Al-Hijaz Railway (Al-Masudiyya)- Burqa, Nablus

Site Description: Burqa station is one of the most important stations of the Al-Hijaz Railway, established at the end of the Ottoman period. The station is in the middle of the villages of Sebastia, Burqa, and Ramin, as its location forms a meeting point between Nablus, Jenin, and Tulkarm, from which the railway branches east towards Nablus and west towards Tulkarm station. This section began as part of the Al-Hijaz railway, which was established by the Ottoman government during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, starting in 1908 AD. It aimed to connect the Levant with Medina and Al-Haram in Mecca to help the pilgrims of the long and exhausting march using animals, as this journey lasted for three months, during which the pilgrims were exposed to severe exhaustion and dangers. Still, this goal did not last long because of World War I in 1914 AD, which partially destroyed the line.This line and its track have been completed by the local labor force under deplorable working conditions, using manual work tools despite the enormous amount of work on the trail, including bridges and tunnels. The operation at the station was opened in 1912 AD.The station building consisted of two floors; the ground floor was used for warehouses, administrative offices, and a water pool, while the second floor was dedicated to the station manager, in addition to two rooms located west and east of the station that was used to direct the train and manage the station. The station's site is of particular importance as a tourist site, especially the tourist tracks, due to its location on the line of environmental and cultural tracks, especially its proximity to the ancient town of Sebastia. However, occupation remains the first dilemma in the site's development, as it prevents all development and rehabilitation work at the station.