The old Karlsruhe railway station (1841-43, architect Friedrich Eisenlohr) at Ettlinger Tor was relocated to the south of the rapidly growing city for both space and logistical reasons. The new building, designed by architect August Stürzenacker, opened in 1913.
Although the new station building was to do without unnecessary splendour, it was nevertheless intended to appear "as an entrance hall worthy of the Baden residence" (Otto Linde).
This interplay between function and representation is still clearly recognisable in the main station building today, even if some details have changed over the more than one hundred years of its history. The use of the station has also changed:
The five-bay steel station concourse with so-called island platforms, like the main building, has changed little in terms of function, but the entrances to the tracks and the ticket counters have adapted to the requirements of modern regulations. The wing of the building, which is set back to the east, was originally the most magnificent part of the complex. On two levels, there were lounges and function rooms reserved for grand ducal travellers. In the wing set back to the west, on the other hand, the tracks of the Graben-Maxau lines were housed as dead-end platforms.
The ornamental building decoration is discreet and blends in with the simple façade design. From the station forecourt, the mansard-like broken gable of the main hall, which forms the centre of the complex with two pylons in front and a canopy in between, is particularly eye-catching. On a walk along the entire façade, special Art Nouveau details can still be discovered on the recessed wings.
The sustainable square design creates an attractive entrance for the southern entrance to the main railway station. With its two large tree quarters, consisting of 25 climate trees, high-quality furniture and a fountain field, the forecourt offers a green, climate-friendly, multifunctional space with a high quality of stay.
The forecourt also fulfils the concept of the so-called sponge city in its function as a link between private transport, the railway and the city. This urban planning concept aims to collect and store as much of the region's rainwater and surface water as possible on site instead of discharging it directly into the sewage system. This makes the forecourt a role model in times of climate adaptation.
Thanks to the lighting concept, the forecourt is also worth a visit at night.
