{"id":23262,"date":"2025-09-16T16:04:43","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T16:04:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paristopten.com\/?post_type=monument&p=23262"},"modified":"2025-09-16T16:04:43","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T16:04:43","slug":"edicule-guimard-of-the-abbesses-station","status":"publish","type":"monument","link":"https:\/\/www.paristopten.com\/fr\/monuments\/edicule-guimard-of-the-abbesses-station\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00c9dicule Guimard of the Abbesses station"},"content":{"rendered":"

Art Nouveau masterpiece above Paris’s deepest station<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Standing majestically on Place des Abbesses in the heart of Montmartre, the \u00c9dicule Guimard of the Abbesses station represents one of the most precious surviving examples of Hector Guimard’s revolutionary Art Nouveau Metro entrances. This extraordinary canopy, one of only three remaining roofed \u00e9dicules in Paris<\/a>, crowns the city’s deepest Metro station at 36 meters below ground, creating a perfect marriage of artistic beauty and engineering necessity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crown jewel of Guimard’s Metro revolution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Designed by Hector Guimard in 1912, the Abbesses \u00e9dicule exemplifies the second type of his Metro entrance designs, featuring an iron frame with decorated enameled lava panels and translucent wired glass. The structure’s most striking feature is its distinctive “butterfly” glass roof, supported by a central girder that over-sails the enclosure, creating an elegant canopy that seems to float above the entrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u00e9dicule’s intricate ironwork showcases Guimard’s mastery of Art Nouveau principles, with organic motifs, floral decorations, and sinuous lines that transform industrial materials into natural forms. Every element\u2014from the decorated medallions depicting leaves to the characteristic curved supports\u2014demonstrates how functional infrastructure could embody the highest artistic aspirations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A traveling monument with remarkable history<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Abbesses \u00e9dicule carries a unique history of relocation that adds to its significance. Originally serving as the entrance to the H\u00f4tel-de-Ville Metro station, the structure was carefully dismantled and moved to its current location at Place des Abbesses, demonstrating the value placed on preserving Guimard’s artistic legacy even as the Metro system evolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This relocation reflects the growing appreciation for Guimard’s work, which initially faced criticism from Parisians who found the Art Nouveau style too radical. The decision to preserve and relocate this \u00e9dicule rather than destroy it marked a turning point in public recognition of Art Nouveau’s contribution to Parisian identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engineering marvel meets artistic vision<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The positioning of this Art Nouveau masterpiece above Paris’s deepest Metro station creates a poetic contrast between surface beauty and underground functionality. At 36 meters below ground, Abbesses station represents a significant engineering achievement, while Guimard’s \u00e9dicule transforms the entrance into an artwork that announces the marvels hidden beneath Montmartre’s streets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The glass canopy provides practical protection from weather while creating an almost ethereal quality of filtered light, demonstrating Guimard’s understanding that public infrastructure should enhance rather than diminish the urban experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Montmartre’s artistic gateway<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The \u00e9dicule’s location in Montmartre creates perfect harmony between Guimard’s artistic vision and the neighborhood’s bohemian character. Place des Abbesses, named after the abbesses who once ruled this area, serves as the gateway to Montmartre’s winding streets, artist studios, and the iconic Sacr\u00e9-C\u0153ur Basilica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Art Nouveau entrance provides an appropriate artistic introduction to a district that has nurtured creativity for centuries, where the beauty of Guimard’s design echoes the artistic spirit that defines Montmartre’s cultural identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preservation of Belle \u00c9poque heritage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Today, the \u00c9dicule Guimard of the Abbesses station stands as a protected historic monument, ensuring its preservation as one of the last intact examples of Guimard’s canopied Metro entrances. While many of his original designs were demolished during 20th-century modernization, this survivor reminds us of the Belle \u00c9poque’s belief that even the most utilitarian urban infrastructure could embody artistic beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essential information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Designer:<\/strong> Hector Guimard<\/li>\n
  • Construction:<\/strong> 1912 (moved from H\u00f4tel-de-Ville station)<\/li>\n
  • Architectural style:<\/strong> Art Nouveau (Type 2 \u00e9dicule)<\/li>\n
  • Distinctive features:<\/strong> “Butterfly” glass roof, enameled lava panels, organic ironwork<\/li>\n
  • Rarity:<\/strong> One of only three remaining roofed Guimard \u00e9dicules in Paris<\/li>\n
  • Heritage status:<\/strong> Protected historic monument<\/li>\n
  • Station depth:<\/strong> 36 meters below ground (deepest in Paris Metro)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Visiting experience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Emplacement:<\/strong> Place des Abbesses, Montmartre, 18th arrondissement<\/li>\n
    • Best viewing:<\/strong> External appreciation of Art Nouveau details and glass canopy<\/li>\n
    • La photographie:<\/strong> Stunning architectural details, especially the glass roof and ironwork<\/li>\n
    • Nearby attractions:<\/strong> Sacr\u00e9-C\u0153ur Basilica, Montmartre artists’ quarter, Place du Tertre<\/li>\n
    • Cultural context:<\/strong> Gateway to Montmartre’s artistic heritage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Belle \u00c9poque legacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The \u00c9dicule Guimard of the Abbesses station embodies the Belle \u00c9poque’s revolutionary vision that art should enhance every aspect of urban life. This irreplaceable survivor of Guimard’s Metro entrance designs demonstrates how great artists can transform the most functional infrastructure into beloved cultural landmarks. For Art Nouveau enthusiasts, architecture lovers, or anyone seeking to understand how artistic vision can elevate daily urban experiences, the Abbesses \u00e9dicule offers an extraordinary encounter with Belle \u00c9poque creativity, where every descent into Paris’s deepest station begins with an ascent through one of the most beautiful doorways in the world.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Art Nouveau masterpiece above Paris’s deepest station Standing majestically on Place des Abbesses in the heart of Montmartre, the \u00c9dicule Guimard of the Abbesses station represents one of the most precious surviving examples of Hector Guimard’s revolutionary Art Nouveau Metro entrances. This extraordinary canopy, one of only three remaining roofed \u00e9dicules in Paris, crowns the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":36600,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","categories":[19],"amenities":null,"place":[],"class_list":["post-23262","monument","type-monument","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-landmarks","entry"],"hotel_name":null,"booking_com_id":null,"district":null,"starting_price":null,"check_in":null,"check_out":null,"booking_com_affiliate_link":null,"long_description":null,"room_count":null,"monument_name":"Abbesses","monument_category":"Station De M\u00e9tro","monument_type":"Monument","monument_sub_type":"Subway Station","type_of_museum":null,"summary":null,"museum_name":null,"old_hours_format":null,"popular_times":null,"hours":null,"location":"","coordinates":"","key_features":"","nearby_attractions":"","location_category":"","location_type":"","location_subtype":"","phone":"","street":"Place des Abbesses","city":"Paris","postal_code":"75018","state":"\u00cele-de-France","working_hours":"","working_hours_old_format":"","about":"Designed by architect Hector Guimard and installed around 1900, this enclosed \u00e9dicule is one of only two surviving full canopy-style entrances to the Paris M\u00e9tro, the other being at Porte Dauphine. It was originally situated at the H\u00f4tel de Ville station and was relocated to Abbesses in 1974. The structure is classified as a historic monument and is a celebrated example of French Art Nouveau architecture.","site":"https:\/\/www.ratp.fr","reviews_per_score_1":"","reviews_per_score_2":"","reviews_per_score_3":"","reviews_per_score_4":"","reviews_per_score_5":"","photos_count":"","range":"","email_1":"","email_1_full_name":"","email_1_first_name":"","place_id":null,"google_id":null,"cid":null,"reviews_id":null,"tour_name":null,"data_id":null,"currency":null,"duration":null,"affiliate_booking_link":null,"price_euros":null,"price":null,"address":"Place des Abbesses","phone_number":"","website":"https:\/\/www.sortiesdumetro.fr\/abbesses.php","latitude":"48.8844","longitude":"2.33839","short_description":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"\u00c9dicule Guimard of the Abbesses station","pingen_show_pin":null,"pingen_pin_text":null,"pingen_pin_image_url":null,"full_address":"22 Rue des Abbesses, 75018 Paris","rating":"4.7","description":"The \u00c9dicule Guimard of the Abbesses station is one of the few remaining original Art Nouveau entrance canopies designed by Hector Guimard for the Paris M\u00e9tro, located at the Abbesses station in Montmartre. Its distinctive green cast-iron structure and amber glass panels are iconic symbols of early 20th-century Parisian design.","arrondissement":"18","wikidata_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paristopten.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/monument\/23262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paristopten.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/monument"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paristopten.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/monument"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristopten.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristopten.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23262"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristopten.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.paristopten.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristopten.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23262"},{"taxonomy":"amenities","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristopten.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/amenities?post=23262"},{"taxonomy":"place","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.paristopten.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/place?post=23262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}