Da Lat Railway Station
Encyclopedia
Da Lat Railway Station is a railway station on the Da Lat–Thap Cham Railway
line in Vietnam
, serving the town of Da Lat in Lam Dong Province. It was designed in 1932 by French
architects Moncet and Reveron, and opened in 1938. Largely unused since abandonment of the railway during the later years of the Vietnam War, it was returned to a limited level of service in the 1990s with the reopening of a 7 km (4.3 mi) section of track leading to the nearby village of Trai Mat, operated as a tourist attraction. It is notable for its unique architectural style, which incorporates an overall Art Deco
theme with elements of native Cao Nguyen communal houses from Vietnam's Central Highlands.
began in 1908, a decade after it had first been proposed by Paul Doumer
, then Governor General of French Indochina, and proceeded in stages. Due to the difficulty of the mountainous terrain west of Song Pha
—where the Ngoan Muc Pass rose into the Central Highlands—construction proceeded slowly, requiring several rack railway
sections and tunnels to be built. The railway was 84 km (52.2 mi) long, and rose almost 1400 metres (4,593.2 ft) along a winding route with three rack rail sections and five tunnels. The railway tracks finally reached Da Lat in 1932, 24 years after construction had begun. Another railway station existed at the time, operated by the SGAI, a company that had managed the operation of the railway until that time. The job of designing and constructing a new railway station to replace the old one was given to French architects Moncet and Reveron, who submitted a proposal designed by Reveron in 1932. The new station would follow the Art Deco
style popular at the time, but would incorporate some characteristics of a Cao Nguyen communal house of Vietnam's Central Highlands, specifically with its high, steep roofs. Construction of the new station began in 1935, directly supervised by Moncet, and was completed three years later in 1938, becoming one of the first colonial-style buildings to be erected in the area.
Throughout the Vietnam War
, the Da Lat–Thap Cham line—as with the entire Vietnamese railway network—was a target of bombardments and sabotage. Relentlessly sabotaged and mined by the Viet Cong, the line gradually fell out of use, with regular operations coming to an end in 1968. Following the Fall of Saigon
in April 1975, the railway was dismantled to provide materials for the repair of the main line. In the 1990s, however, a 7 km (4.3 mi) section of the line between Da Lat Railway Station and the nearby village of Trại Mát was restored and returned to active use as a tourist attraction.
A 2002 planning document listed the restoration of the entire Da Lat–Thap Cham railway as a priority for infrastructure development for Da Lat and Lam Dong Province, including the upgrading of Da Lat Railway Station to handle passenger and cargo transportation. The proposed renewal received the backing of provincial and local governments, and the national government indicated that private companies would also be allowed to participate in the reconstruction of the railway. The project would also include a connection to the North–South Railway at Thap Cham, allowing trains to circulate between Da Lat and the rest of the country for the first time since the Vietnam War
. In December 2009, four rail cars restored to look like the rail cars used on the Da Lat–Thap Cham line in the 1930s were put into use on the Da Lat–Trai Mat tourist railroad, carrying signage reading "Dalat Plateau Rail Road".
architectural style by French architects Moncet and Reveron, although it incorporates the high, pointed roofs characteristic of the Cao Nguyen communal buildings of ethnic minorities from Vietnam's Central Highlands. The three roofs, said to represent the three peaks of Dalat's iconic Lang Biang mountain, are also reminiscent of Normandy's Trouville-Deauville Station
.
Under each roof is a multicoloured glass window, and under the central roof is a large clock, which has recently been restored. Inside the station, the elevated roofs create a raised ceiling. At the front of the station is a Porte-cochère
, or coach gate, supported by two rows of twelve columns each. The station's unique design earned it recognition as a national historical monument in 2001.
Da Lat–Thap Cham Railway
The Da Lat–Thap Cham Railway or Da Lat-Phan Rang Railway was an rack railway connecting the city of Da Lat to the main North-South Railway at Thap Cham in Ninh Thuan Province. It was established by the French administration of Indochina in 1932 after thirty years of construction in phases,...
line in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, serving the town of Da Lat in Lam Dong Province. It was designed in 1932 by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
architects Moncet and Reveron, and opened in 1938. Largely unused since abandonment of the railway during the later years of the Vietnam War, it was returned to a limited level of service in the 1990s with the reopening of a 7 km (4.3 mi) section of track leading to the nearby village of Trai Mat, operated as a tourist attraction. It is notable for its unique architectural style, which incorporates an overall Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
theme with elements of native Cao Nguyen communal houses from Vietnam's Central Highlands.
History
Construction of the Da Lat–Thap Cham RailwayDa Lat–Thap Cham Railway
The Da Lat–Thap Cham Railway or Da Lat-Phan Rang Railway was an rack railway connecting the city of Da Lat to the main North-South Railway at Thap Cham in Ninh Thuan Province. It was established by the French administration of Indochina in 1932 after thirty years of construction in phases,...
began in 1908, a decade after it had first been proposed by Paul Doumer
Paul Doumer
Joseph Athanase Paul Doumer, commonly known as Paul Doumer was the President of France from 13 June 1931 until his assassination.-Biography:...
, then Governor General of French Indochina, and proceeded in stages. Due to the difficulty of the mountainous terrain west of Song Pha
Song Pha
Song Pha is a town in Ninh Son District, on the western side of Ninh Thuan Province, Vietnam. It is located at the foot of the scenic Ngoan Muc Pass . It lies along Highway 27A, about northwest of Phan Rang-Tháp Chàm....
—where the Ngoan Muc Pass rose into the Central Highlands—construction proceeded slowly, requiring several rack railway
Rack railway
A rack-and-pinion railway is a railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail...
sections and tunnels to be built. The railway was 84 km (52.2 mi) long, and rose almost 1400 metres (4,593.2 ft) along a winding route with three rack rail sections and five tunnels. The railway tracks finally reached Da Lat in 1932, 24 years after construction had begun. Another railway station existed at the time, operated by the SGAI, a company that had managed the operation of the railway until that time. The job of designing and constructing a new railway station to replace the old one was given to French architects Moncet and Reveron, who submitted a proposal designed by Reveron in 1932. The new station would follow the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style popular at the time, but would incorporate some characteristics of a Cao Nguyen communal house of Vietnam's Central Highlands, specifically with its high, steep roofs. Construction of the new station began in 1935, directly supervised by Moncet, and was completed three years later in 1938, becoming one of the first colonial-style buildings to be erected in the area.
Throughout the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the Da Lat–Thap Cham line—as with the entire Vietnamese railway network—was a target of bombardments and sabotage. Relentlessly sabotaged and mined by the Viet Cong, the line gradually fell out of use, with regular operations coming to an end in 1968. Following the Fall of Saigon
Fall of Saigon
The Fall of Saigon was the capture of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, by the People's Army of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front on April 30, 1975...
in April 1975, the railway was dismantled to provide materials for the repair of the main line. In the 1990s, however, a 7 km (4.3 mi) section of the line between Da Lat Railway Station and the nearby village of Trại Mát was restored and returned to active use as a tourist attraction.
A 2002 planning document listed the restoration of the entire Da Lat–Thap Cham railway as a priority for infrastructure development for Da Lat and Lam Dong Province, including the upgrading of Da Lat Railway Station to handle passenger and cargo transportation. The proposed renewal received the backing of provincial and local governments, and the national government indicated that private companies would also be allowed to participate in the reconstruction of the railway. The project would also include a connection to the North–South Railway at Thap Cham, allowing trains to circulate between Da Lat and the rest of the country for the first time since the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. In December 2009, four rail cars restored to look like the rail cars used on the Da Lat–Thap Cham line in the 1930s were put into use on the Da Lat–Trai Mat tourist railroad, carrying signage reading "Dalat Plateau Rail Road".
Architecture
Built in 1938, Da Lat Railway Station was designed in the Art DecoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
architectural style by French architects Moncet and Reveron, although it incorporates the high, pointed roofs characteristic of the Cao Nguyen communal buildings of ethnic minorities from Vietnam's Central Highlands. The three roofs, said to represent the three peaks of Dalat's iconic Lang Biang mountain, are also reminiscent of Normandy's Trouville-Deauville Station
Gare de Trouville-Deauville
Trouville-Deauville is the station for the towns of Deauville and Trouville-sur-Mer. The station is built in neo-normand architecture and is a terminus for two railway lines, the main line from Paris by Lisieux and the Côte Fleurie branchline to Dives-Cabourg.The line from Paris and Lisieux opened...
.
Under each roof is a multicoloured glass window, and under the central roof is a large clock, which has recently been restored. Inside the station, the elevated roofs create a raised ceiling. At the front of the station is a Porte-cochère
Porte-cochere
A porte-cochère is the architectural term for a porch- or portico-like structure at a main or secondary entrance to a building through which a horse and carriage can pass in order for the occupants to alight under cover, protected from the weather.The porte-cochère was a feature of many late 18th...
, or coach gate, supported by two rows of twelve columns each. The station's unique design earned it recognition as a national historical monument in 2001.
See also
- Rail transport in VietnamRail transport in VietnamThe railway system in Vietnam is owned and operated by the state-owned Vietnam Railways . The principal route, the single track North-South Railway running between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, accounts for of the network's total length of...
- Da Lat–Thap Cham RailwayDa Lat–Thap Cham RailwayThe Da Lat–Thap Cham Railway or Da Lat-Phan Rang Railway was an rack railway connecting the city of Da Lat to the main North-South Railway at Thap Cham in Ninh Thuan Province. It was established by the French administration of Indochina in 1932 after thirty years of construction in phases,...