National, Metro station in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, France
Nationale is a metro station on line 6 in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, situated on an elevated section of track above street level. It has two facing platforms, a glass roof that lets in daylight, tiled walls with simple patterns, and a brick exterior with geometric details.
The station opened in March 1909 as part of an extension of line 6 into new neighborhoods of a rapidly growing city. A renovation around 2004 updated the lighting and tilework, giving the station much of the look it has today.
The station takes its name from Rue Nationale, a street renamed after the French Revolution. From the elevated platform, riders can look directly down onto the boulevard below, which gives the stop a feeling different from most underground stations on the line.
The station sits on an elevated structure, so access to the platforms requires climbing stairs or using escalators. Several bus lines stop nearby, making it easy to continue a journey through this part of the 13th arrondissement on foot or by connecting service.
Nationale is one of the few stations on line 6 that sits fully in the open air, even though the line runs through the heart of the city. Standing on the platform, you can watch trains arrive against a backdrop of rooftops and open sky, which is unusual for an urban metro line.
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