Milano Centrale is Milan’s main railway station and the second busiest in Italy in terms of passenger traffic, second only to Rome’s Termini station. It is also one of the largest railway stations in Europe in terms of volume. Its monumental architecture and communication importance make Milano Centrale impossible to pass by indifferently.
History of Milano Station
The first Milano Centrale station was built in 1864 on the site where Piazza della Repubblica is today. It was designed by the French architect Louis-Jules Bouchot and its style was reminiscent of the Parisian edifices of the time. However, with the increase in rail traffic, especially after the opening of the Simplon Tunnel in 1906, a new, more functional station was needed. The foundation stone for the new building was laid in 1906, but work on the project was delayed due to Italy’s difficult economic situation during the First World War. Finally, the design of the station, by architect Ulisse Stacchini, entitled ‘In Motu Vita’ (‘Life in Motion’), was approved in 1912. Construction was accelerated by Benito Mussolini’s decision to make Milano Centrale a showcase for the power of Fascist Italy. The station was officially opened on 1 July 1931.
1960s Photo by Albertomos, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The architecture of Milano Centrale
Milano Centrale is an unusual combination of different architectural styles, mainly Liberty (Art Nouveau) and Art Deco, but elements of the Assyro-Lombard style can also be seen in it. Its façade is an impressive 200 metres wide and the vault reaches a height of 72 metres, a record-breaking achievement at the time of its construction. The building is decorated with numerous sculptures and ornaments that give it a monumental character. Frank Lloyd Wright, the famous American architect, was extremely impressed by the edifice, considering it the most beautiful railway station in the world. A similar opinion was held by the Italian architect Aldo Rossi, who found Milano Centrale more impressive than New York’s Grand Central.
The role of the Stazione di Milano Centrale during the Second World War
The station played a dark role during the Holocaust. The underground “Binario 21” track was used to deport Jewish prisoners from Milan’s San Vittore prison to German death camps. A total of 1,200 people were deported from there between 1943 and 1945. In 2013, the Memoriale della Shoah was opened at the site to commemorate these tragic events.
The transport significance of Milan’s main station
Today, Milano Centrale serves around 330,000 passengers and 500 trains a day, resulting in more than 120 million travellers a year. The station provides connections to major Italian cities such as Rome, Turin, Venice, Naples and Bologna. It is also a key point on international rail routes, connecting Milan with cities such as Zurich, Geneva, Paris, Vienna, Munich and Marseille. The station is also an important hub for regional transport, and its strategic location allows quick access to destinations such as Bergamo, Verona, La Spezia and Genoa. Despite its great importance, the Milan suburban railway service bypasses Milano Centrale, using other main stations such as Porta Garibaldi, Cadorna and Rogoredo.
Modernisation and the future of Stazione di Milano Centrale
In 2006, a €100 million renovation plan for Milan’s station was announced. The work included, among other things, the restoration of the historic parts of the edifice, the modernisation of the ticket offices, and improved accessibility through the installation of new lifts and escalators. However, there are still areas in the station that are closed to the public, such as the former waiting room designed specifically for Adolf Hitler, with original swastikas on the floor.
The significance of Milano Centrale
Milano Centrale is not only a key transport point, but also a symbol of 20th century architecture and history. From its beginnings as a neo-classical station, through its expansion in the spirit of the monumentalism of Fascist Italy, to its contemporary modernisations, the station has played an important role in the history of Milan and the country as a whole. Thanks to its remarkable architecture and strategic location, it remains one of the more significant railway stations in the world.
Source: lombardiabeniculturali.it, introducingmilan.com
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