Hauptbahnhof Köln

Cologne main station was built between 1889 and 1894 as a successor to the then Centralbahnhof according to plans of the Berlin engineer Grüttefien at the latter station’s original site.
The concourse consisted of a central concourse and two side concourses. The central one had the then unique span of 64m and a length of 255m.
A two-storey waiting hall building was also built, but removed when the station was renovated between 1905 and 1911.
After WWII, there were considerations of moving the station to the site of the Gereon freight station, which somewhat delayed reconstruction.
In September 1957, the new reception hall, built according to plans by architects Schmitt und Schneider, was opened. Its bowl-like roof structure and full-glass facade it presents itself as a transparent, seemingly filigree building.
In the 1990s, the entrance halls from the turn of the century were replaced by a modern structure according to plans by architects Busmann und Haberer and Professor Polonyi.
Also replaced was the glazing above platform 1 between the reception hall and the large historical station concourse.
In 2000, a shopping centre with a sales area of 11,500 sq m, the “Colonaden“, was opened on the entrance level.

Author: editorial baukunst-nrw
Last changed on 21.08.2007

Categories:
Engineering » Transportation
Architecture » Public Buildings » Transportation (railway stations, airports)