Former names Le Zénith (1984-2013) Capacity 6,293 Owner Ministry of Culture | Address 75019 Paris, France Phone +33 1 44 52 54 56 Opened 12 January 1984 | |
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Full name Zénith Paris—La Villette Location 19ème arrondissement
Parc de la Villette Similar Le Zénith, Olympia Bruno Coquatrix, AccorHotels Arena, Parc de la Villette, La Cigale Profiles | ||
Zénith Paris (originally known as Le Zénith) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Paris, France. It is located in the Parc de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement on the edge of the Canal de l'Ourcq. Its ability to seat up to 6,293 people makes it one of the largest venues in Paris. The closest métro and RER stations are Porte de la Villette, Porte de Pantin, and Pantin.
History
The venue was built in 1983 to replace the Hippodrome de Pantin, a circus big-top which had become the main venue for touring rock bands visiting Paris (after the closing of the Pavillon de Paris). The Zénith was built on the same location as the old circus tent, and was designed by architects Philippe Chaix and Jean-Paul Morel on the initiative of Minister of Culture Jack Lang. It was inaugurated by Renaud at the start of 1984.
Somewhat reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower, this hall was intended to be used for a fixed term of three years after which it was to be dismantled and replaced by a new hall nearby. However, instead, its success gave birth to a chain of new halls throughout France, in Strasbourg, Toulouse, Montpellier, Nantes, Clermont-Ferrand, Rouen, Dijon, Pau, Toulon, Saint-Étienne, Caen, Orléans, Nancy, Amiens, Lille and Limoges. These halls are also named "Zénith", which is a trademark registered by COKER and the Ministry of Culture.