Porte de Charenton, City gate in 12th arrondissement, France
Porte de Charenton is a former city gate located in southeastern Paris where Boulevard Poniatowski and Route de la Porte de Charenton intersect. The site is now defined by the Metro station that serves as a major transport junction connecting the city with surrounding areas.
The gate formed part of the Thiers fortification built in the 19th century, the last major defensive wall system that encircled Paris. When this fortification was eventually dismantled, the location lost its military purpose but gained new importance as a transit point.
The gate area has become a central transport hub where people constantly move between the city and its suburbs via two major transit lines. This flow of travelers has made the intersection a focal point of daily life in the southeastern district.
The area is easily accessible via Metro Line 8, which stops at Porte de Charenton station and connects with Tramway Line 3a. The location at the city's edge offers convenient connections for traveling between central Paris and the surrounding suburbs.
The Metro station at this location features four tracks with two platforms, a remnant of its former role as a terminal station until 1942. This unusual configuration is uncommon among modern Paris Metro stations and reflects an earlier chapter in the network's expansion.
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