Arriving at Valencia, it is worth noting how beautiful and monumental is the main railway station of this Spanish city, the “Estación del Norte” or “Estació del Nord” in Valencian. Its construction began in 1907, concluding in 1917 when it was inaugurated. It is located in the center of the city next to the “Plaza de Toros” and very close to the City Hall. It connects with several city subway lines and the urban bus network.
The North Station of Valencia stands out both for its ornamental richness and its large proportions. In 1983 it was catalogued as an Asset of Cultural Interest and is also considered a historic station by “Adif”.
The building has a rectangular floor plan with two clearly differentiated areas: the large hangar, also rectangular and enclosed with a structure of articulated steel arches, and the passenger building. New materials introduced at the end of the previous century were used in its construction, such as the metal structure in the form of a canopy. Its style is what is known as Valencian modernist.
The North Station of Valencia has a horizontal façade, with three building bodies highlighted in the form of towers. These are located at the center and ends of the structure.
Its façade is really beautiful where the decorative elements stand out against the background color of the building. Ornamental details with vegetal motifs, oranges and orange blossoms, inspired by Valencian agriculture. In addition, we can find on the facade of the North Station other references to the city, such as the four red bars on a gold background of the Valencian heraldic coat of arms.
Other elements that we can find in its facade are those allusive to the “Compañía de los Caminos de Hierro del Norte de España”, who were in charge of the building’s construction, comprised of the five-pointed star and the eagle, symbol of speed, which crowns the central body of the building. The decoration is completed in the central part by two symmetrically placed mosaics by José Mongrell.
The ornamentation of the interior of the building is equally beautiful. Glazed ceramics were used in this one and in its lobby, the combination of wood, glass and marble come together to create a warm, bright and elegant space.
The baseboards of each interior door or window in the lobby are made of wood, and on the higher ones you can read the motto “bon voyage” in different languages. Its large windows have a rose at the top.
Another typical feature of the modernist style that can be seen in the North Station of Valencia is the integration of all the arts in the same building: architecture, painting and decorative arts. We close this article by including the image of the extraordinary ceramic-covered roof at one end of the station, a real delight!
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Resources:
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estaci%C3%B3n_del_Norte_(Valencia)
https://www.minube.com/rincon/estacion-del-norte-a24597
https://www.infotren.es/estacion-nord-valencia-10-curiosidades/
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