Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Guimard building of the Louvre-Rivoli station, located on Rue de l'Amiral-de-Coligny in Paris, was designed in 1900 by the architect Hector Guimard for the Compagnie du Métropolitain. This Art Nouveau model, characteristic of the entrances to the Paris metro, marks the visual identity of line 1, inaugurated in the same year. The church was inscribed in historical monuments by order of 12 February 2016, thus protecting one of Guimard's last remaining achievements for the network.

The Louvre-Rivoli station, opened on August 13, 1900, evolved with its cultural environment. Originally named Louvre, it was renamed in 1989 to reflect its proximity to Rue de Rivoli, commemorating the Napoleonic victory of 1797. Between 1968 and 2011, its wharfs housed reproductions of works from the Louvre Museum, transforming space into an antichamber museum under the impetus of André Malraux. These modifications were partially abolished during the modernization of 2015, although casts of ancient works are still exposed to them.

The column survived notable episodes, such as the 1991 vandalism by tagueurs claiming artistic recognition. Recent work (2009-2015) has adapted the station to the automation of line 1, with the installation of pallet doors and a scenographic renovation in partnership with the Louvre. Today, this access remains an architectural testimony of the Paris de la Belle Époque, while integrating contemporary security and accessibility requirements.

The station's traffic, although modest (about 2.6 million admissions in 2019), reflects its role in the Parisian tourist landscape. Its edicle, the only access adorned with Guimard still in place for this station, symbolizes the dialogue between industrial heritage and art, in the heart of a historical district between the Louvre Museum and the Seine.

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