hidden europe 39

History for sale

by hidden europe

Summary

Many abandoned station buildings in rural Poland are finding new life as private entrepreneurs restore them to their former glory. This spring the Polish authorities are selling off a further tranche of buildings, most of them remarkable pieces of architecture.

If you fancy owning a railway station, Poland is surely the place to head for. Zakopane station is not yet on the ‘for sale’ list, but another nice little Habsburg number, very similar in style to the main station building at Zakopane (in the background of the image on this page), is at Sanok in the Bieszczady Mountains. The Polish authorities announced on 19 February that Sanok station, along with some fifty other railway stations around the country, is being offered for sale to members of the public.

Most of the buildings that are for sale are faded examples of the rich traditions of station architecture in Poland, where three great empires variously sponsored (or sometimes impeded) the development of railways.

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