First Train Station in Jerusalem
The Jerusalem railway station had a two-story structure with two one-story side wings and a massive water tank, as well as a device for altering the train’s direction. The architecture incorporated nineteenth – century European and Medieval Templar characteristics in the First Train Station.
The structure has a lot of similarity to the Jaffa rail station, except for the construction materials used in the terminal of Jerusalem. During the British Mandate a solid covering of concrete was poured on the roof to shield it from the bombardment of the Italian aircraft.
When the station closed, it was disregarded and abandoned until in 2013 when it was reopened for restoration work.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Jerusalem began to surface from the walls. The journey from Jaffa took roughly ten hours, with the majority of the time spent on donkeys and camels.
With the modernization and perspective offered by the Knights templar in the city of Jerusalem, as well as the large number of pilgrims who visit Jerusalem on a yearly, the demand for more efficient transportation began to arise because of the need to accommodate all of these travelers..
Many people advocate the concept of building a railway to Jerusalem, including businessman Moshe Montefiore and eminent archeologist and architect Dr. Konrad Schick. Montefiore attempted to enlist the assistance of the British and Ottoman governments, but his attempts were unsuccessful for economic and political reasons.
Yosef Navon, a merchant, signed the very first train going to the city of Jerusalem. Navon was a Jerusalem native who worked in trade and banking. He began working on the idea of creating a railway connection to Jerusalem after going to France.
Navon was able to secure a concession for the development of the railway track, which was planned to connect Nablus and Gaza, by investing heavily and pleading to the Ottoman authorities.
In 1883, after failing to recruit more financiers, he sold the license to a French business. The enterprise, which got assistance from Catholic capitalists in Paris, hired Egyptian employees and completed construction in two years. The whole cost eventually reached fourteen million francs.
The first Jaffa train arrived at the Jerusalem station on September 26, 1892, during a joyful event. The railway passed through Ramle, Sajd, Deir Aban, and Batir, among other places.
Travel time was reduced to three hours thanks to technological advancements, and the railway to Jerusalem quickly became a valued and preferred mode of transit.
The first station was dedicated in a remarkable event attended by dignitaries from the city, Jews, as well as Arabs. Among those there was Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, who awarded the metal horse, which had yet to be given a Hebrew name, which would mean ‘Train.’
Travelers and pilgrims boarded trains to the Jerusalem station from Jaffa Port the in the early twentieth century, after which commodities arrived and were sent. The railway is an example of a public structure built during the Ottoman Empire.
Today the First Station is a must see attraction in Jerusalem. There are delicious restaurants, yogurt stands, amusements and rides for children and regular activities including dancing to live music most nights.
For a complete list of activities check here:
