Roma Termini railway station
Encyclopedia
Roma Termini is the main train station of Rome
. It is named after the district of the same name, which in turn took its name from ancient Baths of Diocletian
(in Latin, thermae
), which lie across the street from the main entrance.
, Munich
, Geneva
, Basel
, and Vienna
. With its 29 platforms and over 150 million passengers each year, Roma Termini is one of the largest train stations in Europe.
Termini is also the main hub for public transport inside Rome. Both current Rome Metro
lines (A and B) intersect at Termini metro station
, and a major bus station is located at Piazza dei Cinquecento, the square in front of the station. However, the main tram lines of the city cross at Porta Maggiore
, some 1,500 metres east of the station.
On 23 December 2006, the station was dedicated to Pope John Paul II
.
On 25 February 1863, Pope Pius IX
opened the first, temporary Termini Station as the terminus of the Rome–Frascati, Rome–Civitavecchia and Rome-Ceprano
lines .
The first two lines previously had separate stations elsewhere in the city, and, as the third line was under development, the city chose to build one central station, as opposed to the Paris
model of having separate terminus stations for each line or each direction. The dilapidated Villa Montalto-Peretti, erected in the 16th Century by Pope Sixtus V
, was chosen as the site for this new station, which was to be called the "Stazione Centrale delle Ferrovie Romane" (Central Station of Roman Railways).
Construction of the permanent station began in 1868, in the last years of the Papal Temporal Power over the city of Rome, and was completed in 1874 after the Capture of Rome
and installing of government of United Italy
. It was laid out according to a plan by the architect Salvatore Bianchi. The front of this station reached Via Cavour
, which means it stuck some 200 metres deeper into the city than the current station.
In 1937, it was decided to replace the old station, as part of the planning for the 1942 World's Fair
, which was never held because of the outbreak of World War II
. The old station was demolished, and part of the new station was constructed, but works were halted in 1943 as the Italian fascist government
collapsed. The 2-kilometre-long side structures of the design by Angiolo Mazzoni del Grande
are still part of the current-day station.
façade in travertine
and by the gravity-defying double curve of the cantilever roof in reinforced concrete
. Because of these, it carries the nickname the Dinosaur
.
The famous anodized aluminium friezes are work of artist Amerigo Tot
: the composition is about capturing the dynamics in sound and speed of a train.
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. It is named after the district of the same name, which in turn took its name from ancient Baths of Diocletian
Baths of Diocletian
The Baths of Diocletian in Rome were the grandest of the public baths, or thermae built by successive emperors. Diocletian's Baths, dedicated in 306, were the largest and most sumptuous of the imperial baths. The baths were built between the years 298 AD and 306 AD...
(in Latin, thermae
Thermae
In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...
), which lie across the street from the main entrance.
Overview
The station has regular train services to all major Italian cities as well as daily international services to ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. With its 29 platforms and over 150 million passengers each year, Roma Termini is one of the largest train stations in Europe.
Termini is also the main hub for public transport inside Rome. Both current Rome Metro
Rome Metro
The Rome Metro is an underground public transportation system that operates in Rome, Italy and opened in 1955. There are currently two metro lines, the A line and the B line . A third line, the green C line, and a new branch of the B line, are currently under construction. Plans have also been...
lines (A and B) intersect at Termini metro station
Termini (Rome Metro)
Termini is an underground station of the Rome Metro. The station was inaugurated on 10 February 1955, as a station on Line B and later became an interchange with Line A. The station is found in Piazza dei Cinquecento, under the Termini rail terminal...
, and a major bus station is located at Piazza dei Cinquecento, the square in front of the station. However, the main tram lines of the city cross at Porta Maggiore
Porta Maggiore
The Porta Maggiore , or Porta Prenestina, is one of the eastern gates in the ancient but well-preserved 3rd-century Aurelian Walls of Rome....
, some 1,500 metres east of the station.
On 23 December 2006, the station was dedicated to Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
History
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
opened the first, temporary Termini Station as the terminus of the Rome–Frascati, Rome–Civitavecchia and Rome-Ceprano
Ceprano
Ceprano is a town and comune in the province of Frosinone, in Ciociaria traditional area, part of the Lazio region of central Italy.It is located south of Rome, and c. 127 km north of Naples.-History:...
lines .
The first two lines previously had separate stations elsewhere in the city, and, as the third line was under development, the city chose to build one central station, as opposed to the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
model of having separate terminus stations for each line or each direction. The dilapidated Villa Montalto-Peretti, erected in the 16th Century by Pope Sixtus V
Pope Sixtus V
Pope Sixtus V , born Felice Peretti di Montalto, was Pope from 1585 to 1590.-Early life:The chronicler Andrija Zmajević states that Felice's family originated from modern-day Montenegro...
, was chosen as the site for this new station, which was to be called the "Stazione Centrale delle Ferrovie Romane" (Central Station of Roman Railways).
Construction of the permanent station began in 1868, in the last years of the Papal Temporal Power over the city of Rome, and was completed in 1874 after the Capture of Rome
Capture of Rome
The Capture of Rome was the final event of the long process of Italian unification known as the Risorgimento, which finally unified the Italian peninsula under King Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy...
and installing of government of United Italy
Italian unification
Italian unification was the political and social movement that agglomerated different states of the Italian peninsula into the single state of Italy in the 19th century...
. It was laid out according to a plan by the architect Salvatore Bianchi. The front of this station reached Via Cavour
Via Cavour, Rome
Via Cavour is a street in the Castro Pretorio rione of Rome, named after Camillo Cavour. It is served by the Rome Metro stations Cavour and Termini. The facade of the original permanent Roma Termini railway station reached this street, though it is now 200 metres farther back...
, which means it stuck some 200 metres deeper into the city than the current station.
In 1937, it was decided to replace the old station, as part of the planning for the 1942 World's Fair
Esposizione universale (1942)
The Esposizione universale of 1942 was planned to be held in Rome.The government projected a new neighbourhood, on the south-west of Rome, called Esposizione Universale Roma, or EUR...
, which was never held because of the outbreak of 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 old station was demolished, and part of the new station was constructed, but works were halted in 1943 as the Italian fascist government
History of Italy as a monarchy and in the World Wars
This articles covers the history of Italy as a monarchy and in the World Wars.-Italian unification :Modern Italy became a nation-state during the Risorgimento on March 17, 1861 when most of the states of the Italian Peninsula and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies were united under king Victor...
collapsed. The 2-kilometre-long side structures of the design by Angiolo Mazzoni del Grande
Angiolo Mazzoni
Angiolo Mazzoni was a prolific state architect and engineer of the Italian Fascist government of the 1920s and 1930s.Mazzoni designed hundreds of public buildings, post offices and train stations during the Interwar period in Italy...
are still part of the current-day station.
Current building
The current building was designed by the two teams that won a competition in 1947: Leo Calini and Eugenio Montuori; Massimo Castellazzi, Vasco Fadigati, Achille Pintonello and Annibale Vitellozzi. It was inaugurated in 1950. The building is characterized by the extremely long, modernistModern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
façade in travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
and by the gravity-defying double curve of the cantilever roof in 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...
. Because of these, it carries the nickname the Dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
.
The famous anodized aluminium friezes are work of artist Amerigo Tot
Amerigo Tot
Amerigo Tot was a Hungarian sculptor and occasional actor. He was born in Fehérvárcsurgó, Hungary and moved to Rome, where he lived for the rest of his life. He studied in Budapest under Ferenc Helbing and György Leszkovszky from 1926 until 1928, and under László Moholy-Nagy at the Bauhaus in...
: the composition is about capturing the dynamics in sound and speed of a train.
In the movies
- Stazione Termini (1953)
- Indiscretion of an American Wife (1954)
See also
- Roma Tiburtina railway stationRoma Tiburtina railway stationRoma Tiburtina is the second largest railway station in Rome, after Roma Termini. Located in the north-eastern part of the city, it is being redeveloped as a hub for the Italian high speed rail services instead of Termini, which is a terminal station....
, the second-largest station in Rome. - Roma Ostiense railway stationRoma Ostiense railway stationRoma Ostiense is a train station in Piazza dei Partigiani serving the Ostiense district of Rome, Italy, a short distance from the Porta San Paolo. It is run by the Centostazioni arm of the Ferrovie dello Stato group and the urban rail lines FR1, FR3, and FR5 run through the station...
, the third-largest station in Rome - History of rail transport in Italy
- List of railway stations in Lazio
- Rail transport in ItalyRail transport in ItalyThe Italian railway system is one of the most important infrastructure in the country, with a total length of . The network is recently growing with the construction of the new high speed rail network....
- Railway stations in ItalyRailway stations in ItalyRailway stations in Italy are maintained and operated by the RFI division of Ferrovie dello Stato Group. A minor part of them is operated by private and regional companies, conceded by the state.-Classification:...