حيفا: محطة القطارات في حيفا #2. 1930

The building was the terminus of a branch of the Hedjaz Railway, which was primarily a means of conveying pilgrims from Damascus to Medina (it was also a way for the Ottoman Sultan to keep a closer watch on his southernmost subjects). When the Sultan learnt the cost of bringing railway construction materials across form Beirut he built his own railway - this is was where Haifa came in. Haifa's first railway was constructed to transport materials to build another railway! From this terminus the railway ran south-east through the Valley of Jezreel until it reached Lake Tiberias. From there it ran due east along the modern Jordan-Syria border to the town of Deraa where it met the main Damascus-Medina line. Another station on the line was at Baysan - which is also on this site.