Kansas City’s Union Station is one of the ‘37 most beautiful train stations in the world’

Joseph Hernandez
·2 min read

Union Station is a unique piece of architecture, and is iconic in Kansas City’s skyline. You see it all the time in postcards and in primetime Chiefs’ games before they cut to commercial.

Built more than 100 years ago, the station still stands as one of Kansas City’s crown jewels, and recently it was acknowledged as the world-class gem we all know it is.

Architectural Digest, a website offering coverage of interior design and the architectural world, named Union Station as one of the 37 most beautiful train stations in the world.

In the site’s blurb, it mentions the infamous Union Station Massacre of 1933, when mobster Frank Nash was killed in custody during a shootout, as part of the history that makes the building legendary.

Over two million people visit Union Station every year, whether that’s for the train, restaurants or traveling exhibits inside, according to Visit KC.

WHY WAS IT BUILT?

Kansas City’s train station used to be in the West Bottoms, called Union Depot. But after a tragic flood in 1903 and with a growing population in Kansas City and a growing demand for trains, a group of railroad companies got together and decided to build a new hub. With its ornate design and classic columns, Union Station opened up in 1914.

Chicago architect Jarvis Hunt led the construction that Kansas Citians still admire today.

WHAT STYLE IS UNION STATION BUILT IN?

Hunt designed Union Station in a beaux-arts architectural style, which was popular in the United States and France in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Union Station in Washington, D.C., which is also included in Architectural Design’s list, uses the same style.

The beaux-arts style uses classic Roman and Greek architecture elements, like columns, triangular pediments and symmetry. Grand Central Terminal in New York, which also made the train station list, is heavily influenced by the French style as well.

The inside of Union Station is larger than life, another key characteristic to the beaux-arts style. The big halls and never-ending ceilings make Union Station pop, building the case for Kansas City’s spot on the worldwide list.

Other train stations that made the list include:

  • Estación de Atocha in Madrid

  • Gare du Nord in Paris

  • Southern Cross Station in Melbourne

  • St. Pancras International in London

  • Union Station in Los Angeles