Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Guimard buildings of the Père Lachaise station are entrances to the Paris metro station, designed by architect Hector Guimard in the Art Nouveau style. These metal structures, characteristic of the early twentieth century, were installed at the opening of the station on 25 February 1903 on line 2, then in 1904 on line 3. Their innovative design, marked by organic curves and ornamented details, symbolizes the modernity of urban transport of the time. They were listed as historic monuments in 1978 and again in 2016, recognizing their outstanding heritage value.

The station Père Lachaise, although bearing the name of the famous Parisian cemetery, is located near a secondary entrance of it, at the limit of the 11th and 20th arrondissements. It is located at the intersection of the Boulevard de Ménilmontant, Avenue de la République and Avenue Gambetta. Its strategic location, at the crossroads of several major axes, makes it an important crossing point for metro users and cemetery visitors, the most visited in the world.

The station's history is marked by several technical innovations. By 1909, it became the first of the network to be equipped with a mechanical staircase, although it did not yet have end bearings aligned with the ground as the current models. The quays, renovated several times, adopted the decorative style "Andreu-Motte" in the 1970s-1980s, with bright orange ramps for line 2 and yellow for line 3, as well as white ceramic tiles laid distinctively.

The Guimard edicles of the Père Lachaise station are distinguished by their architectural integration into the urban landscape. The main hopper of access No. 1 on the boulevard de Ménilmontant is decorated by one of them, while the other, without portico, marks entry No. 2 on the avenue de la République. These structures, although functional, are above all art works in their own right, reflecting the Art Nouveau aesthetic and the creative genius of Hector Guimard. Their preservation bears witness to the importance attached to the industrial and artistic heritage of Paris.

Over the decades, the station has undergone major renovations, notably as part of RATP's "Metro Renewal" program in 2005. The corridors have been upgraded, and the tiled "Motte" benches have been replaced by seats attached to wall metal supports. Despite these changes, the Guimard edicles remain timeless, recalling the golden age of the Parisian metro and its role in the transformation of the city at the beginning of the 20th century.

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