Place du Châtelet, founded in 1810, sits at the convergence of Paris’s 1st and 4th arrondissements, at the north end of Pont au Change. Built over the former medieval fortress of Grand Châtelet, a prison and tribunal demolished by Napoleon I between 1802–1810, it has become an iconic public square. At its heart stands the Palmier Fountain, created in 1808 by François‑Jean Bralle to celebrate Napoleonic victories: Lodi, Pyramids, Marengo, Ulm, Danzig. The 18 m column is crowned by Boizot’s gilded Victory statue and surrounded by Jacquemart’s sphinxes from 1858, and is a registered historic monument since 1925.
Flanking the square are two symmetrical theatres by Gabriel Davioud from the Second Empire era: Théâtre du Châtelet and Théâtre de la Ville, opened 1860–1862 as part of Haussmann’s renovations. The Théâtre du Châtelet seats over 2,000 and hosts musicals, operas, concerts, jazz, dance, under the direction of Olivier Py since 2023.
The square is also a major transport hub: Châtelet metro station (lines 1, 4, 7, 11, 14) and Châtelet‑Les Halles RER (A, B, D), making it one of Europe’s busiest underground junctions .
Visitors encounter a vibrant urban cultural milieu: busy transport flows, tourists around the fountain, classic architecture, street performances—a true crossroads. The crowd is diverse: tourists, locals, show-goers, families.
Anecdotes:
Named after the medieval fortress now vanished.
A scene from Jacques Rivette’s film Paris nous appartient (1961) was shot here.
The free potable water in 1808 marked a milestone in public sanitation.
Practical info:
Wheelchair accessible with flat pedestrian areas and metro elevators.
Outdoor terraces available in nearby cafés like Le Zimmer.
Public restrooms in theatres.
Best reached on foot or via metro due to heavy traffic.
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