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Origin and history

The Guimard building of the Crowns station is an access to the Paris metro, designed in 1900 by the architect Hector Guimard for the Compagnie générale du Métropolitain. It is one of the emblematic Art Nouveau achievements of the network, inaugurated in 1903 with line 2 North. This edicle, located boulevard de Belleville, was listed as a historic monument in 1978, and its protection was renewed in 2016. It symbolizes the architectural innovation of the early twentieth century, combining functionality and organic aesthetics.

The Crowns station, opened on January 31, 1903, is infamous for the disaster of August 10, 1903: a fire in a block between Crowns and Menilmontant caused the death of 84 people, mainly by asphyxiation. This tragedy, the most deadly in the history of the Paris metro, revealed the safety deficiencies of the first infrastructures, such as single-exit docks or wooden trainsets. The event deeply marked collective memory and resulted in technical improvements.

Located on the edge of the 11th and 20th arrondissements, the station owes its name to Rue des Couronnes, itself linked to the former place known as "Les Couronnes sous Savies", designating Belleville (from the francique Savies, "unsaved mountain"). The entrance, the only access to the station, is distinguished by its Art Nouveau style, with sinuous shapes and typical materials such as cast iron and glass. It illustrates Guimard's ambition to create a strong visual identity for the Paris metro, while responding to urban constraints.

In the 2000s, the station benefited from renovations under the RATP's "Metro Renewal" programme, modernizing its corridors and lighting while preserving its historical heritage. Today, the church remains a rare testimony of the original metro entrances, most of which have been replaced by more standardized models. Its ranking in 2016 confirms its heritage importance, both for its architecture and for its role in the history of Parisian transport.

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