Edifício da Estação de Caminhos de Ferro do Rossio - Lisboa, Portugal
N 38° 42.867 W 009° 08.436
29S E 487776 N 4285098
The Rossio Train Station is a beautiful Neo-Manueline building located between Rossio and Restauradores Squares in Lisbon, Portugal.
Waymark Code: WMBC36
Location: Lisboa, Portugal
Date Posted: 05/03/2011
Views: 21
"The Rossio Railway Station (Portuguese: Estação de Caminhos de Ferro do Rossio) is a railway station in Lisbon, Portugal, located in the Rossio square. The station was formerly known as Estação Central (Central Station) and that designation still appears in its façade.
The Station was commissioned by the Portuguese Royal Railway Company and was designed between 1886 and 1887 by Portuguese architect José Luís Monteiro. It was built in one the most important squares of Lisbon, the Rossio, and connected the city to the region of Sintra.
Trains gain access to the station, which is in the central urban area of Lisbon, through a tunnel which is more than 2600m long. This tunnel was excavated under the city and is considered one of the most important works of engineering of Portugal dating from the 19th century. It was completed in 1890, and soon after Lisbon's Circle Line with a connection to the North Line also opened. The station became Lisbon's main passenger terminus until 1957, from that date only a few long distance trains terminated at Rossio, mainly Oeste Line services, until the early 1990s.
The station was closed to rail services from 22 October 2004 until 12 February 2008 due to tunnel renewal work.
The beautiful Neo-Manueline façade dominates the northwest side of the square and is a Romantic recreation of the exuberant Manueline style, typical of early 16th century Portugal. Its most interesting features are the two intertwined horseshoe portals at the entrance, the clock in a small turret and the abundant sculptural decoration. Inside, the platforms are connected by ramps to the façade level and are covered by a cast-iron structure executed by a Belgium firm. The station is an important example of Romantic (façade) and Cast-iron (platform cover) architecture in Portugal.
Beside the station there is a Beaux-Arts style building, the Hotel Avenida, opened in 1892 and also designed by José Luís Monteiro."
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