Shift of the Function of “Temple of the Travelling” from Railway Stations to Airports

Abstract

Human culture, lifestyle and economy are strictly connected to traveling and shipping goods at long distances. Means of transport have influenced societies and architecture through history, however the strongest impact was related to industrial revolution of XIX century and invention of rail. Possibility and commonness of covering long distances in a short time gave impact of developing whole cities and regions, as well as creation of specific architecture of transportation. Serving as not only a shelter and distribution hub for travelers, but allowing fulfilling certain journey habits and specific customs, train stations became kind of “Temples of Traveling”. Nowadays traveling function has shifted towards new means of transport—airplanes and their sanctuaries—airports. New religion become shopping and usage of all commercial services, offered in ever-expanding terminals. Also neglected and forgotten to some point railway stations are nowadays being subject of transformation and upgrading. This article was devoted to presentation of conclusion from research on European “Temples of Travelling” with a special focus on: architecture and structure significance, users, their needs, ergonomic aspect and surprising shifts of functions. It seems that architecture of transportation is now balancing between commercial and cultural function, therefore is especially interesting scientific study object.