Verona Porta Nuova railway station
Encyclopedia
Verona Porta Nuova is the main railway station of the Italian city of Verona
near the city centre in the square of Piazzale 25 Aprile. It was originally opened in 1852, but was substantially rebuilt between 1910 and 1922. It was rebuilt again between 1946 and 1949 after being largely destroyed by allied bombing during World War II
. The station serves a number of lines including to Milan, Venice, Bologna
and the Brenner pass
. It currently handles 25 million passengers annually. Work has recently begun in preparation for it being linked to the Milan–Verona high-speed railway (on which work is now beginning) and the Verona–Venice high-speed railway (on which planning is under way).
river on a bridge that had just been completed. As early as 1853 it was possible to go from the station to Mantua
via a single track line and in the same year work started in the station on the construction of the Brenner railway
. The first station was built as a temporary wooden structure in 1851 but was replaced in 1852 by a small masonry building. This building has an odd shape, with part of its front further forward that the other and with unequal sides, one with eight arched openings, and the other with only three openings. At first the station was less important than Porta Vescovo station
, which was near a major Austrian
military camp. At the time Verona was one of the main military strongholds of Europe with a capacity of 120,000 troops. It was initially used only by the two of the three classes of passenger trains then in use in Italy: "omnibus" and "mixed" trains. It did not handle the fastest and most expensive "direct" trains or offer baggage services.
A line was opened to Sant'Antonio Mantovano north of the Mincio
river near Mantua
in 1853 and was connected through to Modena in 1874, where it connected with the line to Bologna. The line from Venice was extended to Brescia
and Bergamo
in 1854. The Brenner railway to Bolzano in 1859 and was extended to Innsbruck
in 1867. The construction of these railways gave further impetus to the expansion of the massive Austrian defences in Verona until the transfer of Veneto
to Italy as a result of the Third Italian War of Independence
. The line to Rovigo opened in 1877. A more direct line to Bologna
was opened in 1924.
With the absorption of Veneto into Italy in 1866 the Milan–Venice railway came, under the management of the Upper Italian Railways
. The early 19th century station was no longer sufficient to handle traffic. It was to make Porta Nuova the main station. In 1900 it was temporarily enlarged with a central wooden building, while projects were being developing for the new station. Initially it was envisaged as including six platforms with several other tracks for the storage of rollingstock and for freight train operations. On 31 December 1915 a contract was signed for the building of work for with an estimated cost of 8 million lire
, including a temporary building for passenger services.
Work on building the new station, designed by the architect Dini, began in 1910 and the station was opened in 1913, although in a preliminary form. The proposed building would be 114 metres long and 20 metres high, with a central dome and two smaller buildings on its side, with a canopy along its facade. The central section would have included the ticket office and luggage facility; there would have been a waiting room on the left was and a buffet the right. Offices would have occupied the second floor. However, the plans were not popular in Verona.
By early 1915 work was well advanced. The new freight facilities were already in operation, including the commissioning of a large goods yard and locomotive depot. The outbreak of World War I
stopped work of the station and its opening was delayed until 22 March 1922. Its interior was decorated with mosaics by the master mosaic artist Amedeo Mantellato of Venice. In 1920s a connection was built between the Brenner line and the goods yard, while in 1930s a new depot for locomotives was built. Electrification of the lines was completed in 1941.
The station was partially destroyed by bombing during World War II
. The first isolated bombing raid of the station was carried out by a formation of four aircraft on 21 October 1940 and consisted of cluster bombs and incendiaries. In total, the city suffered twenty bombing raids. The hardest attacks on the railway station and the city were on 4 and 28 January 1945. Eventually the station was rendered unusable.
The station was then rebuilt on the same site to a design by the architect Roberto Narducci
, with reconstruction beginning in September 1946. The new station, aesthetically very different from the original, though structurally similar, was completed in March 1949. In the building many types of marble from Verona were used, covering an area of 4,000 m²; the floors were laid out with mosaics composed of ceramic tiles and the furniture was installed that was designed to harmonise with the building.
The new station carried over from the previous station a gap between its elevated platforms and the level of the pedestrian areas outside the station. This peculiarity has forced services to be organised on two floors: on the ground floor there are services for business travellers and the public, while rail-related services are on the upper floor. The platforms have metal roofs in Art Nouveau
style, even those that survived from the previous station, while the roofs of the central and two lateral buildings are made of reinforced concrete
. The current station does not include any elements of historical and architectural heritage.
: the complex is located near the major bus terminal of the Verona public transport company (“Azienda Trasporti Verona”, ATV) which connects Verona with towns in the provinces of Verona and the Veneto. In the future it will also probably connect to the town centre by trolleybus
.
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
near the city centre in the square of Piazzale 25 Aprile. It was originally opened in 1852, but was substantially rebuilt between 1910 and 1922. It was rebuilt again between 1946 and 1949 after being largely destroyed by allied bombing during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The station serves a number of lines including to Milan, Venice, Bologna
Verona–Bologna railway
The Verona–Bologna railway is a major Italian railway connecting Verona and Bologna and part of the major axis from the Brenner railway to the Bologna–Florence and on to Rome. The line is part of the Line 1 of Trans-European Transport Networks...
and the Brenner pass
Brenner railway
The Brenner Railway is a major line connecting the Austrian and Italian railways from Innsbruck and Verona climbing the Wipptal , passing over the Brenner Pass and descending down the Eisack Valley to Bolzano and then down the Adige Valley from Bolzano to Rovereto and from there along the...
. It currently handles 25 million passengers annually. Work has recently begun in preparation for it being linked to the Milan–Verona high-speed railway (on which work is now beginning) and the Verona–Venice high-speed railway (on which planning is under way).
History
The first train arrived at Verona Porta Nuova station, in 1852, driven by the locomotive "Verona" on the new line from Venice and crossing the AdigeAdige
The Adige is a river with its source in the Alpine province of South Tyrol near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland. At in length, it is the second longest river in Italy, after the River Po with ....
river on a bridge that had just been completed. As early as 1853 it was possible to go from the station to Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
via a single track line and in the same year work started in the station on the construction of the Brenner railway
Brenner railway
The Brenner Railway is a major line connecting the Austrian and Italian railways from Innsbruck and Verona climbing the Wipptal , passing over the Brenner Pass and descending down the Eisack Valley to Bolzano and then down the Adige Valley from Bolzano to Rovereto and from there along the...
. The first station was built as a temporary wooden structure in 1851 but was replaced in 1852 by a small masonry building. This building has an odd shape, with part of its front further forward that the other and with unequal sides, one with eight arched openings, and the other with only three openings. At first the station was less important than Porta Vescovo station
Verona Porta Vescovo railway station
Porta Vescovo railway station is the lesser of the two railway stations that serve Verona. It lies outside the 19th century Habsburg city fortifications, a short distance from the eponymous city gate and a thirty minute walk from the city centre. At one time, the station served the important...
, which was near a major Austrian
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
military camp. At the time Verona was one of the main military strongholds of Europe with a capacity of 120,000 troops. It was initially used only by the two of the three classes of passenger trains then in use in Italy: "omnibus" and "mixed" trains. It did not handle the fastest and most expensive "direct" trains or offer baggage services.
A line was opened to Sant'Antonio Mantovano north of the Mincio
Mincio
Mincio is a river in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.Called the Sarca River before entering Lake Garda, it flows from there about 65 km past Mantua into the Po River....
river near Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
in 1853 and was connected through to Modena in 1874, where it connected with the line to Bologna. The line from Venice was extended to Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
and Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
in 1854. The Brenner railway to Bolzano in 1859 and was extended to Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
in 1867. The construction of these railways gave further impetus to the expansion of the massive Austrian defences in Verona until the transfer of Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
to Italy as a result of the Third Italian War of Independence
Third Italian War of Independence
The Third Italian War of Independence was a conflict which paralleled the Austro-Prussian War, and was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austrian Empire.-Background:...
. The line to Rovigo opened in 1877. A more direct line to Bologna
Verona–Bologna railway
The Verona–Bologna railway is a major Italian railway connecting Verona and Bologna and part of the major axis from the Brenner railway to the Bologna–Florence and on to Rome. The line is part of the Line 1 of Trans-European Transport Networks...
was opened in 1924.
With the absorption of Veneto into Italy in 1866 the Milan–Venice railway came, under the management of the Upper Italian Railways
Società per le strade ferrate dell'Alta Italia
The Società per le strade ferrate dell'Alta Italia was an Italian railway company from 1865 to 1885.It was established on 1 July 1865 with miles of line it acquired from the state railway of the Kingdom of Sardinia , the part of the state railway of the former Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia that...
. The early 19th century station was no longer sufficient to handle traffic. It was to make Porta Nuova the main station. In 1900 it was temporarily enlarged with a central wooden building, while projects were being developing for the new station. Initially it was envisaged as including six platforms with several other tracks for the storage of rollingstock and for freight train operations. On 31 December 1915 a contract was signed for the building of work for with an estimated cost of 8 million lire
Italian lira
The lira was the currency of Italy between 1861 and 2002. Between 1999 and 2002, the Italian lira was officially a “national subunit” of the euro...
, including a temporary building for passenger services.
Work on building the new station, designed by the architect Dini, began in 1910 and the station was opened in 1913, although in a preliminary form. The proposed building would be 114 metres long and 20 metres high, with a central dome and two smaller buildings on its side, with a canopy along its facade. The central section would have included the ticket office and luggage facility; there would have been a waiting room on the left was and a buffet the right. Offices would have occupied the second floor. However, the plans were not popular in Verona.
By early 1915 work was well advanced. The new freight facilities were already in operation, including the commissioning of a large goods yard and locomotive depot. The outbreak of World War I
Italy in World War I
This article is about Italian military operations in World War I.Italy, though nominally allied with Germany and Austria-Hungary, refused to join them when the war started. Instead Italy entered the war on the Allied side in May 1915....
stopped work of the station and its opening was delayed until 22 March 1922. Its interior was decorated with mosaics by the master mosaic artist Amedeo Mantellato of Venice. In 1920s a connection was built between the Brenner line and the goods yard, while in 1930s a new depot for locomotives was built. Electrification of the lines was completed in 1941.
The station was partially destroyed by bombing during World War II
Military history of Italy during World War II
During World War II , the Kingdom of Italy had a varied and tumultuous military history. Defeated in Greece, France, East Africa and North Africa, the Italian invasion of British Somaliland was one of the only successful Italian campaigns of World War II accomplished without German support.In...
. The first isolated bombing raid of the station was carried out by a formation of four aircraft on 21 October 1940 and consisted of cluster bombs and incendiaries. In total, the city suffered twenty bombing raids. The hardest attacks on the railway station and the city were on 4 and 28 January 1945. Eventually the station was rendered unusable.
The station was then rebuilt on the same site to a design by the architect Roberto Narducci
Roberto Narducci
Roberto Narducci was an Italian architect and engineer of the Modernist and Novocento movements.-Life:...
, with reconstruction beginning in September 1946. The new station, aesthetically very different from the original, though structurally similar, was completed in March 1949. In the building many types of marble from Verona were used, covering an area of 4,000 m²; the floors were laid out with mosaics composed of ceramic tiles and the furniture was installed that was designed to harmonise with the building.
The new station carried over from the previous station a gap between its elevated platforms and the level of the pedestrian areas outside the station. This peculiarity has forced services to be organised on two floors: on the ground floor there are services for business travellers and the public, while rail-related services are on the upper floor. The platforms have metal roofs in Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
style, even those that survived from the previous station, while the roofs of the central and two lateral buildings are made of reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
. The current station does not include any elements of historical and architectural heritage.
Passenger node
Verona Porta Nuova is used by about 68 thousand passengers each day, for a total of 25 million users annually, and it is the ninth busiest train station in Italy. The station area is the centre of the transport network, incorporating urban and suburban public transportPublic transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
: the complex is located near the major bus terminal of the Verona public transport company (“Azienda Trasporti Verona”, ATV) which connects Verona with towns in the provinces of Verona and the Veneto. In the future it will also probably connect to the town centre by trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
.
Station
The Verona Porta Nuova station is built on several levels:- the basement is occupied by Ferrovie dello Stato offices;
- the ground floor is composed of several buildings, including passenger services. The side next to the square is occupied by commercial activities and passenger services, while there are technical rooms and offices in the other buildings on the west side;
- the platform level is used for passenger services;
- the first and second floor are occupied by offices.