Atocha railway station

Atocha Station (Spanish: "Estación de Atocha") is the largest railway station in Madrid. It is the primary station serving commuter trains ("Cercanías"), intercity and regional trains from the south, and the AVE high speed trains from Seville (Andalusia) and Barcelona (Catalonia). These train services are run by the Spanish national rail company, Renfe.The station was Madrid's first railway station. It was inaugurated on 9 February 1851 under the name "Estación de Mediodía" (Atocha-Mediodía is now the name of an area of the Arganzuela district, and means in old Spanish south).

After the building was largely destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt and reopened in 1892. The architect for the replacement, in a wrought iron renewal style was Alberto de Palacio Elissagne, who collaborated with Gustave Eiffel. Engineer Henry Saint James also took part in the project. [ [http://212.145.146.11/biblioteca/fondos/ingra/index.htm?tip50/MAD.F10127B.htm Madrid's Official College of Architects website] ]

This old building was taken out of service in 1992 and converted into a concourse with shops, cafés, a nightclub, and a 4,000 m² covered tropical garden. A modern terminal by Rafael Moneo, designed to serve the new AVE trains to Seville, was added to the complex.

The main lines end in the new terminal; commuter train platforms are located underground, at the ingress to a rail tunnel extending northward under the Paseo de la Castellana.

The station, located on the Plaza del Emperador Carlos V, is served by two Madrid Metro stations, "Atocha" and "Atocha Renfe". The latter was added when the new terminal building was constructed and is directly linked to the railway station.

The Reina Sofía museum is in the vicinity of Atocha.

The station was in the International Media because of the 11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings.

On 10 June 2004 a virtual shrine was dedicated by the Spanish Minister of Transport. Visitors to the attacked stations can leave a hand silhouette and a message through special-purpose consoles.

Notes

See also

*1977 Massacre of Atocha

External links

* [http://mascercanos.com/galeria.asp The 11-M memorial website] (in Spanish)
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.405310,-3.688574&spn=0.007466,0.015044&t=k Atocha at Google Maps]
* [http://www.madrid-guide-spain.com/madrid-trains.html Madrid train services visitor guide] (English)