The historic Antioquia train station is located right next to Alpujarra, Medellin’s administrative district, and marks the epicenter of Medellin’s trading history.
Declared a national monument in 1996 for its historical value to the city and the country, Antioquia Station is an emblem of the importance of the railroad in Colombia’s history. Not only did the advent of the railroad connect Antioquia with the rest of Colombia, but also helped the Colombian economy to grow exponentially.
Construction of the Antioquia Railway began in 1874 and officially ended with its inauguration in 1929. The construction of the rail network was a challenging process, as the steep terrain of Antioquia stretched 19th century building tools to their limits.
The building is French renaissance in design and looks onto the “Las Luces” square and the Carre Building. Traders used the square to buy and sell items such as fruit and vegetables, grown outside of the city, meaning that Antioquia was gradually able to become agriculturally self-sufficient. Each day traders would arrive in their droves, laden with fruit and vegetables in order to trade.
The formation and accumulation of capital in Antioquia was primarily due to mining and trade, whereas in the rest of Colombia, cities were usually economically based in livestock and agriculture.
However with the growth of road networks, the railways eventually became defunct, leaving stunning buildings such as the Antioquia Train Station standing as monuments to Colombia’s history.
Nowadays the Antioquia Railway Foundation, a private, non -profit organization established in 1986, maintains the building, making any necessary restoration and controlling the projects which are shown within the building.
The train station also holds the Francisco Javier Cisneros auditorium, with a capacity of 160 people, which is hired out for seminars and conferences. Furthermore there is space within the stunning train station for exhibitions of items which are linked to the history of Medellin.
Address: Carrera 52 #43-31
