Château d'Eau is a rapid transit

Rapid transit

A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...

 station on Line 4

Paris Metro Line 4

Line 4 is one of the sixteen lines of the Paris Métro rapid transit system. Situated entirely within the boundaries of the City of Paris, it connects Porte de Clignancourt in the north and Porte d'Orléans in the south, travelling across the heart of the city. As a result, it is sometimes called...

 of the Paris Métro

Paris Métro

The Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...

 in the 10th arrondissement of the city.

Location

Château d'Eau station lies within the 10th arrondissement of Paris, specifically at the intersection of Boulevard de Strasbourg and Rue du Château d'Eau, the latter of which gives it name to the station. The road, in turn, received its name from the square to the east of the current station that was known as the Place du Château d'Eau until 1879. The fountain in the square, known as the Girard Fountain, served as a water tower (thus the term "château d'eau") until it was replaced by the David Fountain. The fountains were absorbed into the new Place de la République

Place de la République

The Place de la République is a square in Paris, located on the border between the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements. It is named after the French Republic. The Métro station of République lies beneath the square.-History:...

 in 1880.

The surrounding area is mostly residential in nature. However, the Gare de l'Est

Gare de l'Est

is one of the six large SNCF termini in Paris. It is in the 10th arrondissement, not far from the Gare du Nord, facing the Boulevard de Strasbourg, part of the north-south axis of Paris created by Baron Haussmann...

 and Place de République are within short walking distance, especially the latter which is a 500 m (1,640 ft) walk down the Rue du Château d'Eau.

History

Château d'Eau station opened on 21 April 1908 as part of the initial stretch of Line 4 from Porte de Clignancourt in the north to Châtelet

Châtelet (Paris Metro)

Châtelet is a station on lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14 of the Paris Métro in the centre of medieval Paris and the 1st arrondissement. The station is made up of two parts connected by a long corridor:...

 in the south.

Station layout

Like most Paris Métro stations, Château d'Eau station uses a side platform configuration with two tracks. As the Paris Métro runs inversely to normal French trains, the eastern platform is used by northbound trains to Porte de Clignancourt

Porte de Clignancourt (Paris Metro)

Porte de Clignancourt is a station of the Paris Métro, the northern terminus of line 4, situated in the 18th Arrondissement.The station was opened on 21 April 1908 as part of the first section of the line from Châtelet. A terminal loop is provided at the station for trains to turn around to return...

 and the western by southbound ones to Porte d'Orléans

Porte d'Orléans (Paris Metro)

Porte d'Orléans is a station and southern terminus of line 4 of the Paris Métro and a stop on tramway line 3. It is situated in the 14th Arrondissement, in the quartier of Petit-Montrouge. A terminal loop is provided at the station for trains to turn around to return north towards Porte de...

.

side platform Side platform A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...

towards Porte de Clignancourt Porte de Clignancourt (Paris Metro) Porte de Clignancourt is a station of the Paris Métro, the northern terminus of line 4, situated in the 18th Arrondissement.The station was opened on 21 April 1908 as part of the first section of the line from Châtelet. A terminal loop is provided at the station for trains to turn around to return...

towards Porte d'Orléans Porte d'Orléans (Paris Metro) Porte d'Orléans is a station and southern terminus of line 4 of the Paris Métro and a stop on tramway line 3. It is situated in the 14th Arrondissement, in the quartier of Petit-Montrouge. A terminal loop is provided at the station for trains to turn around to return north towards Porte de...

side platform Side platform A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...

Entrances and exits

Access to the station is provided by two stairways at 51 and 53 Boulevard de Strasbourg; an exit is provided at 40 Rue du Château d'Eau with an upwards escalator to the street. Château d'Eau is one of a series of status on Line 4 which run underneath the north-south axis created by Boulevard de Strasbourg and Boulevard de Sébastopol. This is in part due to the cut-and-cover nature of the Paris Métro, in which a major thoroughfare was dug up from street level and then re-covered after the tracks and stations were built.

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