September 2015
How is it that little Belgium holds two of Europe's most phenomenal train stations? Near the Dutch border in the north is Antwerp Station - a gem of yesteryear [see: Antwerp Central Station]. On the opposite end of the country near the both the German and Dutch borders is the Liège-Guillemins Station, a marvel of modern architecture. I had never heard of it, so when I stepped off the train in Liège, I literally was gobsmacked. How did I not know about such a huge station?
As it turns out, Liège sits at a very important rail crossroads in Europe, so even though the town is rather down and out [see: a study in contrasts], its railway station is over the top. No expense was spared on the station that would service both French TGV and German ICE trains. It was even designed by ultra-modernist Calatrava. Although I am a huge fan of old railway stations in Europe, if something modern must be built, then let it be something like this Calatrava vision of rail transport. The building literally brings the sky INTO the station. Few better travel moments exist than coming across something unexpected and totally breathtaking. I would recommend people travel to Liège just to see the station!
As for Calatrava's works, over time I kept running into them whether I planned to or not. The first building of his that I thought I encountered was Bilbao Airport (very impressive, but only accessible by bus or taxi - so my memory is tainted with annoyance). I remember thinking it was an amazingly modern airport, but I did not have Calatrava on my mind - I just wanted to get to Amsterdam. Later I visited the City of Science in Valencia and was blown away by an entire collection of his futuristic work (in his hometown). Wow! On my Jubilee Journey [see: Matt in the Middle (part II)] I recognized his design immediately in Milwaukee at the art museum there. Whenever I see photos of the Oculus in Manhattan I am reminded I must visit that space, too, another Calatrava signature creation. For some reason, I didn't connect the dots about Liège-Guillemins Station until I started to write this and actually LOOKED at the building! Of course he designed it - I just encountered it before I was aware of his legacy. For me, that station was my absolute favorite among all his works, too. As a transport hub it was functional yet so beautifully embraced the railway stop in Liège. If there were a station cafe on the central platform, I think I could sit there all day and watch the trains, people, and clouds above come and go.
Belgium was a country of surprises and one of the best was an ethereal train station in a gritty little rust-belt city in the far southeast of the country.
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