Самые красивые вокзалы мира

While traveling by train, the first thing you see in a new city is a station. Often railway station building creates the impression about this or that city, district or even the country. Municipalities and architects care not only about convenience and functionality of station constructions, but also about their beauty. They are trying to construct railway station building, taking into account features of local architecture, to give them greatness and gravity. Newspaper Guardian has decided to define the most beautiful railway stations of the world. Only six were included in the list.  On the first place patriots-British, certainly, have put the London station St. Pank race. By the way, the oldest in the world railway is also the UK.

1. Station St. Pank race (St. Pancras), London, was built in 1877

You can hardly believe that from this ancient Gothic style building modern high-speed trains depart. The construction owes its greatness to skillful architect William Barlou, and also to smiths of Derbyshire. They made a huge iron roof which was delivered to London by special train in 1860.

2. Grand Central Terminal, New York, is constructed in 1913

It’s one of the most impressive Manhattan's stations. Station owes its beauty to the group of designers Reed & Stern and Warren & Wetmore. Thanks to its fine style, this building was included in the list of outstanding palaces of interest in New York. Grandee Central is famous for its large halls and is known as a traditional place of appointments. The youth are especially fond of local oysters bar and cinema.

3. Santa Maria Novella, Florence was built in 1934

This railway station appeared during Mussolini's epoch. That time authorities paid special attention to railway traffic. They used to say - Santa Maria Novella is the railway station where Mussolini's trains always arrive in time. The construction resembles rationalized and a lit bit changed Romance basilica. The Game of dynamic horizontal lines and a treatment of light and shade reminds about greatness and authorities. Today station platforms have been a lit bit prolonged and adjusted in accordance with modern high-speed trains requirements Architects from Gruppo Toscano headed by Giovanni Mikeluchchi (Giovanni Michelucci) were engaged in station reconstruction.

4. Helsinki Central was built in 1919

While the spirit of the Russian empire reigned in Finland, all stations have been accurately standardized and constructed in one style. As soon as independence was achieved, air of freedom found it's realization in the central railway station Helsinki. Talented architecture Eliel Saarinen has worked over its creation. Statues of giants holding lamps in their arms meet the traveler at the entrance. Something inside the station building resembles a Lutheran cathedral.

5.  Lahore Railway Station Pakistan, was built in 1862

The history of this station is washed with blood of sworn enemies – Moslems, Hindus and Sikhives. In fact, this building is the fortress. Iron bolts on collars, ledges on walls where once put machine guns now remind about it. The author of station-fortress is William Banton. The bloodiest massacre which took place at Lagora station was in 1947. That time destroyed platforms were densely covered with dead bodies. The station looks fantastically beautiful if not to mention this tragic fact.

6. Union Station was built in 1939

The construction was made in refined Spanish colonial style art-deco. Authors of the project are John and Donald Parkinson. Travelers like comfort of this station. However, now the lighted up platforms are almost empty - passengers prefer to use plane or a car, instead of traveling by train. It is possible to reach Disneyland from here. If Walt Disney by himself chose the station from which trains to his magic country were to arrive, he would hardly think of the better place.