Opening of line 1 19 juillet 1900 (≈ 1900)
Inauguration of the first section Porte de Vincennes-Porte Maillot.
2 avril 1903
Opening of line 2
Opening of line 2 2 avril 1903 (≈ 1903)
Commissioning of "2 North" wharfs.
1er mars 1909
Opening of line 6
Opening of line 6 1er mars 1909 (≈ 1909)
Adding loop docks.
10 décembre 1933
Opening of line 9
Opening of line 9 10 décembre 1933 (≈ 1933)
Last line added to the station.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Hector Guimard - Architect
Designer of Art Nouveau edicles.
Origin and history
The Guimard building of the Nation station, located at the corner of Dorian Avenue and Place de la Nation (12th arrondissement), is one of the few original accesses of the Paris metro designed by Hector Guimard between 1900 and 1913. This model, characteristic of Art Nouveau with its organic forms and cast iron structures, has been preserved despite the disappearance of the majority of similar edicles. It is now listed as historical monuments, reflecting the aesthetic innovation of the metro entrances in the early twentieth century.
The Nation station, opened in 1900 for line 1, became a major hub of the network with the addition of lines 2 (1903), 6 (1909) and 9 (1933). The building of Dorian Avenue, with its counterpart on Diderot Boulevard (classified), illustrates the architectural integration of the metro into the Parisian urban landscape. These accesses, initially criticized for their avant-garde style, are today celebrated as icons of the industrial and artistic heritage of Paris.
The Guimard edicle of Avenue Dorian is distinguished by its wrought iron structure and glass windows, typical of Guimard's work for the Paris Metropolitan Railway Company (CMP). Unlike the later modernized accesses, this edicle retained its original appearance, contrasting with the standardized entrances that appeared in the 1960s. Its inscription in historical monuments in 1978 (date not specified in the source text) allowed its preservation, making it a privileged witness of the golden age of the Parisian metro.
The Place de la Nation, where the school is located, is a historic and symbolic crossroads. Since 1880, it has commemorated the French Revolution and the Republic, strengthening the heritage dimension of the church. It is part of a larger architectural complex, including other Guimard accesses and connections with the RER A, highlighting its central role in the transports of France.
Although the source text does not detail construction techniques, the Guimard edicle is based on a prefabricated metal frame, an innovation for the time. Its stylized plant motifs, inspired by nature, reflect the influence of the Art Nouveau movement in Europe. Today, it attracts both metro users and tourists, becoming a subject of study for historians of architecture and industrial design.
