Gare du Nord Paris

The Bridge and Roadway engineers built the first Gare du Nord for the Chemin de Fer du Nord Company, under the able eye of Léonce Reynaud, who was an architecture professor at the École Polytechnique. This station was opened to public on 14 June 1846. The Paris—Amiens—Lille line was also inaugurated the same year. However, the station couldn’t handle the traffic and was demolished in parts in 1860 and the present structure was built from mid of 1861 to end of 1865, though the new Gare du Nord was opened for public use while still being constructed in 1864.

The Gare du Nord, Paris has a triumphal arc design and is made of stone slabs. With 23 statues symbolizing 23 cities, the station looks ornate and majestic. However, the grandest sculptures can be seen at the crown of the building and represent the various international destinations such as Paris, London, Berlin, Warsaw, Amsterdam, Vienna, and Brussels that it serves links to.

The shape of the Gare du Nord is the typical U-shape common to most terminus stations. Much like the other railway stations in Paris, the Gare du Nord is grappling with the constant increase in the traffic. Regular extensions have been carried out by engineers at various times in the past centuries to meet the demands of the travelers. And in 1994, Eurostar trains were introduced along with further reorganization of the rail tracks. Discussions are on to work out the feasibility of further construction for making a connecting hallway between the Gare du Nord and the Gare de l'Est.

The Gare du Nord is a landmark in Paris and has served as the backdrop of several French films like the Les Poupées Russes, but that’s not all. Even Hollywood blockbusters like The Bourne Identity (2002) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) both feature the exterior and interior of the Gare du Nord.