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Origin and history

The Guimard column of the Barbès-Rochechouart station, designed in 1900 by architect Hector Guimard for the Compagnie du Métropolitain de Paris, embodied the Art Nouveau entrance of line 2, inaugurated in 1902. This historic monument, protected by decree of 29 May 1978, was distinguished by its organic style and its cast iron structures, typical of the entrances designed by Guimard for the Parisian network. It marked access to a strategic station, located at the boundary of the 9th, 10th and 18th arrondissements, at the crossroads of four major boulevards.

In 1987, during modernization work, the original structure was dismantled and transferred to the Bolivar station (line 7 bis), where it is still visible today. Its replacement at Barbès-Rochechouart is part of a global overhaul of access, with the addition of steel balustrades and simplified metro mouths, reflecting the evolution of the aesthetic and functional standards of the network. The original entourage, inscribed as historical monuments in 2016, remains a rare testimony of Guimard's architectural heritage, now scattered in Paris.

The Barbès-Rochechouart station itself, opened in 1903 under the name Boulevard Barbès, was the scene of significant events, such as the fire of 1903 (84 dead) or the 1941 attack against the Nazi occupant. Its air viaduct (line 2) and its underground docks (line 4), which have been upgraded several times, illustrate the successive adaptations of the Parisian metro, between historical heritage and contemporary requirements. The Guimard edicule, although displaced, retains a strong symbolic value, linked to the golden age of the metro and the visual identity of Paris.

The architect Hector Guimard (1867–1942), a major figure in Art Nouveau, designed nearly 141 entrances for the metro between 1900 and 1913. His work at Barbès-Rochechouart was part of a larger command to unify the image of the network, combining functionality and innovative aesthetics. The edicles, often criticized at the time for their style deemed too fanciful, became icons of the Paris of the 1900s, before being gradually replaced or moved, as was the case for Barbes.

Today, the church transferred to Bolivar and the traces of its passage to Barbès-Rochechouart recall the importance of preserving this fragile heritage. The station, still in operation, continues to play a central role in the network, while bearing the memory of the urban transformations and historical events that took place there, from the chaotic beginnings of the metro to its recent automation.

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