History
19 juni 2009
- Coördinatie Stationseiland
In 1875 two architects were commissioned to design the station. They were P.J.H. Cuypers and A.L. van Gendt. The two architects divided the work: Cuypers designed the station building with a monumental façade, while Van Gendt planned the construction, including the station roofs and viaducts on both sides of the station.
The construction of the station
In 1875 two architects were commissioned to design the station. They were P.J.H. Cuypers, the architect famous for designing the Rijksmuseum amongst others, and A.L. van Gendt, a former railway architect who had also designed the Concertgebouw. The two architects divided the work: Cuypers designed the station building with a monumental façade, while Van Gendt planned the construction, including the station roofs and viaducts on both sides of the station. Because of the thin subsoil in the capital, the construction of the station was not without technical difficulties. In total, 9,000 piles were driven into the ground. The main priority was to prevent the station subsiding. In 1889 the station building was opened.
Monument
Cuypers gave the building a richly ornamented, classic façade. The central façade shows the arms of European cities with which Amsterdam had relations. Over the years, the station’s interior underwent radical renovation, but the exterior remained unchanged. In 1974 the building was declared a national monument. Towards the end of the 1980s it was found that the ornaments and marble had been damaged by pollution and the effects of the weather. Since then, all details have been restored to their former glory. One such detail is the figure of a knight in the royal waiting room, the King’s shield-bearer, which has been fully restored.
The 'Winged Wheel', the original logo of many railway operating companies, has been returned to the ridges of the southern roof of Central Station. The logo depicts a train wheel flanked by the wings of Mercury, the god of commerce. It was situated on the ridges from 1889 until around 1930, and put back in 2005. The historic view on the city side will in future provide a nice contrast with the modern entrance on the IJ side of the island.
Years
1876 Start of construction of the stationbuilding
1889 Stationbuilding finished
1923 Second roof over rails 11 to 15
1956 Central hall enlarged
1984 Further expansion of the central hall
1996 Third roof over rails 8 to 10
