Matera Centrale railway station
Encyclopedia
Matera Centrale is the main railway station in the Italian town of Matera, in Basilicata
. It is owned by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane (FAL), a private company based in Bari
, and is the nearest station to the Sassi
.
and Altamura
. In 1928 the Matera-Miglionico
stretch was opened, part of the line to Ferrandina
and Montalbano Jonico
, which operated between 1932 and 1972. Originally a surface station, it was transformed into an underground station.
street, near the town hall. The old two-floor station building
(40°40′0.5"N 16°36′5.76"E), preserved, is next to the modern one, located near a car park built over the original sidings. The modern structure is a one-floor square building with a pair of columns at its entrance. It has a pedestrian underpass to the platforms, serving two narrow gauge tracks (950 mm). The line is not electrified.
. three other minor stops, Matera Campo Sportivo, Matera Serra Rifusa and Matera Rondinelle, are no longer served by passenger traffic.
A project to rebuild the line to Ferrandina
, which has a station on the Battipaglia-Potenza-Metaponto line (linking Salerno
and Taranto
), has been considered by the Ferrovie dello Stato
. Works for the line, projected to use the standard gauge
(1,435 mm), started in 1986 to give Matera a direct rail link to the national network, following in part the former route. Due to lack of funds construction has ceased, with the works incomplete and structures abandoned. Due to the distance to the town's centre (7 km) of the partly built new FS station loc which ated in the frazione
of La Martella, it has been proposed to use the former route south of the town and to upgrade Matera Centrale, rebuilt as a multi-level underground station or simply enlarged.
Basilicata
Basilicata , also known as Lucania, is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south, having one short southwestern coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania in the northwest and Calabria in the southwest, and a...
. It is owned by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane (FAL), a private company based in Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, and is the nearest station to the Sassi
Sassi di Matera
The Sassi di Matera are prehistoric cave dwellings in the Italian city of Matera, Basilicata. Situated in the old town, they are composed of the Sasso Caveoso and the later Sasso Barisano.-Geography:...
.
History
The station was opened in 1915, as the southern terminal of the line from BariBari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
and Altamura
Altamura
Altamura is a town and comune of Apulia, southern Italy. It is located on the Murge plateau in the province of Bari, 45 km South-West of Bari, close to the border with Basilicata. As of 2011 its population was of 69,728.-Overview:...
. In 1928 the Matera-Miglionico
Miglionico
Miglionico is a town and comune in the province of Matera, in Basilicata, southern Italy.Miglionico was also used by kings and queens to show royalty, the last name is considered good luck by many in Italy.-Main sights:...
stretch was opened, part of the line to Ferrandina
Ferrandina
Ferrandina is a town and comune in the province of Matera, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. Italy is famous for High Quality Olive Oil...
and Montalbano Jonico
Montalbano Jonico
Montalbano Jonico is a town and comune in the province of Matera, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata....
, which operated between 1932 and 1972. Originally a surface station, it was transformed into an underground station.
Structure
The station is located in the town's centre in Piazza della Visitazione along Aldo MoroAldo Moro
Aldo Moro was an Italian politician and the 39th Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. He was one of Italy's longest-serving post-war Prime Ministers, holding power for a combined total of more than six years....
street, near the town hall. The old two-floor station building
Station building
A station building, also known as a head house, is the main building of a passenger train station. It is typically used principally to provide services to passengers.A station building is not to be confused with the station itself...
(40°40′0.5"N 16°36′5.76"E), preserved, is next to the modern one, located near a car park built over the original sidings. The modern structure is a one-floor square building with a pair of columns at its entrance. It has a pedestrian underpass to the platforms, serving two narrow gauge tracks (950 mm). The line is not electrified.
Transport
It is served, like the other two stations in the city, Matera Sud (the line terminal) and Matera Villa Longo, by several regional trains to Altamura and Bari CentraleBari Centrale railway station
Bari Centrale is the main railway station of the Italian city of Bari, capital of Apulia. It is one of the most important "FS" stations of Italy.-History:The station was first built in 1864 and between 1865 and 1906 5 more platforms were added...
. three other minor stops, Matera Campo Sportivo, Matera Serra Rifusa and Matera Rondinelle, are no longer served by passenger traffic.
A project to rebuild the line to Ferrandina
Ferrandina
Ferrandina is a town and comune in the province of Matera, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. Italy is famous for High Quality Olive Oil...
, which has a station on the Battipaglia-Potenza-Metaponto line (linking Salerno
Salerno railway station
Salerno railway station serves the Italian city of Salerno and was opened in 1866.-Overview:It is located at the junction of several lines, including two major national lines, the Naples–Salerno line and the Salerno–Reggio Calabria line. It is also served by two regional lines, the...
and Taranto
Taranto railway station
Taranto railway station is the main station serving the city and comune of Taranto, in the region of Apulia, southern Italy. Opened in 1868, it forms a junction between three main lines, from Bari, Brindisi and Reggio di Calabria, respectively...
), has been considered by the Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie dello Stato
Ferrovie 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:...
. Works for the line, projected to use the standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
(1,435 mm), started in 1986 to give Matera a direct rail link to the national network, following in part the former route. Due to lack of funds construction has ceased, with the works incomplete and structures abandoned. Due to the distance to the town's centre (7 km) of the partly built new FS station loc which ated in the frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of La Martella, it has been proposed to use the former route south of the town and to upgrade Matera Centrale, rebuilt as a multi-level underground station or simply enlarged.
See also
- Potenza Centrale railway stationPotenza Centrale railway stationPotenza Centrale railway station , formerly known as Potenza Inferiore, is the main station serving the city and comune of Potenza, in the region of Basilicata, southern Italy. Opened in 1880, it forms part of the Battipaglia–Potenza–Metaponto railway and is also a junction of a branch line to...
- List of railway stations in Basilicata
- History of rail transport in Italy
- Rail transport in ItalyRail transport in ItalyThe Italian railway system is one of the most important infrastructure in the country, with a total length of . The network is recently growing with the construction of the new high speed rail network....
- 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:...
External links
- Picture of Matera Centrale on FlickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...