Jardins du Trocadéro facts for kids
The Jardins du Trocadéro, also known as the Gardens of the Trocadero, is a large open space in Paris, France. It's located in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. These beautiful gardens are found between the Palais de Chaillot and the Seine River. On the other side of the Seine, you can see the famous Eiffel Tower.
The most exciting part of the gardens is the Fontaine de Varsovie, or Fountain of Warsaw. It's a huge water display! This fountain has a long main pool, like a giant mirror of water. From it, twelve tall fountains shoot water 12 meters (about 39 feet) high. There are also twenty-four smaller fountains, each four meters (about 13 feet) tall. Plus, ten arches of water create a beautiful tunnel effect.
At one end of the main pool, facing the Seine, are twenty powerful water cannons. These cannons can shoot water an amazing fifty meters (about 164 feet) away! Above the main pool, two smaller pools are connected by waterfalls. These waterfalls have 32 water sprays, each four meters high. These fountains are special because they are the only ones left from the 1937 World Exposition that still work today. In 2011, the fountains were updated with a new pumping system.
Contents
History of the Trocadéro Gardens
The area where the gardens are now was once part of the original Trocadéro Palace. Back in 1878, a garden was designed here by Adolphe Alphand for a big event called the Exposition Universelle (1878).
The gardens you see today are quite large, covering about 93,930 square meters. They were created for another important event, the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (1937). A Parisian architect named Roger-Henri Expert designed them.
During the 1937 exposition, the pavilions (special buildings) of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union were built directly across from each other in the Jardins du Trocadéro.
Looking to the future, these gardens will be a very important spot for the 2024 Summer Olympics. They are set to host the opening ceremony!
Amazing Statues in the Gardens
As you walk through the gardens, you'll find many interesting sculptures. Some of these statues have been there since the 1930s.
- Near the top level, just below the Palais de Chaillot, you'll see two matching stone statues. One is called L'Homme (The Man) by Pierre Traverse, and the other is La Femme (The Woman) by Daniel Bacqué.
- There are also two shiny bronze fountain sculptures in their own square pools. One shows a Bull and Deer by Paul Jouve, and the other features Horses and Dog by Georges Guyot.
- Look for a tall, 21-foot bronze statue of Apollo playing his lyre. This impressive artwork is by sculptor Henri Bouchard.
- Next to Apollo, there's a matching 21-foot bronze statue of Hercules with a bull, created by Albert Pommier.
- Towards the end of the fountain, you'll find two more matching stone groups on pedestals. These are La Joie de vivre (The Joy of Life) by Léon-Ernest Drivier and Youth by Pierre Poisson.
- Finally, there's a white stone monument from 1978. It honors Polish soldiers who fought to defend and free France between 1939 and 1945. This monument was made by André Greck.
How to Get to the Gardens
The Jardins du Trocadéro are easy to reach by metro. The closest metro station is Trocadéro. 48°51′39″N 2°17′24″E / 48.86083°N 2.29000°E
See also
In Spanish: Jardines del Trocadero para niños
