History, architecture, and heritage in the railway station of Almería (1892-2017)

• Main Authors: Domingo Cuéllar, Aurora Martinez-Corral
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Campinas 2018-10-01
• Series: Labor & Engenho
• Subjects: Railway architecture. Eclecticism. Architectural restoration. Heritage protection. Almería (Spain).; Railway architecture; Eclecticism; Architectural restoration; Heritage protection; Almeria (Spain)
• Online Access: https://periodicos.sbu.unicamp.br/ojs/index.php/labore/article/view/8652840

Most of the life cycle of the railway infrastructures is singularly long-lived. Thus, in the case of the reference buildings, as is often the way with the travellers buildings, their use far exceed the century. In addition, many of these stations were born in the 19th century with a symbolic representation load with which they have not still parted. This is the reason why many analyses referred to railway heritage are emotionally charged. In our study of the case, the railway station of Almería, 125 years after its construction, the building remains without use since in 2000 was replaced by the attached intermodal station, which has led at present to an intense debate on his preservation and reuse. It is a building that, despite possessing singularities and architectural relevancies of great interest, the process of patrimonial protection is unfinished being a clear threat to the integrity of the building.  As it is exhibited in the text, despite the modesty of the railway company that built it, the building stands out on most of the principal stations of Spain. We do a brief managerial note of the company that entrusted its construction and later we study closely the architectural program of the building, the different interventions carried out and the current situation of the heritage protection.