More about old Jerusalem,
And this time – the first train station in Jerusalem, 1949.
The station was inaugurated on September 29, 1892, back when the Ottomans ruled the country, in the presence of a large crowd of Turks, Jews and Arabs, and dignitaries from all parts of the country.
The inauguration ceremony was also attended by Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the revivalist of the Hebrew language, who also gave the name “Rabat” to the dreaded iron wagons.
The railroad connected Jaffa to Jerusalem and was built on a former route of donkey paths, going through Nahal Sorek and Nahal Refaim.
The station building is one of the few built in Jerusalem by the Ottoman government.
The concession for the station was obtained by Yosef Navon who, due to financial difficulties, sold it to a French company.
The station operated and connected Jerusalem to the lowlands and the city of Jaffa.
On January 30, 1946, Haetzel attacked the station and planted a bomb inside. The four Haetzel fighters were captured during the operation, and a British officer was killed on the spot trying to neutralize the bomb, which exploded, causing serious damage to the building.
Over the years, the tracks deteriorated significantly, the train sleepers broke and deviated, and the trains had to travel at a speed of only 25 km/h.
On July 14, 1998, the train made its last trip, the railroad was closed, and the station was also closed.
The station’s building remained neglected ever since. It was constantly vandalized and parts of it were demolished.
At the end of March 2010, the decrepit building, which was originally built with massive wooden beams, burned down, and a lot of damage was caused to the place, the building almost collapsed, and was surrounded by wire fences to prevent entry.
In 2011, the track park was established. It turned the old railroad tracks into a promenade for pedestrians and cyclists.
And in May 2013, the station complex was inaugurated, including restaurants, cafes, and leisure facilities.
And today …
In 2020, two building plans were approved for the former station garage, and the parking lot for two groups of Jerusalem businessmen, Arel Margalit and Rami Levi, on land that is partly owned by the Greek Orthodox Patriarch.
The railway park has become a green and blooming promenade, which is used by the city’s residents.
This is our Jerusalem, old next to new, a train traveling at a speed of 25 km/h, as opposed to the new one that gets to Tel Aviv in 25 minutes, Ottomans, British, bombs, neglect, real estate projects, and our Eliezer Ben Yehuda.
Shabbat of peace to the far and near, from Jerusalem
The photo is from the First Station Historical Page
