Estació del Nord | |||||
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_01.jpg) The frontage seen fromPlaça d'André Malraux | |||||
| General information | |||||
| Location | Barcelona,Catalonia Spain | ||||
| Coordinates | 41°23′38.36″N2°10′58.09″E / 41.3939889°N 2.1828028°E /41.3939889; 2.1828028 | ||||
| History | |||||
| Opened | 1862 | ||||
| Rebuilt | 1910-1915 (new train shed and facade) 1972 (as bus station and sports hall) | ||||
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TheEstació del Nord orEstación del Norte, is a former main linerailway station in the city ofBarcelona,Catalonia,Spain. Originally opened in 1862, it was closed as a railway station in 1972. It is now used partly as abus station, partly as a large multi-purposesports hall, and partly as apolice station. The sports hall is known as thePoliesportiu Estació del Nord, and was a1992 Summer Olympics venue. The bus station is known as theEstació d'Autobusos Barcelona Nord, and is Barcelona's principal terminal for scheduled medium and long-distance coach services.[1][2][3]
The station lies in theFort Pienc neighbourhood of theEixample district of Barcelona, some 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) fromPlaça de Catalunya. TheArc de Triomf station, served byBarcelona Metroline L1 andRodalies de Catalunya suburban trains, has an entrance directly in front of the station onPlaça d'André Malraux. TheParc de l'Estació del Nord, laid out on the site ofsidings associated with the station, lies to the south-east.[2][4]
The original railway station on the site was built in phases, from 1861, on land that had previously been occupied byFort Pienc, a fortress raised byPhilip V following the fall of Barcelona during theWar of the Spanish Succession. The original façade, byP. Andrés i Puigdoller in aneoclassical style, still exists on the south-eastern side of the station facing the park. The station opened on 21 May 1862, as the terminus of theCompañía del Ferrocarril de Zaragoza a Barcelona line fromZaragoza.[1]
In 1878, the railway from Zaragoza was absorbed into theCompañía de los Caminos de Hierro del Norte de España, at which point the station adopted its current name. Between 1910 and 1915, the station was extended, with the construction of largetrain shed. Across the end of this train shed and facing thePlaça d'André Malraux, a new facade was constructed to a design byDemetri Ribes, comprising an enclosed glass arch flanked by wings with elements ofCatalan Modernism andVienna Secession styles.[1]
In 1972, the railway station was closed, with the railway approach to the station placed underground and diverted to serveArc de Triomf station, whilst longer distance trains were diverted toEstació de França. After this, the Estació del Nord was left empty. In 1983, the city bought the station with the intention of converting it into abus station for long-distance buses and atransport museum. These plans did not come to fruition and the station was left abandoned. However, in 1987 it was announced that the1992 Summer Olympics would includetable tennis, and Estació del Nord was selected as the venue forthat competition.[2]
The architectsEnric Tous andJosep Maria Fargas were selected to refurbish the station, respecting much of the original structure of the old station, whilstmarquees outside the station provided ancillary facilities such as rest areas and offices. Besides the new sports arena, the remodelling included the construction of apolice station for the city police, a new bus station and a new park, theParc de l'Estació del Nord. The sports facilities were first used for an Olympic test event in 1991, whilst the bus station was commissioned after the completion of the games.[3]
In 2008, works were undertaken atArc de Triomf station to improve access exchange with the bus station, including the provision of a new entrance facing the Estació del Nord.
The sports hall occupies the former platform area of the former station, along with part of the east wing of the station. It is managed by theUnió de Federacions Esportives de Catalunya.[3][5]
_02.jpg)
The bus station is Barcelona's principal terminal for scheduled medium and long-distance coach services. It serves as either terminus or calling point for services to and from the rest of Catalonia, the whole of Spain and many international destinations.[6]
The bus station occupies the whole of the west wing of the former station, with the building housing ticket offices, waiting areas, a range of shops and restaurants, and other ancillary facilities. The coaches stop in an open area to the north-west of this building, which is surrounded by 47 angled bus stops. Two pedestrian bridges, and pedestrian crossings, link the station building to those stops that are not alongside the main building.[2][3][6]
The bus station has access to theBarcelona Metro andRodalies de Catalunya suburban trains via the adjacentArc de Triomf station and to local bus services via stops on the adjoining streets. An underground car park is available next to the bus station, with direct pedestrian links to the bus station.[6]
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