Think back to 1951. The Place Rhin-et-Danube got its current name that year. It honors the French First Army. This army fought bravely in World War II. It battled through Italy and landed in Provence. Then it fought on the Rhine and Danube rivers.
The Place Rhin-et-Danube lies in Paris’s 19th arrondissement. Specifically it’s in the Quartier d’Amérique. You can reach it via the Metro line 7 bis. Just get off at the Danube station.
Before its renaming the square was simply Place du Danube. That name dated back to 1875. The city of Paris struck a deal then. It was with the horse and forage market company. The square provided access to the Villette horse market.
This market stood on former quarry land. Despite leveling and urbanization the market failed. It closed its doors. The ground was unstable so developers hesitated to build. The area had a strong connection to the Commune. Memories of those events discouraged wealthier residents.
Gradual development led to diverse housing. Yet the area retains a rare provincial charm. Today the Place Rhin-et-Danube is different.
Once Hôpital Hérold stood here. It closed in 1988. Now Lycée Diderot occupies the site. It opened in 1995. A stone sculpture stands in the square’s center. It is Léon Deschamps’s Monument en moisson.
The Metro station Danube has unique features. Only one of its platforms is in use. This is due to the loop operation of this section. Engineers faced challenges during construction. The soil’s fragility required a viaduct system. Pillars 33 meters high support the station’s platforms. These pillars rest on solid ground.
Around Place Rhin-et-Danube, urbanization began around 1870. The initial plan was a horse and hay market. However, financial troubles caused its abandonment. The street layout from 1875 remains from this project. It was completed in 1889.
Later, two creditors revived development. They hired architect P-C Fouquiau. He bought land in 1888. He subdivided it for resale. Fouquiau built worker housing using public loans.
An apartment building on the square shows Art Deco touches. It was built in 1925 and expanded in 1933. Nearby on Rue du Général Brunet is the Hameau du Danube. These 28 individual houses were built in 1923-1924.
The Place Rhin-et-Danube stands as a testament to Parisian history. It reflects struggles and triumphs. It connects to both war and daily life.