Saturday, 31 January 2015

Gdynia - Main Railway Station



So I finally made to Gdynia :) As I said before. Winter inspired me. A bit unusual for fist post of a city (fist post of the city should be of the "most famous for places", but not this time:) I visited Railway Station. I've heard that it was renovated, plus I read somewhere that is one of the most beautiful Railway Stations in Poland (along with Gdansk Main Train Station) so I had to see if that was true.

gdynia glowna main train station front view
Gdynia Main Train Station - front

And I will say it is true, I personally really liked it. My mum on the other hand (who came with for company, and I think it was first and last time she did :( ) felt a bit disappointed. I don't know what she expected, Michelangelo's painting on the walls? But she was the one that seen the train station before renovation, I was seeing it for the first time ( at least first time consciousnessly).

gdynia glowna osobowa wnetrze poczekalnia
Inside: Gdynia Main Train Station

Fist of I must say that Gdynia Train Station in much bigger than the one in Gdansk. But it is also built in totally different style. I don't know much about architectural styles, and certainly cannot name them, but I did look it up :) (it's modern architecture with Socialist realism twist:)

mozaika scienna gdynia glowna trojmiasto polska
Mosaic inside Gdynia train station

Gdynia actually had 3 different railway stations, with present one being the third. I am not talking about "thing burnt down and was rebuilt", or "extension was made: train station 2". Each train station was so different from the one before, which I find fascinating.

mozaika stocznia gdynia glowna dworzec pkp trojmiasto polska
Mosaic in Gdynia Main Train Station

In 1879 first train stop was open in Gdynia, it was called "Gdingen" which is Gdynia, of course:) The train station was created as means of transportation to (and this is what I found on website) boorish - fishing village and seaside resort of third category. As always opening of train station contributed to development of the area (not only immediate area around railway station, but also seaside resort, which at that time was considered to be quite and close to nature).

deptak do dworca glownego gdynia polska trojmiasto
Passage to main train station, Gdynia

In 1923 construction of new railway station begun. As I understand new train station was built across train tracks, and in front of the first railway station that was still being used. I find it funny and practical at same time. Why wouldn't they just extended train station that was already in place?


wnetrze gdynia glowna dworzec stacja pkp polska trojmiasto
Inside of Gdynia Main Train Station with sunlight

The railway station no. 2 looks like a church in my opinion. I must admit I am glad that it was destroyed during WWII and rebuild. Otherwise I would have to live with no. 2 :)


gdynia pierwszy dworzec glowna trojmiasto polska
Train station no. 1 - Gdynia, around 1900

Railway station no. 3 was built in 1955. It was designed to be the most luxurious and high-tech (after the one in Capital) in Poland, with marble interior, air-con and mosaic pictures on the walls and ceiling of the dining room.

poland gdynia train station railway station tricity
Railway station no. 2 - aka. church :) Gdynia
Unfortunately my mom remembered about the ceiling mosaic when we were on our way back and didn't get to see it, so I decided I don't look it up and post picture found online. If you find yourself at Gdynia Railway Station please do not forget to go to McDonald's (that is were the ceiling mosaic is:)

gdynia pkp dworzec glowny glowna hala trojmiasto polska
Main Hall - Gdynia Main Railway Station









So they are two more mosaic to see, that I didn't post pictures of, and maybe possibly a fountain, but I am not sure about that one :)

Gdynia glowna osobowa
Gdynia Glowna - Train Station

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