1900 Inauguration of Paris Métro

On 19 July 1900, the "Métropolitain" as it was known back then was inaugurated at last! Paris was late in comparison to London who already had its metro in 1863 (those Brits!) and Budapest and Glasgow in 1896 (who knew!)... What took us so long? It's not like there's red-tape in bureaucracy here...

Luckily, we were ahead of Berlin (1902) ; Athens (1904) ; not to mention Madrid and Barcelona in 1919 and 1924 (now what took Spain so long?) ; and finally Moscow in 1935! I feel much better now...

But regardless of dates, let's be honest! Which metro entrances are the most iconic in the world? There is no competition to visionary architecte extraordinaire Hector Guimard who designed the Paris metro entrances in the style of Art Nouveau!

After all, had the metro been built any earlier, the aesthetics would have looked completely different since this artistic movement appeared right around that time and only lasted a few years...

If you appreciate the Paris "edicules" (metro entrances), you must see the other architectural creations of Hector Guimard! He is the focus of my Art Nouveau Architecture Walk in the chic 16th arrondissement!