Imagine strolling down Rue d’Amsterdam. Its elegant buildings whisper tales of a bygone era. This Parisian street a bridge between the 8th and 9th arrondissements has a rich history. Before 1860 Rue d’Amsterdam was part of the 1st arrondissement. Then Paris restructured. The street was divided. It now belongs to both the Saint-Georges and Europe districts.
Long ago before the boulevards expanded Rue d’Amsterdam was countryside. Wealthy Parisians built grand estates. These were called “folies”. One such estate was Tivoli. Simon-Charles Boutin a wealthy treasurer general of the Navy built his folly in 1770. Tivoli’s stunning gardens designed by Boutin himself were a marvel. They were inspired by the gardens of the Villa d’Este in Rome. Initially only select people could enter Tivoli. Later Parisians could visit on Thursdays Sundays and holidays. Boutin’s luck changed tragically. He was guillotined in 1794.
Tivoli became a vibrant amusement park. It thrived for decades. It closed in 1825 after a final celebration for Charles X’s coronation. Boutin’s heirs sold Tivoli to Jonas Hagerman a Swedish banker. Hagerman and entrepreneur Sylvain Mignon planned a large-scale development. They created the “new Europe district”. This involved building many streets. They would be named after European capitals and cities. Rue d’Amsterdam was among the first streets built on Tivoli’s site. Initially two short dead-end streets. They were extended in 1843 to reach Rue de Parme and Rue Saint-Lazare. The latter was to improve access to the West embankment. This would become Gare Saint-Lazare.
The construction of the Gare Saint-Lazare brought significant changes. In 1835 a law authorized a railway between Paris and Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The Pereire brothers were behind this project. A temporary wooden station opened in 1837. Queen Marie-Amélie and her daughters made the inaugural trip. A more substantial station was built in 1841. By 1843 with the Paris-Rouen line the station needed more space. It expanded towards Rue Saint-Lazare.
Buildings rose along Rue d’Amsterdam’s new section. The odd-numbered side numbers 1 to 29 belonged to the Saint-Germain Railway Company. The Pereire brothers moved to number 5 in 1846. They lived there until 1858. Many buildings including the Pereires’ were later demolished for the railway station’s expansion.
Rue d’Amsterdam flourished. It attracted many notable residents. Charles Baudelaire lived at number 22. He wrote Les Paradis artificiels there. Alphonse Allais died at number 24. General Napoleon La Cecilia stayed at number 4 during the Paris Commune. The Grand Bazar de l’Ouest et d’Amsterdam occupied numbers 8-10-12. It was a large department store. Number 77 housed Edouard Manet’s studio from 1879 until his death. Many other artists also worked or lived on Rue d’Amsterdam.
The street’s evolution reflects Paris’s growth. From a rural area to a bustling district with railways and grand buildings. Rue d’Amsterdam’s story is a captivating one. It is a microcosm of Parisian history. Its buildings are a testament to this vibrant past. Explore Rue d’Amsterdam and discover its rich layers of stories. You’ll uncover the secrets within its elegant facades.