Père Lachaise (Paris Metro)
Encyclopedia
Père Lachaise is a station of the Paris Métro
, serving line 2
and 3
on the border of the 11th and 20th arrondissements.
The station was opened on 31 January 1903 as part of the extension of line 2 (known at the time as "2 Nord") from Anvers
to Bagnolet (now called Alexandre Dumas
). The line 3 platforms opened on 19 October 1904 as part of the first section of the line between Père Lachaise and Villiers
. It was a terminus for three months until the line was extended to Gambetta
on 25 January 1905.
The station is named for the Père Lachaise Cemetery
, which it serves, and which in turn takes its name from Father François d'Aix de La Chaise, confessor to Louis XIV of France
. It was the location of the Barrière de Amandiers, a gate built for the collection of taxation as part of the Wall of the Farmers-General
; the gate was built between 1784 and 1788 and demolished during the 19th century.
In 1909 the station became the first metro station to have an escalator
.
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
, serving line 2
Paris Metro Line 2
Line 2 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Situated almost entirely above the former city walls , it runs in a semi-circle in the north of Paris....
and 3
Paris Metro Line 3
Line 3 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system in Paris, France. Connecting Pont de Levallois - Bécon station in the near western suburbs to Gallieni in the east, the location of Paris' international bus station...
on the border of the 11th and 20th arrondissements.
The station was opened on 31 January 1903 as part of the extension of line 2 (known at the time as "2 Nord") from Anvers
Anvers (Paris Metro)
Anvers is a station on Paris Métro Line 2, on the border of the 9th and the 18th arrondissements in Montmartre.The station was opened on 21 October 1902 as part of the extension of line 2 from Étoile. It was the eastern terminus of the line until its extension to Bagnolet on 31 January 1903...
to Bagnolet (now called Alexandre Dumas
Alexandre Dumas (Paris Metro)
Alexandre Dumas is a station on Paris Métro Line 2, on the border of the 11th and 20th arrondissements.The station was opened on 31 January 1903 as part of the extension of line 2 from Anvers. It was the eastern terminus of the line until 2 April 1903 when it was extended to Nation...
). The line 3 platforms opened on 19 October 1904 as part of the first section of the line between Père Lachaise and Villiers
Villiers (Paris Metro)
Villiers is a station of the Paris Métro, serving Line 2 and Line 3 on the border of the 8th and 17th arrondissement of Paris.The Line 2 platforms opened on 21 January 1903, although trains had been operating between Étoile and Anvers since 7 October 1902. On 19 October 1904, it became the terminus...
. It was a terminus for three months until the line was extended to Gambetta
Gambetta (Paris Metro)
Gambetta is a station of the Paris Métro. It serves Line 3 and is the southern terminus of Line 3bis. It was opened on 25 January 1905 when the line was extended from Père Lachaise and was the eastern terminus of the line until 27 November 1921, when the line was extended to Porte des Lilas...
on 25 January 1905.
The station is named for the Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Père Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the city of Paris, France , though there are larger cemeteries in the city's suburbs.Père Lachaise is in the 20th arrondissement, and is reputed to be the world's most-visited cemetery, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to the...
, which it serves, and which in turn takes its name from Father François d'Aix de La Chaise, confessor to Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
. It was the location of the Barrière de Amandiers, a gate built for the collection of taxation as part of the Wall of the Farmers-General
Wall of the Farmers-General
The Wall of the Farmers-General was built between 1784 and 1791 by the Ferme générale, the corporation of tax farmers. It was one of the several city walls of Paris built between the early Middle Ages to the mid 19th century. It was 24 kilometers long and roughly followed the route now occupied by...
; the gate was built between 1784 and 1788 and demolished during the 19th century.
In 1909 the station became the first metro station to have an escalator
Escalator
An escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.Escalators are used around the...
.