Strasbourg, France, has possibly the most unusual rail station in Europe. That didn’t keep Professor Abe, George G and Port Moresby from recognizing it in this week’s One-Clue Mystery!
While most cities have imposing stations built on classical models or stunning modernist edifices, Strasbourg has both in one building—and it’s sometimes difficult to see exactly what you’re looking at.
In the pictures above, the building that seems, like the sky above, to be a reflection on the glass is actually inside the huge glass bubble that is the station’s outer wall.
The bubble isn’t decoration: it was built in 2007 to greatly expand the station’s space in preparation for its new role not only as the eastern terminus of TGV Est trains from Paris but also as a key pivot point for trains continuing on to Germany and Switzerland. There was simply not enough interior space in the old station, and the alternative would have been a complete replacement.
The old station has an interesting history, tied up with the area’s history.
Strasbourg, the historic capital of Alsace, has roots in both France and Germany, and has been prized by both. When it first became French in 1684, Louis XIV went on a building spree to impress the locals; when it was taken by Germany in the 1870 Franco-Prussian War, the German emperor did the same, building a new university and other facilities, including the station.
Just as Louis XIV’s new buildings reflected French styles, the new station was built in German style, opening in 1883. It’s been listed as a historic monument since 1984—one of the reasons it was bubbled rather than replaced. In 1900 it had a new feature added: a special staircase and waiting room reserved for German Emperor Wilhelm II.
The interior of the old station, with its narrower spaces.
The platforms
And one of the huge bolts that terminates the stays supporting the bubble.
