Gare d'Austerlitz, Railway terminal in 13th arrondissement, France
Gare d'Austerlitz is a terminal station in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, serving southern and southwestern destinations with 21 numbered platforms under a large roof structure. The entrance hall opens toward the Seine riverbank and displays iron framework from the 19th century, while service counters are distributed throughout the building for passenger assistance.
The terminal opened in 1840 under the name Gare d'Orleans and took its current name from Napoleon's victory at the Battle of Austerlitz. Between 1862 and 1869, architect Pierre-Louis Renaud led a major reconstruction that shaped the hall's present appearance.
The name comes from Napoleon's victory at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805, reflecting a French tradition of naming stations after historic events. Travelers today use the main hall as a meeting point before departures toward the southwest, while the wide passages between platforms allow for a calm flow of people moving through the space.
Metro lines 5 and 10 connect the station to central Paris and make access to different neighborhoods easier. Travelers find orientation signs in the main hall, while most platforms are accessible at ground level.
During the Siege of Paris in 1870, the large iron hall served as a workshop for manufacturing gas balloons used in military operations. These balloons enabled communication with the unoccupied part of France during the encirclement by Prussian forces.
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