In front of you is the Place du Châtelet. This square marks the geographical center of the capital. It is named after the ancient fortress, the "Grand Châtelet", which stood in this place to protect the northern entrance to the "Île de la Cité". After serving as prison for a long time, it was demolished under the Empire.At the center, is the Châtelet Fountain, also known as the Victory or the Palm Fountain. It commemorates the victories of Napoleon I.Look at each side of the fountain, there are two large buildings. Baron Haussmann decided to build two theaters face to face, on this plaza that's currently being refurbished.On the left, is the "Theatre du Châtelet". This is the largest hall in Paris with its approximately 2,500 seats. It was inaugurated in the presence of the Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, with a performance of Rothomago's "Féerie en 25 tableaux". The Napoleonic “N” medallions found on the facades manifest the imperial character of the place.The technical equipment of the theater are particularly innovative and will long Chatelet to be the privileged scene of great shows, with special effects or even pyrotechnics. All genres will therefore illustrate it, from the famous actor Frédérick Lemaître, star of the "Boulevard du Crime" 's performances, to the adapted theatre pieces of Alexandre Dumas and Emile Zola's novels.Starting in the 1920s, this theater will become the temple of the large-scale operettas, under the direction of Maurice Lehmann. After that, the management will be taken over by the city of Paris.Now, across the plaza on your right, there's the "Theatre de la Ville", or the "Sarah Bernhardt Theatre ". There are similarities with the new Lyric Imperial Theatre in front of it, but this performance hall is much smaller and contains only 1500 seats. As an anecdote, the prompter's box is located at the precise location of where there was a gaslight, from which the poet Gérard de Nerval had hung himself a few years earlier. In this time of the late 19th century, the great star of the time was undeniably Sarah Bernhardt, who took into her hands the destiny of the Renaissance Theatre before becoming the Director of the Lyric Theatre. She will even personally acquire it. It will bear her name for seventy years, before changing its name to the "Theatre de la Cité". Indeed, under the German occupation it will be renamed because of the Jewish origins of the famous actress.Now turn left and continue on the Quai de la Mégisserie, on the Seine side. Walk to the end of the "quai" to the next bridge. On the way, listen to our commentary regarding the Quai de la Mégisserie