Gare du Sud - Nice, France
N 43° 42.563 E 007° 15.716
32T E 359972 N 4841063
[FR] La gare du Sud est une médiathèque et ancienne gare ferroviaire française située dans le quartier de la Libération à Nice. [EN] The Gare du Sud is a former French railway station located in the Libération quarter of the city of Nice.
Waymark Code: WMRK8J
Location: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Date Posted: 07/03/2016
Views: 9
[FR] Cette gare est l'ancien terminus de la ligne à voie métrique des chemins de fer de Provence qui relie Nice à Digne-les-Bains (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence).
Elle est construite en 1892 par l’architecte Prosper Bobin pour le compte de la Compagnie des chemins de fer du Sud de la France.
À l’avant, donnant sur le boulevard Malaussena, le bâtiment des voyageurs est conçu selon un courant dit rationaliste où est privilégié l’emploi de nouveaux matériaux industriels sans compromis sur l'élégance. Sa façade monumentale avec un pavillon central élevé entouré par deux pavillons latéraux affiche un répertoire décoratif fait de céramiques plaqués, de motifs peints et d’opus de pierre pittoresques. L’édifice est couronné de matériaux en terre cuite ; la toiture de tuiles se développe en pente, marquée à la base par des acrotères et au sommet par des épis de faîtage.
Les Chemins de fer de Provence ont fermé la gare du Sud en décembre 1991 et transféré le terminus de la ligne dans une nouvelle gare minimaliste située un peu en amont sur la ligne, la gare de Nice CP.
Le bâtiment a été vendu par l'État à la commune de Nice en 2000, qui prévoyait de démolir la halle métallique et sa verrière et de démonter la façade. Ce projet a soulevé de nombreuses protestations et finalement le ministre de la Culture, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, s'y est opposé en 2004.
La façade de l'ancienne gare fait l’objet d’une inscription au titre des monuments historiques depuis le 23 septembre 2002.
Durant l'année 2013, la gare est en travaux de réhabilitation pour devenir une médiathèque. Les travaux se terminent en décembre de la même année, suivis de l’inauguration.
[EN] The station was the terminus of the metre gauge railway of the Chemins de Fer de Provence rail company which links Nice to Digne-les-Bains in the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. The station was closed in December 1991 when it was replaced by the Gare de Nice CP station. It remained derelict until 2013, when the station building was renovated and converted into a library.
The station was designed by architect Prosper Bobin for the Compagnie des Chemins de fer du Sud de la France and construction lasted from 1890 until June 1892. The station building, set back from the Avenue Malausséna, was designed in an elegant neoclassical style, and built at reasonable cost using new industrial materials. It had a monumental and imposing facade with a central high section flanked by two side pavilions, decorated with ceramic tiles, painted designs and picturesque stonework. Above this was a pitched roof with terracotta tiles, parapets and finials. The interior floor was marble.
The Gare du Sud was closed in December 1991 by its then operator, the Chemins de Fer de Provence. Terminating services for the line were moved a short distance upline to a small new station, Nice CP. Ownership of the old station was transferred from the state to the city of Nice in 2000 and there were plans to demolish the metal train shed and glass roof, and to dismantle the facade. Following public outcry, the Minister of Culture, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres blocked the plan in 2004.
Following the failure of the 2000 demolition project, the town asked architect Pierre-Louis Faloci to create a new design which would preserve the entire passenger building as well as the metal train shed.
The first phase of the project, the internal and external renovation of the station building, took place in 2013. Work was completed by December of that year and the building was re-opened on 4 January 2014.
The second phase of the project involves the restoration of the train shed site. There are plans for a shopping centre, cinema, sports facilities, housing and underground car park, and the return of Gustave Eiffel's listed train shed.
It is anticipated that the renovation of the former train shed and the underground car park will be completed by 2017 with other facilities expected to open during the second half of 2018.
Is the station/depot currently used for railroad purposes?: No
Is the station/depot open to the public?: Yes
If the station/depot is not being used for railroad purposes, what is it currently used for?:
Library
What rail lines does/did the station/depot serve?: Nice - Digne-les-Bains
Station/Depot Web Site: [Web Link]
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