XXe arrondissement
Encyclopedia
The 20th arrondissement, also known as arrondissement de Ménilmontant, located on the Right Bank
, is one of the 20 arrondissements
of Paris
, France
. It contains the cosmopolitan districts of Ménilmontant
and Belleville
which have welcomed many successive waves of immigration since the middle of the 19th century. Despite this, the arrondissement elected and was represented by the anti-immigration Front National
politician Jean-Marie Le Pen
, as a municipal councilor from 1983 to 1989. Today, Belleville contains the second largest Chinatown
in Paris.
The 20th arrondissement is also internationally known for hosting the Père Lachaise Cemetery
where one can find the burials of many famous composers (such as Frédéric Chopin
and Gioacchino Rossini
), writers (including Oscar Wilde
and Marcel Proust
), painters (Camille Pissarro
, Jacques-Louis David
, and others), and the rock singer Jim Morrison
of The Doors
.
Rive Droite
La Rive Droite is most associated with the river Seine in central Paris. Here the river flows roughly westwards, cutting the city into two: looking downstream, the northern bank is to the right, and the southern bank is to the left....
, is one of the 20 arrondissements
Arrondissements of Paris
The city of Paris is divided into twenty arrondissements municipaux administrative districts, more simply referred to as arrondissements . These are not to be confused with departmental arrondissements, which subdivide the 101 French départements...
of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It contains the cosmopolitan districts of Ménilmontant
Ménilmontant
Ménilmontant is a neighbourhood of Paris, situated in the city's 20th arrondissement. It is affectionately known to locals as "Ménilmuche".-History:...
and Belleville
Belleville, Paris
Belleville is a neighbourhood of Paris, France, parts of which lie in four different arrondissements. The major portion of Belleville straddles the borderline between the 20th arrondissement and the 19th along its main street, the Rue de Belleville...
which have welcomed many successive waves of immigration since the middle of the 19th century. Despite this, the arrondissement elected and was represented by the anti-immigration Front National
Front National
Front National can mean:* Front National , a French political party* Front National , a World War II French Resistance group* Front National , a Belgian political party...
politician Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen is a French far right-wing and nationalist politician who is founder and former president of the Front National party. Le Pen has run for the French presidency five times, most notably in 2002, when in a surprise upset he came second, polling more votes in the first round than...
, as a municipal councilor from 1983 to 1989. Today, Belleville contains the second largest Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
in Paris.
The 20th arrondissement is also internationally known for hosting 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...
where one can find the burials of many famous composers (such as Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric François Chopin was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist. He is considered one of the great masters of Romantic music and has been called "the poet of the piano"....
and Gioacchino Rossini
Gioacchino Rossini
Gioachino Antonio Rossini was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as sacred music, chamber music, songs, and some instrumental and piano pieces...
), writers (including Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
and Marcel Proust
Marcel Proust
Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust was a French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental À la recherche du temps perdu...
), painters (Camille Pissarro
Camille Pissarro
Camille Pissarro was a French Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter born on the island of St Thomas . His importance resides in his contributions to both Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, as he was the only artist to exhibit in both forms...
, Jacques-Louis David
Jacques-Louis David
Jacques-Louis David was an influential French painter in the Neoclassical style, considered to be the preeminent painter of the era...
, and others), and the rock singer Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
of The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
.
Geography
The land area of this arrondissement is 5.984 km2 (2.31 sq. miles, or 1,479 acres).Demographics
The population of Paris's 20th arrondissement peaked in 1936, when it had 208,115 inhabitants. Today it remains very dense in population and business activity with 182,952 inhabitants and 54,786 jobs as of the last census, in 1999.Historical population
| Year (of French censuses) | Population | Density (inh. per km2) |
|---|---|---|
| 1872 | 92,772 | 15,503 |
| 1936 (peak of population) | 208,115 | 34,779 |
| 1954 | 200,208 | 33,457 |
| 1962 | 199,310 | 33,307 |
| 1968 | 188,921 | 31,571 |
| 1975 | 175,795 | 29,378 |
| 1982 | 171,971 | 28,738 |
| 1990 | 184,478 | 30,829 |
| 1999 | 182,952 | 30,574 |
| 2005 estimate | 191,800 | 32,052 |
Immigration
Important districts
- District of BellevilleBelleville, ParisBelleville is a neighbourhood of Paris, France, parts of which lie in four different arrondissements. The major portion of Belleville straddles the borderline between the 20th arrondissement and the 19th along its main street, the Rue de Belleville...
- District of MénilmontantMénilmontantMénilmontant is a neighbourhood of Paris, situated in the city's 20th arrondissement. It is affectionately known to locals as "Ménilmuche".-History:...
External links
- Joining the Locals In Paris’s East – slideshow by The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...