{"id":24631,"date":"2026-05-27T06:13:36","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T06:13:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/24631\/"},"modified":"2026-05-27T06:13:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T06:13:36","slug":"berlin-hauptbahnhof-at-20-a-rail-hub-with-symbolic-power-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/24631\/","title":{"rendered":"Berlin Hauptbahnhof at 20: A rail hub with symbolic power"},"content":{"rendered":"

“This is a symbolic day, since this is also such a symbolic location. Right next to the former [Berlin] Wall, a new bridge is now being built between different directions, connecting the once-separated parts of Berlin in a completely new way,” said then-Chancellor Angela Merkel in her speech marking the inauguration of Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the capital’s new central train station, on May 26, 2006.<\/p>\n

Merkel went on to praise the multilevel transportation hub as “a modern, open-minded and cosmopolitan structure” that also embodied the spirit of recently reunified Berlin and Germany.<\/p>\n

The location was particularly symbolic, because the modern station was built on a site that had spent years in neglect, along a historical no-man’s land.<\/p>\n

\"Its<\/p>\n

Its opening in 2006 was celebrated with fireworks seen by hundreds of thousands of peopleSCHROEWIG\/Caspar\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

Central station’s location reflects Berlin’s tumultuous history<\/p>\n

After World War II, when Berlin was divided between the capitalist West and the communist East, the city’s rail network was also split in two.<\/p>\n

East Berlin had its Ostbahnhof while long-distance trains ran from the infamous Bahnhof Zoo<\/a> in West Berlin.<\/p>\n

After German reunification in 1990, planners wanted a completely new central station that would physically and symbolically reconnect the city. The chosen site was on the location of a former 19th-century station, Lehrter Bahnhof.<\/p>\n

When that station opened in 1871, it quickly became the landing point of Germany’s most important east-west rail line. During World War II, Lehrter Bahnhof was heavily damaged. Then, between 1957 and 1959, the building’s remains were bulldozed.<\/p>\n

However, the S-Bahn station with the same name was retained; it was the final stop in the suburban train network on the West Berlin side, before crossing the border into the East.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The original train station: Lehrter Bahnhof – The original Lehrter Bahnhof (Lehrte Train Station) officially opened in 1871. The station, built in French Neo-Renaissance style, was often referred to as the “palace among stations.” It quickly became renowned for its quick connections. This photo is from 1903.akg-images\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

\"Damaged<\/p>\n

Damaged in WWII and destroyed in 1957-1959 – During World War II, the railway station was severely damaged. The burnt-out ruin was repaired to the extent that rudimentary operations could be resumed for a few years after the war, but the station was dismantled in the late 1950s. This photo shows the main portal being blown up in April 1958.Kindermann\/United Archives\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

An empty shell – Long-distance services to the Berlin station had already been officially discontinued in 1951. This photo from 1957 shows the building amid its progressive demolition; the structure’s damaged roof has already been removed.Kindermann\/United Archives\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

An S-Bahn station at the edge of a divided city – Part of the suburban railway network, the Lehrter Stadtbahn station was spared from demolition and remained in operation. The sign on this photo from 1955 reads “Attention, travelers: Last station before the Eastern Sector.” The S-Bahn station served as the final station in Berlin’s western sector, in a relatively underpopulated area near the border fortifications with East Berlin.Kindermann\/United Archives\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

\"S-Bahn<\/p>\n

S-Bahn boycott against the erection of the Berlin Wall – The construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 disrupted the S-Bahn system, dividing it into two separate networks that were nevertheless both under East German management. West Berlin authorities encouraged their citizens to boycott the S-Bahn train to avoid contributing funds to the communist regime and its border fortifications.Carl-Erik Sundstr\u00f6m\/DN\/TT\/imago<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A new structure is built – After the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, city planners developed a transportation concept for the reunified city. In June 1992, the government decided that the new central station would be built on the site of Lehrter Bahnhof. During the construction of the station in the 1990s and early 2000s, the project was often referred to by the name of the S-Bahn station, as this photo from 2002 shows.Meyerbroeker\/Caro\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

\"Lehrter<\/p>\n

Lehrter Stadtbahnhof disappears – Despite the S-Bahn boycott, Lehrter Stadtbahnhof was renovated in 1987 to mark the 750th anniversary of Berlin, and it became a listed building since it had largely been preserved in its original condition. The heritage site was nevertheless pulled down in 2002 to make way for the excavation for the new central station, Hauptbahnhof.Thomas Koehler\/photothek\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A gateway to the German capital – It would become one of Europe’s largest interchange stations: The construction of Berlin Hauptbahnhof lasted approximately 11 years, taking place from 1996 to 2006. Along with long-distance rail traffic, Berlin Hauptbahnhof remains a central hub for the S-Bahn network. More than 300,000 travelers go through the central station every day.Jan Woitas\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

\"Before...<\/p>\n

Before… – Here’s an aerial view of Berlin, including Lehrter Bahnhof in the center-left side of the picture, in 1930. That was also the year that the S-Bahn was added, bringing about modernization and increased service frequency at the city station.akg-images\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

\"...<\/p>\n

… and after – An aerial view of Berlin Hauptbahnhof in 2022: Since this photo was taken, the sector has seen continued significant transformation. A wave of newly completed corporate headquarters and modern residential spaces have appeared. Forecourts that served as chaotic interchange zones for cars and taxis have been transformed into pedestrian-friendly spaces.Jan Woitas\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

Planning a reunified rail network<\/p>\n

When Berlin suddenly had to function as one city again in 1990, its long-divided rail system also needed to be redefined and modernized.<\/p>\n

The new central station was designed as the key node of this unified network, with multiple levels of railway traffic intersecting at different heights, crossing through the center of the city like a giant steel “X.”<\/p>\n

The architectural design competition was won by German architect Meinhard von Gerkan (who died in 2022), and his firm Gerkan, Marg and Partners, or gmp architects.<\/p>\n

The alignment of the tracks and platforms had been predetermined by Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s national railway company, explains architect Stephan Sch\u00fctz, executive partner at gmp architects. “The task was therefore to create, on this basis, a structure that opened itself onto the city while simultaneously providing both orientation and clarity,” Sch\u00fctz tells DW.<\/p>\n

Von Gerkan, whose standing in the world of architecture had been cemented through his firm’s design of Berlin’s Tegel Airport<\/a> in the 1970s, envisioned the station as a”cathedral of transport.”<\/p>\n

\"'A<\/p>\n

‘A cathedral of transport’: A structure with many picture-worthy anglesKarl-Heinz Spremberg\/imageBROKER\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

“Daylight plays a special role in this context, which is why steel and glass define the station’s appearance,” Sch\u00fctz points out. The design offered a bright, futuristic and spacious feel.<\/p>\n

Another highlight, notes Sch\u00fctz, is the station’s “precise alignment with the dome of the Reichstag, serving as a visual focal point.” Incidentally, the dome of Germany’s parliamentary building was also rebuilt after the reunification of Germany \u2014 and in glass too, as a symbol of democratic transparency.<\/p>\n

Ready for the 2006 World Cup<\/p>\n

The construction of the train station officially began in 1995 and continued for 11 years.<\/p>\n

Building directly next to the River Spree was one of the main challenges, as groundwater levels in the area are extremely high. Tunnels needed to be built under water.<\/p>\n

Berlin also sits atop thousands of unexploded bombs still remaining from World War II, which means that delicate bomb disposal interventions were also part of the excavation process.<\/p>\n

The station opened shortly before Germany hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2006<\/a>. But in order to meet this deadline all while cutting costs, Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s national railway company, decided to modify the architects’ concept.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The station’s signature curved glass roof at the top levelPaul Zinken\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

The building’s signature glass roof on the top level was shortened, which means that the outer parts of those platforms are not covered. And in the subterranean platforms, bland flat panels were installed instead of the vaulted ceilings planned by von Gerkan.<\/p>\n

Von Gerkan sued Deutsche Bahn for altering his original design. Thecourt ruled in favor of the architect, determining that altering the ceilings was a falsification of his concept and therefore constituted a direct violation of his copyrights under German law.<\/p>\n

Even though Deutsche Bahn was ordered to remove the flat ceilings and reconstruct the building exactly according to the architect’s original plans, the company eventually reached a formal out-of-court settlement with von Gerkan in 2008, avoiding costly reconstruction and lengthy platform closures.<\/p>\n

“But that’s all water under the bridge now,” says Sch\u00fctz, as all parties involved in the dispute are back on good terms. He notes that the lawsuit essentially served to demonstrate how deeply the firm and von Gerkan personally identified with the building they had designed.<\/p>\n

Still, the case established an important precedent in German architectural law, as it affirmed that buildings are not simply construction projects, but protected works of art.<\/p>\n

\"Next<\/p>\n

Next to the station is Cube Berlin (left), an office building inaugurated in 2020Joko\/picture alliance<\/p>\n

A monument on the Spree<\/p>\n

Two days after Berlin Hauptbahnhof was inaugurated with Merkel’s opening ceremony and fireworks along the Spree River, the train station officially went into operation on May 28, 2006.<\/p>\n

Today, approximately 1,300 trains and more than 300,000 passengers travel through the station every day, making it one of Germany’s busiest transport hubs.<\/p>\n

The station houses more than 300 shops and restaurants, leading some critics to argue that its design feels closer to a multi-story shopping mall.<\/p>\n

But anyone who looks into the history of the glass-and-steel giant on the Spree River will realize that it is also a monument to German reunification, one even more impressive after dark. Through its illuminated surfaces, it is one of Berlin’s most iconic modern landmarks.<\/p>\n

Edited by: Brenda Haas<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"“This is a symbolic day, since this is also such a symbolic location. Right next to the former…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24632,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[2696,18,25899,1582,25900,4105,5,25901,4298],"class_list":["post-24631","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-berlin","tag-angela-merkel","tag-berlin","tag-berlin-hauptbahnhof","tag-berlin-wall","tag-central-station","tag-east-berlin","tag-germany","tag-rail-network","tag-west-berlin"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24631","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24631"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24631\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}