Genova Piazza Principe railway station
Encyclopedia
Genova Piazza Principe railway station (commonly called Genova Principe or incorrectly Genova Porta Principe) is the central station of Genoa
and is located on Piazza Acquaverde, occupying the entire north side of Via Andrea Doria—where the station entrance is located—in the town centre and a short distance from the Palazzo del Principe, from which it takes its name. It is the second busiest station in Genoa after Genova Brignole
. It is used by about 66,000 passengers per day and 24,000,000 per year. The first temporary station was opened in 1854 at the end of the line from Turin. Lines were later opened to Milan, Rome and the French border at Ventimiglia
.
literally "plaza of the prince"), located next to the Palazzo del Principe (literally "palace of the prince") adjacent to the street called Via Andrea Doria in the Fassolo neighbourhood. The small goods yard, which was the core of the original station, occupies the area between Piazza del Principe, Via Andrea Doria and Piazza Acquaverde, where the main entrance is situated.
Foreigners often call the station Genova Porta Principe, perhaps confused by the names of stations in other cities, such as Milano Porta Garibaldi
and Torino Porta Nuova
. Note that there was once a gate in the medieval city walls called Porta San Tommaso (and sometimes called Porta Principe) where the steps to the Piazza Principe Metro station are now located and where some remains of the walls can still be seen. It was demolished in the nineteenth century.
The original station was designed by architect Alexander Mazzucchetti and construction began in 1853 and was completed and inaugurated in 1860. The original building had a single-span steel and glass roof, covering ten platforms and buildings for arrivals, departures and transiting passengers. At the time of the official inauguration of the Turin-Genoa railway in February 1854 only a temporary station had been opened.
In 1872, with the opening of the tunnel directly connecting with Brignole station, through platforms were added on the north of the original station. Until the 1960s the terminal platforms were used for passenger trains, mainly for local services to and from the west and north. Since then all passenger trains have operated on the eleven through tracks, while the terminal tracks are now used for the storage of wagons and locomotives.
In 1900, an increase in rail traffic led to the building of an extension of the station to a design by the engineer Giacomo Radini Tedeschi.
On 15 May 1916, the station was electrified at 3,300 V AC three-phase
at 15 Hz. It was converted to the current standard of to 3000 volts DC
, first on the Genoa–Rome line and later on the Genoa–Milan line. The last to abandon the three-phase system was the Genoa–Turin line between 1962 and 1964. During the Second World War, in common with other Italian railway stations, the roof covering the tracks was dismantled to extract its metal.
In order to handle an increase in metropolitan traffic an underground connection was opened in 1993 between Genoa Brignole
and Genoa Sampierdarena
, including a new underground station under Genova Piazza Principe with two platforms called Genova Principe Sotterranea. Access to the underground station can be reached either via the escalators in the main station building or from an area located near the Genoa Maritime Terminal (Italian: Stazione marittima di Genova) between the streets of Piazza del Principe, Via Fanti d'Italia and Via Bersaglieri d'Italia, where there is an interchange between rail, bus and metro.
The station is included in the program of rehabilitation of the main Italian stations, being carried out by Grandi Stazioni, a subsidiary of FS.
via the Christopher Columbus Volabus service.
The exit of the Piazza Principe underground station is a few meters from the Principe Station of the Genoa Metro (also managed by AMT) and from the Genoa Maritime Terminal.
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
and is located on Piazza Acquaverde, occupying the entire north side of Via Andrea Doria—where the station entrance is located—in the town centre and a short distance from the Palazzo del Principe, from which it takes its name. It is the second busiest station in Genoa after Genova Brignole
Genova Brignole railway station
Genova Brignole railway station is a major station of Genoa, northern Italy; it is located on Piazza Verdi in the town center at the foot of the Montesano hill. The main long distance station is Genova Piazza Principe station...
. It is used by about 66,000 passengers per day and 24,000,000 per year. The first temporary station was opened in 1854 at the end of the line from Turin. Lines were later opened to Milan, Rome and the French border at Ventimiglia
Ventimiglia railway station
Ventimiglia railway station is the main station of the Italian city of Ventimiglia. It is at the end of three rail routes: the Genoa–Ventimiglia line, the Cuneo–Ventimiglia line and the Marseille–Ventimiglia line. It plays an important role not only in rail transport in Liguria, but also in Italy...
.
History
The station derives its name from the adjacent Piazza del Principe (In ItalianItalian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
literally "plaza of the prince"), located next to the Palazzo del Principe (literally "palace of the prince") adjacent to the street called Via Andrea Doria in the Fassolo neighbourhood. The small goods yard, which was the core of the original station, occupies the area between Piazza del Principe, Via Andrea Doria and Piazza Acquaverde, where the main entrance is situated.
Foreigners often call the station Genova Porta Principe, perhaps confused by the names of stations in other cities, such as Milano Porta Garibaldi
Milano Porta Garibaldi railway station
Milano Porta Garibaldi is a major station in the Italian city of Milan, located just to the north of the neighbourhood known as Porta Garibaldi...
and Torino Porta Nuova
Torino Porta Nuova railway station
Torino Porta Nuova station is currently the main railway station of Turin. It is the third busiest station in Italy for passenger flow after Rome Termini and Milan Central, with about 192,000 journeys per day and 70 million travellers a year and a total of about 350 trains per day. It is...
. Note that there was once a gate in the medieval city walls called Porta San Tommaso (and sometimes called Porta Principe) where the steps to the Piazza Principe Metro station are now located and where some remains of the walls can still be seen. It was demolished in the nineteenth century.
The original station was designed by architect Alexander Mazzucchetti and construction began in 1853 and was completed and inaugurated in 1860. The original building had a single-span steel and glass roof, covering ten platforms and buildings for arrivals, departures and transiting passengers. At the time of the official inauguration of the Turin-Genoa railway in February 1854 only a temporary station had been opened.
In 1872, with the opening of the tunnel directly connecting with Brignole station, through platforms were added on the north of the original station. Until the 1960s the terminal platforms were used for passenger trains, mainly for local services to and from the west and north. Since then all passenger trains have operated on the eleven through tracks, while the terminal tracks are now used for the storage of wagons and locomotives.
In 1900, an increase in rail traffic led to the building of an extension of the station to a design by the engineer Giacomo Radini Tedeschi.
On 15 May 1916, the station was electrified at 3,300 V AC three-phase
Three-phase electric power
Three-phase electric power is a common method of alternating-current electric power generation, transmission, and distribution. It is a type of polyphase system and is the most common method used by grids worldwide to transfer power. It is also used to power large motors and other heavy loads...
at 15 Hz. It was converted to the current standard of to 3000 volts DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
, first on the Genoa–Rome line and later on the Genoa–Milan line. The last to abandon the three-phase system was the Genoa–Turin line between 1962 and 1964. During the Second World War, in common with other Italian railway stations, the roof covering the tracks was dismantled to extract its metal.
In order to handle an increase in metropolitan traffic an underground connection was opened in 1993 between Genoa Brignole
Genova Brignole railway station
Genova Brignole railway station is a major station of Genoa, northern Italy; it is located on Piazza Verdi in the town center at the foot of the Montesano hill. The main long distance station is Genova Piazza Principe station...
and Genoa Sampierdarena
Genova Sampierdarena railway station
Genova Sampierdarena railway station is located in Piazza Montano, in the Sampierdarena district of Genoa, Italy. It is Genoa's third most important railway station, after Genova Piazza Principe and Genova Brignole....
, including a new underground station under Genova Piazza Principe with two platforms called Genova Principe Sotterranea. Access to the underground station can be reached either via the escalators in the main station building or from an area located near the Genoa Maritime Terminal (Italian: Stazione marittima di Genova) between the streets of Piazza del Principe, Via Fanti d'Italia and Via Bersaglieri d'Italia, where there is an interchange between rail, bus and metro.
Today
Today the Piazza Principe is on several levels:- the underground level contains the Ferrovie dello StatoFerrovie dello StatoFerrovie dello Stato is a government-owned holding which manage infrastructure and service on the Italian rail network. The subsidiary Trenitalia is the main rail operator in Italy.-Organization:Ferrovie dello Stato subsidiaries are:...
(FS) utility rooms and warehouses and the two suburban rail tracks that form the underground station; - the platform level is placed below the ground floor and is almost entirely occupied by offices of the FS, utility rooms, warehouses, commercial and catering services;
- the ground floor building contains the main retail businesses and services for passengers;
- the higher levels are fully occupied by offices.
The station is included in the program of rehabilitation of the main Italian stations, being carried out by Grandi Stazioni, a subsidiary of FS.
Interchange
Around the station are the termini of several bus lines of the Genoa public transport undertaking (Azienda Mobilità e Trasporti, AMT), the Ferrovia Principe-Granarolo cog railway and the Ascensore Castello d'Albertis-Montegalletto lift and has an hourly bus connection with the airportGenoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport
Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport is built on an artificial peninsula, west of Genoa, Italy. The airport serves the Port of Genoa, and is currently operated by Aeroporto di Genova S.P.A., which has recently upgraded the airport complex. In 2010, 1,287,524 passengers travelled through the...
via the Christopher Columbus Volabus service.
The exit of the Piazza Principe underground station is a few meters from the Principe Station of the Genoa Metro (also managed by AMT) and from the Genoa Maritime Terminal.
See also
- Railway stations in GenoaRailway stations in GenoaThe city and comune of Genoa, capital of the region of Liguria, northwestern Italy, has twenty six railway stations and stops in use today.The majority of these stations is managed by RFI...
- List of railway stations in Liguria
- Railway stations in ItalyRailway stations in ItalyRailway stations in Italy are maintained and operated by the RFI division of Ferrovie dello Stato Group. A minor part of them is operated by private and regional companies, conceded by the state.-Classification:...