Jardin de l'Arsenal, Urban park near Port de l'Arsenal, Paris, France.
Jardin de l'Arsenal is an urban park stretching along the east bank of Canal Saint-Martin in the 12th arrondissement, covering about 1.4 hectares. The grounds feature maple and willow trees, rose-covered pergolas, and form a green corridor linking the Seine River to Place de la Bastille.
This park was created in 1983 after a proposed four-lane highway project was abandoned following public opposition in the 1970s. The transformation marked a shift in Paris's urban planning toward preserving green spaces.
The name refers to the Arsenal established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806 between Place de la Bastille and the Seine, not to a weapons factory on the garden itself. Since 17 May 2025 the garden holds a monument by Jean-Luc Verna honouring homosexual and LGBT+ victims of deportation, unveiled on the international day against homophobia, transphobia and biphobia.
The park is most easily reached from Bastille metro station and features wide, flat paths for walking plus multiple seating areas along the canal. During wet weather, some areas can become slippery, so sturdy footwear is recommended.
The garden was laid out in 1983 by architect Philippe Mathieux and landscape architect Serge Eyzat. Its sculptures, including Henry Arnold's bronze Diane, date from the 1920s and 1930s and were taken from the city's reserves. On 17 May 2025 a monument by Jean-Luc Verna honouring homosexual and LGBT+ victims of deportation was unveiled here.
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