The Capuchin Boulevard in Paris is one of its attractions in the city. It is located in the Second Paris District. Some mistakenly call it the Capuchin Boulevard. Received its name from the eponymous convent. It is one of the four famous Parisian boulevards.
Brief historical overview
Kapucinok Boulevard appeared in 1676, and its original name was Lower Val. It was named so because it was built on the site of the fortifications of Louis XIII. The Capuchin Convent appeared on this boulevard before the French Revolution. Until 1789, the gardens of the Capuchin monastery were located on the south side of the boulevard.
The northern part remained undeveloped until 1858, but when the Opera Square appeared, Lower Street was combined with the boulevard. Now it is one of the Big Boulevards.
Famous buildings
Many interesting events took place on the Boulevard of Capuchinoc in Paris, so it is not surprising that almost every building located there has its own fascinating history:
- At the very beginning of the boulevard is House No. 2 with a very beautiful facade, the former prestigious Montmorency Hotel, which was built in the 18th century. Then in 1869 it was remade under the cinema "Vaudeville", which was popular among the townspeople. Since 1927, the Paramount Theater Opéra, which was later acquired by Gaumont, has been housed in this historic building. The owners have preserved the beauty of the 18th century mansion with a rotunda and exquisite architecture.
- House number 14 is one of the most famous buildings on Kapucinok Boulevard. In the 18th century, this house had the famous Grand Cafe. It was there that on December 28, 1895, the first paid movie show took place, at which the Lumiere brothers showed 10 short films. Dr. Wilhelm Roentgen conducted experiments with radiation in the same house.
- In house number 25 was the Cognac-Jae Museum, which collected exquisite and luxurious items from the 18th century.
- The house at number 28 was the oldest concert hall in Paris - Olympia. It was built in 1893, and many famous singers, actors and other famous people performed on its stage. At Olimpia, viewers enjoyed performances by Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, Mireille Mathieu, Louis Armstrong and others. Of the Russian artists, Alla Pugacheva, Tamara Gverdtsiteli and others gave concerts at Olimpia. Now at its entrance is a huge red billboard.
- The house number 35 housed the studio of the photographer Nadar, often visited by artists. In 1874, exhibitions of works by Pizarro, Monet, Mans, Renoir were organized here. Then they were little-known young artists, whose work caused an ambiguous reaction. But then the impressionists became famous all over the world.
Famous personalities lived in many houses, some of which were not appreciated by people of their era. Boulevard of Capuchin in Paris was known as a favorite place for creative people.
Cafes and restaurants
In the heart of the Boulevard des Capucines, on Opera Square, is the famous Cafe de la Paix. It was created according to the plan of the 19th century architect Charles Gagnier. It was he who worked on the design of the nearby Opera. The cafe appeared in 1862, and its visitors were many famous people: Guy de Maupassant, Oscar Wilde, P.I. Tchaikovsky and others.
In the house number 1, which is located at the very beginning of the boulevard, there is a Naples cafe. It often gathers creative people. Many tourists like to visit Le Grand Cafe Capucines, which is located in house number 4. It is stylishly decorated, and despite the large flow of tourists, they prepare delicious gourmet French cuisine at an affordable price.
In art
This attraction of Paris for many is associated with the first film screening of the Lumiere brothers. In general, this boulevard is also known as the "Boulevard Theater", because it was there that the café began to set tables so that people, enjoying a cup of coffee, could watch passers-by, just like in a movie theater.
The boulevard served as a source of inspiration for impressionist artists. Claude Monet painted two paintings with the same name - "Capuchin Boulevard". One of them is stored in the Pushkin Museum. There is an image of the boulevard in the paintings of Jean Bereau "Paris Kiosk" and Konstantin Korovin "Boulevard of Capuchin". Artists in their creations tried to show that this place is the center of the bohemian life of Paris.
He acquired another name for one of the busiest corners of Paris thanks to the film by Alla Surikova, "A Man from the Capuchin Boulevard." But the name was translated incorrectly, and so he got a different name. Despite the fact that Kapucinok Boulevard is no longer the place where important historical events take place, it still remains one of the lively corners in which a bohemian atmosphere reigns.
Tuileries Garden
During a tour of Paris, you can take a walk in the Tuileries Garden, which is located near the famous boulevard. This is one of the most popular places among Parisians. The garden stretches from the Louvre to the Champs Elysees.
Citizens and tourists can leisurely stroll and enjoy the picturesque scenery. Tuileries Garden was made by order of Catherine de Medici, work on its creation began in 1564, and the first creator was Bernard Palissi. This is a unique landscape ensemble that looks more like a work of art. In the Tuileries Garden you can also admire other attractions.
The main entrance to this wonderful urban corner of nature is decorated with park sculptures, which are exact copies of palace sculptures. Guests of the garden can visit the Orangerie Museum, which is an art gallery where you can see unique paintings by artists.
How to get there
Be sure to include a visit to the famous boulevard in a tour of Paris. Getting to it is very simple: you can walk from the Hauvre-Caumartin, Chaussée d`Antin la Fayette metro stations. Saint-Lazare train station is also located not far from it. The length of the famous boulevard is 440 m, and it is located in the historical part of the city.
One of the attractions of Paris is the Boulevard of Capuchin. It continues to be a meeting place for creative people. Coffee shop visitors can watch passers-by with a cup of coffee. Not far from the Boulevard of Capuchin are other famous places in Paris. This busy boulevard has always been a source of inspiration.