Place Denfert Rochereau
Place Denfert-Rochereau, with its iconic Lion de Belfort statue at its center, stands as a prominent landmark in Paris.
It indeed serves as a vital crossroads on the left bank, where Boulevards Raspail, Arago, and Saint-Jacques converge with Avenues René Coty, Général Leclerc, and Denfert-Rochereau, as well as Rues Froidevaux, Victor-Considérant, and de Grancey.
Public gardens such as Square Jacques Antoine and Square Claude Nicolas Ledoux to the west, and Square Abbé Migne to the south frame the square.
Originally established in 1760, Place Denfert-Rochereau underwent expansion outside the Mur des Fermiers Généraux in 1789.
Further enlargement occurred over the tollgate Barrière d’Enfer (Hell’s Gate) following the removal of the fiscal wall, while the toll-houses were preserved. These historic buildings, adorned with friezes and low reliefs depicting French cities accessible via the road originating from the former tollgate, are now designated as Historical Monuments.
One of these toll-houses housed the customs staff’s offices and living quarters, while the other, located at no2 Place Denfert-Rochereau, now serves as the primary entrance to the Catacombes, the underground necropolis formed within Paris’s former quarries.
The former Embarcadère Paris-Enfer building, which served as the terminus of the Chemin de fer de Sceaux railway line, stands on the southeast side of the square.
Inaugurated on June 23, 1846, the railway line extended to Orsay in 1867 and Limous in 1869 before ceasing operations in 1895. Today, this splendid building serves as the main entrance to the Denfert-Rochereau Metro and RER stations.
Colonel Pierre-Philippe de Denfert-Rochereau
The renaming of Place d’Enfer to Place Denfert-Rochereau in 1879 was a homage to Colonel Pierre Philippe Marie Aristide Denfert-Rochereau (1823-1878). Denfert-Rochereau held the position of Governor of Belfort during Napoleon III’s declaration of war against Prussia.
The Territoire de Belfort, also known as Porte d’Alsace, holds significant strategic importance as a natural depression connecting France and Germany. Established as a department by the Treaty of Frankfurt in 1871, it is situated now within the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region.
Lion de Belfort on Place Denfert Rochereau
Bartholdi, renowned for his Statue of Liberty in New York, sculpted the Lion de Belfort in 1880. This allegorical statue is a representation of Colonel Denfert-Rochereau, lauded for his courageous defense of Belfort during the 103-day siege by the Prussian army from December 1870 to February 1871.
The lion serves as a symbol of Denfert-Rochereau’s bravery and strength, depicting his unwavering resolve in the face of adversity. The statue is a small bronze replica of the one erected in Belfort.
Directions: 14th district – Place Denfert Rochereau
Metro: Denfert-Rochereau Lines 4/6 and RER B
Coordinates: Lat 48.834194 – Long 2.332436
