Botanical Garden Inside Atocha Train Station, Madrid
The Atocha Train station is the largest railway station in
Madrid, Spain, and one of a kind in the world. What makes Atocha so
special is the stunning 4,000 square meter tropical garden the station
houses under the arched skylight.
The part of the station where
the greenhouse resides dates back to 1851, to the time when Atocha was
inaugurated. The station was partially destroyed by fire in 1892, and
after several renovation the last of which took place in 1992, the
original building was taken out of service as a terminal, and converted
into a concourse with shops, cafés, a nightclub and the magnificent
greenhouse. Over 7,000 plants belonging to around 260 different species
adorn the garden, including a pond with 22 species of fish and turtles.
In the summer months, when the dry heat of Madrid seeps through the
glass roof, hundreds of tiny sprinklers let off a sort of steam, giving
the place a genuine look of outdoors jungle.
