Tourist Information
At the end of the XVIIIth century, Queen Marie-Antoinette ordered the construction of an Opera house to house the Royal Academy of Music. The architect Auguste Vestris fulfilled the Queen's wishes by building the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin in only two months. Unfortunately, after a few years in this theatre, the company abandoned it in favour of a new opera house. In the 1830s, the actor Dumaniant decided to give this theatre a new lease of life. He bought it and put on plays there that were a real success. During the years that followed, the Parisian smart set flocked to the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin to see the plays of Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas. During the Paris Commune, the theatre was burnt down, but it was soon rebuilt and became an even bigger success. Since then, the Théâtre de la Porte Saint-Martin has become a true theatrical venue once again, putting on an assortment of plays ranging from the Three Musketeers to Hair. It is at 18 Boulevard Saint-Martin that you can see one of the plays that make this renowned theatre such a sucess. http://www.portestmartin.com/
