The second largest station in Europe is deep in the Pyrenees and is completely deserted

December 28, 2017

Photo source: dailymail

In the village of Canfranc, deep in the Spanish Pyrenees, there just live over 500 people there. Yet there is the second largest station in Europe. The colossal building is 280 meters long and also houses a hospital and hotel. The station was built in 1928, because a railway tunnel was built between France and Spain and the tracks in both countries had a different width. But a year later, the economy collapsed and the gigantic station turned out to be superfluous: only fifty people went in and out every day. During the Spanish Civil War, the railway tunnel was even closed to prevent smuggling. At the beginning of the Second World War the tunnel opened again, because it turned out to be attractive too economically. The Spaniards sent tungsten across the border for the German weapon industry. The Germans sent back stolen gold from the Jews. Jews used the line again to flee from the Nazis. It was only in 2000 that the Canfranc station was one of the largest storage sites for robbed Nazi gold. But after the war it became considerably quieter at the station. And in 1970 the line was completely closed. On the French side a railway bridge collapsed and France did not have the money to repair it. The international railway line was lifted. Currently two trains arrive from Spain every day. It is mainly tourists who come to admire the gigantic station building with hotel, hospital, customs offices and police station. You will also find 365 doors, stained-glass windows, cast iron arches, modernist columns, rusty trains, enormous wooden desks. There are plans to renovate the station and turn it into a hotel.