for the first station. The stone-clad building was designed by the architect Louis Delacenserie. The viaduct into the station is also a notable structure designed by local architect Jan Van Asperen.
During World War II, severe damage was inflicted to the train hall by the impact of V-2 rockets, though the structural stability of the building remained ntact. Nevertheless, the warping of the substructure due to a V-2 impact caused constructional stresses, including a wave-distortion in the roofing of the hall.
In the mid-20th century, the building's condition had deteriorated to the point that its demolition was being considered. The station was closed on 31 January 1986 for safety reasons, after which restoration work to the roof and façades was performed. The stress problems due to the impact of bombs during the war were solved by the use of polycarbonate sheets instead of glass, due to its elasticity and its relatively low weight, which avoided the need for extra supporting pillars.
(Adapted from Wikipedia.)