Hejaz railway amman, jordan attractions lonely planet. Oct 26, 2015 hejaz railways is a 100 year old heritage rail line that is still in use in jordan. The hejaz railway was once a joint project of the entire islamic world, explains archaeologist ulrich bellwald. The first world war saw significant stretches of the hejaz railway destroyed by the legendary lawrence of arabia and his bedouin fighters. Hejaz railroad, saudi arabia travel photos by galen r frysinger, sheboygan, wisconsin hejaz railroad, saudi arabia travel photos by galen r frysinger, sheboygan, wisconsin a garrisoned station along the railway the hijaz railway, conceived as a convenient route to the holy cities of medina and makkah for muslim pilgrims from the turkish ottoman empire, had a short but eventful. The railway was started in 1900 at the behest of the ottoman sultan abdul hamid ii and was built largely by the ottomans, with german advice and support. Jan 04, 2016 approach to a tunnel which was part of the hejaz railway. The first pilot train journey was launched on 20 august 1908 from damascus, through jordan on 21august 1908, arriving in almadinah almunawwarah on 22 august 1908. We have a facebook page and a youtube channel called. The importance of the berlinbaghdad and hejaz railways for germany.
Hejaz railway station in damascus steam locomotive and train wagons at hejaz railway station near wadi rum, jordan the hejaz railway under hazy blue skies in wadi rum desert hejaz railway locomotive in wadi rum station, jordan hejaz train station in damascus haydarpasa train station in istanbul, turkey. Dec, 2011 the line still operates as a tourist attraction but not from the hejaz station. The hejaz railway available for download and read online in other formats. Hicaz demiryolu was a narrow gauge railway 1,050 mm3 ft 5 1. Lawrence, the life, the legend stimulated a crop of goodquality publications in 20056, including reprints and revised editions. Due to the extreme distances of these far flung outposts of the empire, communications were slow and. And what finished off the railways throughservice to medina.
However, if you cannot afford to fly to amman and take the trip, these pictures will have to suffice. Hejaz railway damascus 2020 all you need to know before. The hejaz railroad station building is just outside the city walls of the old city of damascus. It was completed almost a century ago, replacing the centriesold method of going on pilgrimage. Its main ceety is jeddah, but it is probably better kent for the islamic holy ceety o medina. The ottomans built a railway which linked istanbul to madinah. Hejaz railway train of wadi rum shakaria, jordan atlas. It was a part of the ottoman railway network and was built to extend the line from the haydarpasa terminal in istanbul. Its main line was constructed in 190008, ostensibly to facilitate pilgrimages to the muslims holy places in arabia but in. Once bustling, syrias fractured railroad is a testament to. Pdf urban and architectural impacts of hejaz railway in. The jordan hejaz railway corporation organizes regular weekly trips and in holidays to aljeezah station near queen alia international airport, and to al qaser station umm al hiran near the radio and television corporation, and to alzarqa and almafraq. It will enhance any encyclopedic page you visit with the magic of the wiki 2 technology. A railway had been suggested in 1864 to relieve the suffering of the hajis on their 40day journey through the wilderness of midian, the nafud, and the hejaz mountains.
Railway developments and regulations in the middle east. You could also do it yourself at any point in time. History of the hejaz railway rare pictures of hejaz railway. And what finished off the railway s throughservice to medina. The ottoman empire enters the war sherif hussein and the british the stotzingen mission the arab revolt. It is bordered on the west by the red sea, on the north by jordan, on the east by the najd, and on. Sadly, the hijaz rail network was never completed and it did not reach makkah due to the outbreak of world war one. Hejaz railways is a 100 year old heritage rail line that is still in use in jordan. The hejaz railway and the ottoman empire by murat ozyuksel. The line still operates as a tourist attraction but not from the hejaz station.
Times are tough for the travel community right now. The exalted column, the hejaz railway and imperial legitimation in. The british were keen to ensure that the turks did not launch attacks elsewhere, and so encouraged the arabs in the peninsula to rise against them. I work in jordan hejaz railway im a train driver im glad that your takling about our station train the hejaz train and i liked your way with tilling the advenger. Damascus, syria for younes alnasr, a lifelong train lover, the hejaz railway station here in the heart of the syrian capital is a repository of. Download fulltext pdf download fulltext pdf hejaz railway headquarters building of the original drawings via a reading article pdf available january 2017 with 56 reads. Railway expansion was symbolic of modernization in the late 19th century, and britain, germany and france built railways at enormous speed and reaped great commercial benefits. Hicaz demiryolu was a narrow gauge railway 1,050 mm 3 ft 5 11. The main objective of its construction was to serve the two holy mosques and provide a modern means to transport pilgrims who came from asia, europe and the levant to the holy shrines in makkah and madinah, in addition to strengthen ties between the then. Hicaz demiryolu was a narrowgauge railway 1,050 mm 3 ft 5 11. The hjr operated the line of the hedjaz railway in jordan at the time british palestine. In the middle east, railways were no less important and the ottoman empires hejaz railway was the first great industrial project of the 20th century. History of the hejaz railway rare pictures of hejaz.
Now an ambitious plan is underway to resurrect the railway to reclaim it from the ravages of the desert. Hejaz railroad, a narrow gauge line built by the ottomans and the germans to link istanbul constantinople with hejaz and mecca, although it ultimately only. The hejaz railway also spelled hedjaz was a 1050mm gauge railway originally built to transport pilgrims from the city of damascus in syria to the city of madina in saudi arabia. Here is a work that combines authoritatlve research with outstanding presentation.
Simply enter and you leave the hustle, bustle and noise of the city behind you. The hejaz or hedjaz railway was a narrowgauge railway that ran from damascus to medina, through the hejaz region of saudi arabia. Railway expansion was symbolic of modernization in the late 19th century, and britain, germany and france built railways at enormous speed and reaped great. This is a trip that all old train enthusiasts will want to take. Built upon the order of ottoman ruler sultan abdulhamid ii, the hejaz railway provided a modern means to transport pilgrims to mecca and medina by replacing old camel caravans as well as served to strengthen relations in the islamic world. Winding its way from damascus through the vast desert wastes of. Your support will go a long way in helping tour operators worldwide get back on. It was a part of the ottoman railway network and the original goal was to extend the line from the haydarpasa terminal in kadikoy beyond damascus to the holy city of mecca. Would you like wikipedia to always look as professional and uptodate. Chevron is pleased to be the sponsor of the hejaz railway. Pdf hejaz railway headquarters building of the original. Hejaz railway station near alula stock photo image of.
A luxurious preserved cabin used by king abdallah bin alhussein placed in hejaz railway station museum on the grounds of the restored historic hejaz railway station in amman, jordan which was a part of the ottoman railway network that ran from damascus to medina, through the hejaz region of saudi arabia, with a branch line to haifa on the mediterranean sea. Just as new inventions such as the telegraph and tramway were adopted easily, the empire began to get. How historically significant were te lawrences attacks during the arab revolt. The hejaz railway from damascus to medina once served as a vital route across the desert and was a principal target for the arabs and lawrence of arabia in the revolt against turkish domination. Defined primarily bi its wastren mairch on the reid sea, it extends frae haql on the gulf o aqaba tae jizan.
In the recent attempted invasion of egypt by the turks across arabia and the suez canal the hedjaz railway appears to have been utilised, for if reports given by prisoners taken near ismailia are true, the station at seila was used as. Interestingly, the administration of the hejaz railway was virtually corruption free quite an accomplishment in late ottoman times, chiefly because the line had a serious religious purpose. The true story of lawrence of arabia history smithsonian. The hejaz railway was an obvious target and in june 1916 the tribes began attacking the line. The hejaz railway lawrence of arabia was elevated to global stardom, firstly by lowell thomas in his depiction of col t. Pfullman states that the journey was free for the pilgrims124 he hejaz railway was. Pdf the hejaz railway download full pdf book download.
The book answers just about any question that might come to mind about this remarkable old transportation system. The study seeks to highlight the urban and architectural impacts of hejaz railway stations that were constructed during the ottoman rule in mafraq. Bedouins, who had previously taken travellers all the way across the desert, objected to losing so much business, so the rail track was built to stretch from damascus to medina, just falling short of mecca itself. Photo about abandoned railway station of hejaz railway from damascus to saudi arabia. The study seeks to highlight the urban and architectural impacts of hejaz railway stations that were constructed during the ottoman rule in mafraq governorate, especially the impact of the mafraq. When the ottoman empire collapsed in 1920, the hedjaz railway, formerly under ottoman control, was divided into 2 railways. Discover hejaz railway train of wadi rum in shakaria, jordan. The history of late ottoman haifa was fundamentally shaped by the construction of a branch of the hejaz railway connecting haifa and northern palestine with the. The ottoman empire entered the war in 1914 on the side of the germans. Although the railway link to haifa israel has been lost, the hijaz railway depot is used as a railway museum, including an. The hejaz railway was a narrowgauge railway that ran from damascus to medina, through the hejaz region of saudi arabia, with a branch line to haifa on the mediterranean sea.
Jan 12, 2006 the hejaz railway was the last great religious foundation of the ottomans, which set to revolutionise travel for muslim pilgrims. There is a free bus transfer to teh actual station quite a way out along the line the guy in the museum can tell you when the it leaves, but he may be wrong by up to an hour. The hejaz railway once carried hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all over the middle east to medina. A historic line to islams holiest cities the ottomans understood the importance of the railway right from the start. Lawrence and then by david leans 1962 hollywood epic movie. One of the great civilengineering projects of the early 20th century, the hejaz railway was an attempt by the ottoman sultan to propel his empire into modernity and knit together his farflung realm. Pdf the importance of the berlinbaghdad and hejaz railways for. A refurbished locomotive from a bygone era in the middle of the jordanian desert. Hejaz railway, railroad between damascus, syria, and medina now in saudi arabia, one of the principal railroads of the ottoman turkish empire. Its main line was constructed in 190008, ostensibly to facilitate pilgrimages to the muslims holy places in arabia but in fact also to strengthen.
This article aims to provide a brief outline of the history of the hejaz railway, sketching very lightly over many of the subjects covered in more detail in the book. The region is so called as it separates the land of the najd in the east from the land of tihamah in the west. There is a free bus transfer to teh actual station quite a way out along the line the guy in the museum can. The difficulties of communication with his arabian provinces, and of relieving or reinforcing the garrisons there, induced the sultan abdul hamid in 1900 to undertake the construction of a railway directly connecting the hejaz the hejaz railway. However, for anyone interested in lawrence and the arab revolt, james nicholsons hejaz railway stands head and shoulders above the rest. There is a free bus transfer to teh actual station quite a way out along the line the guy in the museum can tell you when the it leaves, but he may be wrong by up. The main objective of its construction was to serve the two holy mosques and provide a modern means to transport pilgrims who came from asia, europe and the levant to the holy shrines in makkah and madinah, in addition to strengthen. Nearly a hundred years ago, these trains were used on the hejaz line. The hejaz railway was built on the order of ottoman ruler sultan abdulhameed ii on september 1st 1909 ce. Approach to a tunnel which was part of the hejaz railway. It was completed in 1908, but was severely damaged during the first world war 19141918 by lawrence of arabia and the arab revolt.
In amman in jordan, the old hijaz railway station is open to the public as a small railway museum. It is possible to take the hejaz railway from the mahatta station in amman to the city of damascus. Mar 10, 2018 the difficulties of communication with his arabian provinces, and of relieving or reinforcing the garrisons there, induced the sultan abdul hamid in 1900 to undertake the construction of a railway directly connecting the hejaz the hejaz railway. It was a part of the ottoman railway network and the original goal was to extend the line from the haydarpasa.
The last train to syria may have departed ammans nowabandoned station a decade ago, but there are plans in motion to revive the line in. In jordan it is now primarily used for phosphate transit. Tentative world heritage site 2015, hejaz railway, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, townplanning or landscape design, object illustrates significant stage in human history, cultural object with outstanding universal significance. The hejaz railway was the last great religious foundation of the ottomans, which set to revolutionise travel for muslim pilgrims. The hedjaz jordan railway was one of the two successor railways to the famous hedjaz railway. A formal celebration was held for the inauguration of the railway on 1 september in the same year, which coincided with the accession day of sultan abdul hamid. Pdf urban and architectural impacts of hejaz railway in mafraq. Syria, turkey and in the end with europe with a modern rail system with.
The album includes views of jerusalem, mecca, medina, hejaz and jiddah in saudi arabia, petra in jordan, and mount sinai. Theres a small onsite museum, and you can sit in the elaborately decked royal carriage. Watch the recreation of arab revolution show to live through it. I hope you enjoyed your privet tour and asking you to do it again but this time as a special guest. Lawrences field of endeavour was the hejaz railway that is now the focal line for the garp conflict archaeology study. It gives the reader an insight into a largely neglected part of the kingdom of saudi arabias remarkable history. I really like the recent refurbishing as they have kept many of the original fixtures in place. The hejaz railway once ferried pilgrims from damascus in syria to amman and then on to medina in saudi arabia, but only the breeze rolls through this historic old station at present. How projects hope to restore life to hejaz railways. Jul 15, 2005 interestingly, the administration of the hejaz railway was virtually corruption free quite an accomplishment in late ottoman times, chiefly because the line had a serious religious purpose. Jordan s prince hassan bin talal, supports the rebuilding of the railway. May 19, 2015 the hejaz railway from damascus to medina once served as a vital route across the desert and was a principal target for the arabs and lawrence of arabia in the revolt against turkish domination.
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