Görlitz station

Görlitz station is the central station of the city of Görlitz in the German state of Saxony. Of the original twelve station tracks only six are still in operation. Görlitz is also served by stations in Rauschwalde, Weinhübel and Hagenwerder.

History

In 1845, the city began, along with the Lower Silesian-Markish Railway (German: Niederschlesisch-Märkischen Eisenbahn), the construction of a station building, which opened in 1847 and began the development of modern Görlitz.^[1] Hotels, apartments and businesses were later built around the station. Previously, it had been surrounded only by fields. The station was built by the master mason, Gustav Kießler, who also built the Neisse Viaduct.

On 15 October 1846 Görlitz was connected to the railway network.^[2] The Lower Silesian-Markish Railway had begun to build its line from Berlin to Breslau in 1843. A branch of this line ran from Węgliniec (Kohlfurt) to Görlitz. The South-North German Connecting Railway (Süd-Norddeutsche Verbindungsbahn) was already planning a connection between Berlin and Vienna via Görlitz and Zawidów (Seidenberg).

The station was jointly operated by the Lower Silesian-Markish Railway and the Saxon-Silesian Railway. The latter operated the line to Dresden. The city created Bahnhofsstraße as a street access to the station. The station building was built on island platforms, so that the two railway companies could have separate entrances.

Two slender towers were built at the main entrance, which was protected from the weather by a veranda. From the entrance hall a passage connected to the ticket and luggage offices. This hall was connected by passages to the waiting rooms and trains. A similar building was built by Lower Silesian-Markish Railway in Kohlfurt.

Görlitz was one of the major cities of Prussia and further extensions were built. A line was built to Berlin via Cottbus. Traffic grew rapidly and the station became congested. The existing building was built west of the island platforms and a new entrance building was built facing Bahnhofstrasse. A newly pedestrian tunnel was built leading directly from Bahnhofstrasse to the extension of the building on the island platforms. All other old railway buildings, including the two towers had to be demolished for the new development. The new building was larger and better equipped than the old station. During the World War I the new building and the adjacent railway post office (1915) were completed. The entrance hall was opened in Art Nouveau style in 1917.

The station was not damaged in the Second World War. The overhead lines were completed on the Silesian Mountain Railway in 1923; in 1946 they were dismantled and transported as reparations to the Soviet Union. In 1984, the station hall ceiling was completely restored. The building has since become a historical monument.

Services

Görlitz station has border facilities for Poland. Trains run three times a day to Legnica and Wrocław.

References