The historic 129-year-old South African icon that was broken down and rebuilt twice
The old Park Station in Johannesburg has gone from a bustling hub to an abandoned relic and now serves as a premier venue for the city.
The site was Johannesburg’s original train station, connecting the once-small mining town to the rest of the country.
It first opened to the public in 1897, and its construction was commissioned by the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek.
Once Johannesburg began to grow into South Africa’s financial centre, the station became the first impression for many people entering the city, establishing itself as an icon of the area.
This was also due to its impressive architecture, and it was the second-largest prefabricated structure in the country at the time, behind the Witwatersrand gold mine.
The entire structure was pre-built in the Netherlands before being transported to Johannesburg for assembly.
The station was also the original home of Transnet, born from the station’s initial operator, the Netherlands South African Railway Company.
The station remained operational from its opening until 1952, when it was moved to a new location.
The move was possible because it was a prefabricated structure, meaning it could be disassembled and reassembled at a new location in the city.
The station was moved again in 1993 to an elevated platform, which conservation architect Frances Woodgate said is unusual for such an historic building.
Woodgate said the station is probably Johannesburg’s most visited building, with 16 million people passing through it every year at its peak.
Eventually, the old Park Station became too small for Johannesburg, and its final move was intended to transform it into a railway museum.
This was to make way for a newer, upgraded station that could handle more passengers passing through each day.
The new home for the old Park Station was still close to the railway lines it had served, but it never became the museum it was intended to be.
Instead, the building stood uninhabited for 24 years, as Transnet sold large portions of the land surrounding the station.
New life for the station
After being abandoned, the old Park Station saw several attempts to revitalise Johannesburg’s historic landmark.
This included the Station Market, launched in 2017, which sought to make the old station economically active.
The market eventually shut down, as the station’s surrounding area increasingly turned away prospective patrons and tourists.
The station then found new life as a venue for a host of events, with local music artists and DJs often performing at the building.
The venue is not limited to performances, and can be used for a host of events, exhibitions, and private functions.
“The Old Park Station is an events venue for hire to shoot commercials and films, host events and concerts, picnics, conferences, shows, exhibitions, etc,” the venue’s website says.
“It dates from 1896 and opened to passengers in 1897. This makes it one of the oldest surviving structures in Johannesburg, giving it exceptional historical value.”
“It is also one of only two station structures in the region surviving from this period, giving it a high degree of rarity.”
The venue has hosted three events since the start of the year, and boasts a 500-person capacity inside the old station.
Some of the station’s frequent performers include Adam Port, Rampa, &ME, Sun el Musician, and FKA Mash.
The venue has also hosted KleineMusik for several years, with many of the previously mentioned artists in attendance.
ActionSA also famously launched its manifesto in the old Park Station in 2021, saying at the time that it was an example of failures from the country’s government.
Photos of the old Park Station
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