Vilnius Railway Station and Locomotive Repair Depot

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About

Vilnius Railway Station is a place with a history spanning more than 160 years. The first station in Vilnius, it was designed by the French architect Pirelli and completed in 1861. Later, during the reconstruction of the train station in 1950, the concept of the “city gate” was created where the newly built station was intended to symbolise the new socialist Vilnius. The station's design is characterised by a rather luxurious interior with faux marble columns, plaster mouldings, wall paintings and light fittings.
The train depot area is a complex of buildings where locomotives are maintained, and where various electric motors, bearings, internal combustion engines, etc., are located. The complex is intertwined with architecture from different eras, serving as a reminder of the long history of the railway. There is also a modern administrative building on the site, adjacent to the Rail Park, the interior of which is decorated with paintings from the archives of the Lithuanian Railway Museum.
The railway has been the main driving force of the station area since the second half of the 19th century. Upon jumping out of the steam locomotive, people would rush to the market, and later, after spending their time partying and having fun, they would try to catch the last departing train. If their efforts were unsuccessful, they would simply sleep at the railway station itself. Therefore, the station area has always been, and still is, a lively place.