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EUROSTAR TRAIN:
London/Paris under the Channel direct, departs from Gare du Nord several times daily.
A Bit of History
The precursor to the Gare du Nord - the Belgiun railway platform - controlled
by the Rothschild Group and
inaugurated in 1846 (Léonce Reynaud, architecture - Bréville,
engineering) was already inadequate by around 1854. This station soon proved to
be too small for the increasing traffic, especially when Queen Victoria's visit
had to be rerouted to Gare de l'Est.
In 1857, the decision was made to build a
station three times larger, while the neighborhood was to be modernized. The previous
structure was rebuilt at Lille. The new architectural team leader was
the German born Jacques Ignace Hittorff and construction
began in 1861. The new station was functional starting
with 1864, but completed only in 1866. As its name indicates, from here one can go to
Belgium, Holland, northern Germany, and the Scandinavian countries.
1.
2.
3.
1. View of the station from rue Denain.
2. The façade of the station with its nine statues.
3. The rear façade.
Architecture
Neoclassicism and XIXth century new metal structures meet in this building.
The main elevation, in neo-Corinthian style, is decorated with 9 statues personifying
the most important cities of France and Europe towards which the railway leaving the
platforms would lead. Inside, two rows of Corinthian cast iron columns support the
main glass roof covering a width of 72 meters at 38 meters high. Two side wings embrace
the main building symmetrically. At ground level, a Doric colonnade has seen its elegance
reduced by an awning at mid level added in 1891 and extended in 1930.
Other works by Jacques Ignace Hittorff : the 2 fountains on Place de la Concorde, the
Champs-Elysées garden design, the 12 buildings around the Arc de Triomphe at
Place de l'Etoile.
