Paris 3rd District
Paris 3rd District is commonly known as Quartier du Temple.
Paris 3rd District includes: Quartier des Arts et Métiers, Quartier des Enfants Rouges, Quartier Sainte Avoye and Quartier des Archives.
Paris 3rd district is one of the most attractive, extending into the heart of the historic Marais. A protected area, it is home to 163 private mansions dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. Unfortunately, only 50 of these buildings are listed as historical monuments to date.
The Right Bank remained largely deserted until the construction of the Saint-Martin-des-Champs Abbey and the fortified Knights Templar monastery in the 11th/12th centuries. The Enclos du Temple functioned as a fortified city within Paris and attracted generations of artisans who prospered without being subject to royal taxes. Many streets and sites in the neighbourhood still bear the name of this former temple.
The Marais experienced a revival during the urban development of the 17th century. Thirty-six prestigious private mansions were indeed built around the Place des Vosges, in the neighbouring 4th district. The French aristocracy and intellectual elite were quick to follow this example, building their own private mansions around the square, in the 3rd district.
The QUARTIER DES ARTS-ET-MÉTIERS developed around the Abbey of Saint-Martin-des-Champs. The abbey became national property after the French Revolution and transformed into the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers, a higher education institution specialising in commerce, industrial production, design and construction.
The QUARTIER DES ARCHIVES took shape around the Hôtel de Soubise and Hôtel de Rohan, two superb mansions also redeveloped after the Revolution to house the National Archives.
The QUARTIER DES ENFANTS ROUGES, an orphanage founded in 1534, took its name from the distinctive red uniforms worn by its young residents. Located at No. 83 Rue des Archives, it operated until 1772.
The QUARTIER SAINTE-AVOYE developed around the Passage d’Avoye, a passageway crossing the grounds of a private mansion that was eventually demolished in the 19th century.
Le Marais is remarkably preserved despite Hausmann‘s urban transformations of the mid-19th century. It extends over the 3rd and 4th districts and retains its authenticity and singular elegance. Classified as a historic district and protected area in the 1960s, it has benefited from continuous restoration, which has helped to preserve its unique character. Paris 3rd district also has around twenty pedestrian passages and galleries dating from the 19th century.
Metro stations serving Paris 3rd District
Line 3: Réaumur Sébastopol, Arts et Métiers, République
Line 4: Strasbourg St-Denis, Réaumur Sébastopol
Line 8: Strasbourg St-Denis, République, Filles du Calvaire, St Sébastien Froissard, Chemin Vert
Line 11: Rambuteau, Arts et Métiers, République
