Ottoman Train Station

The idea of the Hejaz Railway was first proposed to the Ottoman Empire in 1864 by American engineer Dr. Zimpel, but it could not be realized at that time. The revival of the idea coincided with the reign of Sultan II. Abdulhamid. In the 1890s, İzzet Efendi, the director of the religious foundations in Jeddah, presented a report stating that a railway extending from Damascus to Medina would strengthen the region's defense and greatly facilitate pilgrimage journeys. II. Abdulhamid embraced this proposal and transformed the project into a strategic move to reinforce the Ottoman's political and religious authority. Construction began on September 1, 1900, with a ceremony held in the Kadem district of Damascus. The financing of the line was largely covered by donations collected from Muslims around the Islamic world; Muslims from India, Egypt, Iran, and other countries provided financial support for the project. The Ottoman treasury also allocated a significant share from the budget. The width of the line was determined to be 105 cm; despite the challenges of the desert climate, an extraordinary construction speed was achieved with an average of 288 km of track laid each year. Along the route, Maan (1904), Müdevvere (1905), Medâin-i Sâlih (1906), el-Ulâ (1907), and finally Medina (1908) were reached in succession. The line, which reached a total length of 1,464 km, was ceremonially opened for service by II. Abdulhamid on September 1, 1908. Numerous stations of varying sizes were built along the route; prayer times were taken into account during train departure times. The Medina station was the last and largest station on the line. Its total area was 140,000 m², with a length of 600 meters and a width of 400 meters. The station also housed a repair shop. During World War I, especially after the Arab Revolt that began in 1916, the line suffered significant damage. Arab forces, supported by the British, and sabotage groups led by T.E. Lawrence repeatedly destroyed the tracks, bridges, and stations. After the war, the railway could never be fully restored; while sections in Syria and Jordan continued to operate partially, the sections within Saudi Arabia were left neglected. Today, the Medina station serves as the Hejaz Railway Museum. The lower floor of the museum displays the history of the railway during the Ottoman period, while the upper floor exhibits artifacts related to Islamic civilization. [Source: "Hejaz Railway", TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/hicaz-demiryolu; Gülsoy-Ochsenwald, DİA, XVII, 441-445]