Madrid’s Atocha station, a must-see!

If you like unusual and surprising places, you absolutely must visit Atocha station. Sheltered by its huge dome, you’ll not only have the chance to discover a place that has been modernised while retaining the charm of yesteryear, but you’ll also come across a few turtles wandering in the middle of a tropical garden located between the various platforms…

These damselflies move about among the palm trees in a pool populated by goldfish that will delight young and old alike. Shopaholics will not be left out, with dozens of boutiques dedicated to fashion as well as numerous restaurants.

A good way to combine business with pleasure if you need to get to the station on your way from Madrid, or if you’re looking for a place to visit when you’re passing through the city.

What can you see at Atocha station?

1 – The Tropical Garden at Atocha station

This 4,000 m2 botanical garden was created in 1992 and features thousands of highly varied plants from America, Asia and Australia. Around 7,000 exotic plants grow in this formerly abandoned part of the station.

Among the trees are breadfruit trees, coconut palms from Polynesia, royal palms, mahogany trees from Cuba, rubber trees from Brazil, carnivorous plants, coffee trees, cocoa trees, birds of paradise… And the ponds are covered with water lilies.

2 – The turtles at Atocha station

These turtles, originally from North and South America, have a very special history.

They were not bought from professionals or from zoos, but are the result of a rescue organised by biologists who found them in the streams and rivers of Madrid, where they had been abandoned by unscrupulous owners who had simply decided to get rid of them. A second life has been given to them in this landscaped garden and in a nearby animal park, because their population has grown so fast!

And if you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of another little inhabitant of the tropical greenhouse with fluffy ears and red fur: the red squirrel with the brushes of hair on its ears.

3 – The historic building

This magnificent red brick building with its glass roof makes an ideal tropical greenhouse and a particularly photogenic site.

A brief history of Atocha station

Today’s Atocha station bears no resemblance to the original one, built in 1851 as a simple wooden platform. The original building suffered a fire in 1864, and it was decided to rebuild it. This was done between 1888 and 1892 according to the plans of the architect Alberto Palacio, with Gustave Eiffel helping to build the marquee.

It is a true masterpiece of 19th-century railway architecture. The latest modifications were made in the mid-1980s and early 1990s to accommodate underground commuter trains and above-ground main lines.