Tienen (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): Belgium’s oldest train station in Tienen, built in 1837, is deteriorating and is now for sale. NMBS has approved renovations aiming to restore it while seeking a buyer for future use.
The Tienen train station, the oldest building in Belgium from 1837, is a protected site but in bad condition. It has been said that it is important for history, but it has gotten worse over time because it hasn’t been taken care of. It has crumbling walls, broken windows, and water damage, and vandalism has made things even worse. Locals and heritage supporters are calling for urgent repairs.
What plans are in place for Tienen’s historic train station?
The building’s heritage status makes it harder to fix, as there are strict rules to follow that raise costs and cause delays. The ongoing discussion includes local authorities, the national railway company, and heritage groups, all trying to find a practical way to save the site while dealing with the challenges. There isn’t a clear plan, and the station is stuck, showing the struggle between preserving history and urban development.
In December 2023, the city council shared its worries about the station’s condition with the NMBS. By May 2024, the building needed to be stabilized because it was close to collapsing, so it had been closed to the public for a long time. In September 2024, a building application was approved for the NMBS to finalize renovations. At that time, NMBS also said they would look for a potential buyer to renovate the building.
The building is now for sale, including the old bike shed, ticket office, and a pub for locals. The NMBS will keep some ticket offices and restrooms. Restoration has started, focusing on the outside first, and they want to find a new purpose for the building. It has a lot of potential and good train links to Leuven and Brussels, but what it will be used for depends on who buys it.
