La Gare — 'Legehar' in Amharic — is Addis Ababa's grand old railway station, a handsome French-built terminus completed in 1917 as the end of the line of the historic Ethio-Djibouti railway. With its arcaded stone facade and imperial-era grandeur, it is one of the best-preserved historic buildings in the city and an evocative monument to Ethiopia's early modern age.
Trains no longer run from here — the old metre-gauge line has been superseded by the modern standard-gauge railway — but the elegant building and its forecourt remain a landmark, and the area (still known as Legehar) is a lively, central part of the city. It is an atmospheric spot for lovers of railway heritage and early-20th-century architecture.
Local tip: It is mainly a look-from-outside architectural sight these days rather than a working station, so come for the facade and the history. It is central and easy to combine with a wider walk around downtown Addis.
Good to know
- Where: Legehar, Addis Ababa
- City: Addis Ababa