[An illustration of a ship, symbolizing the symbol of Paris]

Histoire de Paris

L’Olympia
En 1888, Joseph Oller, fondateur du Moulin-Rouge, installa à cet emplacement des Montagnes Russes; en dépit de leur poqularité, elles furent fermées en 1893 par la Préfectur ede Police, qui les jugeait dangereuses. Oller fit alors construire une salle de spectacles dont le décor interieur évoquait une "Olympe vue à travers la lorgnette de Meilhac et Halévy,- 400 m² d’Offenbach à l’aquarelle". Ce premier "Music-Hall" de Paris offrait des numéros de cirque, des ballets, des opérettes et des tours de chant où s’illustrèrent la belle Otero, Liane de Pougy ou la Goulue; Mistinguett, Max Linder, Maurice Chevalier, Damia ou le clown Grock leur succédèrent.

[illustration of the Olympia]

Salle de cinéma à partir de 1928, l’Olympia rouvrit ses portes en 1954, sous la direction de Bruno Coquatrix. Entièrement réaménagé, doté de 2 000 places, ce music-hall représente désormais un lieu de consécration pour de nombreux artistes, français ou étrangers.

One of the series of signs describing historical places in Paris. The signs were placed starting in 1992 and are also called sucettes Starck (Starck’s Lollipops) after Philippe Starck who designed them.

The sign indicates the Olympia Hall, one of the most famous concert halls in the world. The hall was established in 1888, has about 2,000 seats and the best French and other artists have performed there. Many shows were recorded in this hall, and were very commercially successful.

The building was photographed on the same day Click for a larger image

The illustration in the center of the sign is shown here at magnification Click for a larger image

Meilhac and Halévy mentioned on the sign are libretto writers for the opera, the most famous of which is Carmen. They are responsible for the text of many of Jacques Offenbach’s operettas.

Translation of the text on the sign:

[An illustration of a ship, symbolizing the symbol of Paris]

History of Paris

The Olympia
In 1888, Joseph Oller, founder of the Moulin-Rouge, installed Montagnes Russes on this location; despite their popularity, they were closed in 1893 by the Police Prefecture, who considered them dangerous. Oller then had a performance hall built, the interior decor of which evoked an "Olympus seen through the lens of Meilhac and Halévy, - 400 m² of Offenbach in watercolor". This first "Music-Hall" in Paris offered circus acts, ballets, operettas and singing tours where the beautiful Otero, Liane de Pougy and la Goulue stood out; Mistinguett, Max Linder, Maurice Chevalier, Damia and the clown Grock succeeded them.

[illustration of the Olympia]

A cinema hall from 1928, the Olympia reopened its doors in 1954, under the direction of Bruno Coquatrix. Completely redeveloped, with 2,000 seats, this music hall now represents a place of consecration for many artists, French and foreign.