Union Station, Railway terminal and entertainment complex in St. Louis, United States
Union Station is a former railway terminal and current entertainment complex in St. Louis featuring Romanesque arches, a 65-foot barrel-vaulted ceiling with stained glass, and a 230-foot clock tower. The building now houses a hotel, aquarium, observation wheel, retail shops, and dining venues alongside the historic architectural elements.
The station opened in 1894 as the world's largest railway facility, connecting 22 different railroads at its peak. As train travel declined over decades, the building was repurposed as an entertainment venue while retaining its historic structure.
The station serves as a gathering space where visitors walk through soaring halls and experience the classical design that shaped how people traveled in America. The rooms reflect an era when rail connections defined urban life.
The complex opens daily and welcomes visitors to explore the halls and grounds at their own pace. Comfortable shoes are helpful since there are multiple levels and areas to walk through, and it takes time to see everything.
A German actor who escaped from a prisoner of war camp was later recaptured in the station's waiting room during World War II. This unexpected chapter connects the building to a dramatic moment in wartime history.
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