La Gare
Old train station connecting Ethiopia to the port in Djibouti via Dire Dawa. It was commissioned by Emperor Melenik II and built by the French. The design of the stations stems from French architect Paul Barrias.
Inauguration
The opening ceremony took place in 1928, with Empress Zewditu and Ras Teferri (the later Emperor Haile Selassie) attending.
Transnational railway
The train station connected Ethiopia to Djibouti and passed by Dire Dawa in East Ethiopia. Dire Dawa owes its foundation to the railway, as the rail was originally supposed to go through Harar, but the access was too steep. It led Emperor Menelik II to endorse an alternative plan – to lay the rails via Dire Dawa.
Coffeeplace in modern times
Nowadays, a café is located inside the station, and one can drink the coffee on the platform , “le quai”, as the French would say.
La Gare under transformation
Plans are underway to construct a shopping mall alongside residential buildings.
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