Le Kremlin-Bicêtre
Encyclopedia
Le Kremlin-Bicêtre is a commune
in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 4.5 km (2.8 mi) from the center of Paris
. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.
Le Kremlin-Bicêtre is most famous as the location of the Bicêtre Hospital
, where Superintendent Philippe Pinel
is credited as being the first to introduce humane methods into the treatment of the mentally ill, in 1793. Its most notorious guest was the Marquis de Sade
.
. The name Bicêtre comes from the manor built there by John of Pontoise
, Bishop of Winchester
(England), in the end of the 13th century. The name of this Manor of Winchester was corrupted into Vinchestre, then Bichestre, and eventually Bicêtre. The Bicêtre Hospital
was built several centuries later on the ruins of the manor.
In 1813 the Bicêtre Hospital acted as a major reception point for evacuated casualties of the Grande Armée from the French invasion of Russia
. Veterans of the invasion of Russia used to gather in a tavern located near the hospital. This tavern was soon renamed Au sergent du Kremlin ("The Kremlin Sergeant") in reference to the Moscow Kremlin
where the veterans had camped.
Gradually the name Kremlin was used for the whole neighborhood around the Bicêtre Hospital, and appeared for the first time officially in an ordnance map of 1832. Later the names Kremlin and Bicêtre were joined together and became the official name of the area.
.
station on Paris Métro Line 7
.
and EPITECH
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 4.5 km (2.8 mi) from the center of Paris
Kilometre Zero
In many countries, Kilometre Zero or similar terms in other languages, is a particular location , from which distances are traditionally measured...
. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.
Le Kremlin-Bicêtre is most famous as the location of the Bicêtre Hospital
Bicêtre Hospital
The Bicêtre Hospital is located in Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, which is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It lies 4.5 km from the center of Paris. The Bicêtre Hospital was originally planned as a military hospital, with construction begun in 1634. With the help of Vincent de Paul, it was...
, where Superintendent Philippe Pinel
Philippe Pinel
Philippe Pinel was a French physician who was instrumental in the development of a more humane psychological approach to the custody and care of psychiatric patients, referred to today as moral therapy...
is credited as being the first to introduce humane methods into the treatment of the mentally ill, in 1793. Its most notorious guest was the Marquis de Sade
Marquis de Sade
Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher, and writer famous for his libertine sexuality and lifestyle...
.
Name
The name has roots both in England and Russia. Le Kremlin-Bicêtre was originally a hamlet called simply Bicêtre and located within the commune of GentillyGentilly, Val-de-Marne
Gentilly is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:The name Gentilly was recorded for the first time in the 6th century as Gentiliacum, a royal estate of some importance where coinage was minted. The etymology of the name seems to be...
. The name Bicêtre comes from the manor built there by John of Pontoise
John of Pontoise
-Life:John was from Pontoise in Seine-et-Oise in France. He was an Archdeacon of Exeter and a papal chaplain before Pope Martin IV provided him to the see of Winchester on 9 June 1282 and consecrated before 15 June 1282. He was enthroned at Winchester Cathedral in September 1282.John died on 5...
, Bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
(England), in the end of the 13th century. The name of this Manor of Winchester was corrupted into Vinchestre, then Bichestre, and eventually Bicêtre. The Bicêtre Hospital
Bicêtre Hospital
The Bicêtre Hospital is located in Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, which is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It lies 4.5 km from the center of Paris. The Bicêtre Hospital was originally planned as a military hospital, with construction begun in 1634. With the help of Vincent de Paul, it was...
was built several centuries later on the ruins of the manor.
In 1813 the Bicêtre Hospital acted as a major reception point for evacuated casualties of the Grande Armée from the French invasion of Russia
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
. Veterans of the invasion of Russia used to gather in a tavern located near the hospital. This tavern was soon renamed Au sergent du Kremlin ("The Kremlin Sergeant") in reference to the Moscow Kremlin
Moscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin , sometimes referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River , Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square and the Alexander Garden...
where the veterans had camped.
Gradually the name Kremlin was used for the whole neighborhood around the Bicêtre Hospital, and appeared for the first time officially in an ordnance map of 1832. Later the names Kremlin and Bicêtre were joined together and became the official name of the area.
History
The commune of Le Kremlin-Bicêtre was created on 13 December 1896 by detaching its territory from the commune of GentillyGentilly, Val-de-Marne
Gentilly is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:The name Gentilly was recorded for the first time in the 6th century as Gentiliacum, a royal estate of some importance where coinage was minted. The etymology of the name seems to be...
.
Transport
Le Kremlin-Bicêtre is served by Le Kremlin-BicêtreLe Kremlin-Bicêtre (Paris Metro)
Le Kremlin-Bicêtre is a station of the Paris Métro, serving the Villejuif branch of Line 7. It was opened when Line 7 was extended from Maison Blanche on 10 December 1982....
station on Paris Métro Line 7
Paris Metro Line 7
Paris Métro Line 7 is one of sixteen lines of the Paris Métro system. Crossing the capital from its north-eastern to south-eastern sections via a moderately curved path, it links La Courneuve – 8 Mai 1945 in the north with Mairie d'Ivry and Villejuif – Louis Aragon in the south, while passing...
.
Famous school
Le Kremlin-Bicêtre is also well known because of the computer science schools EPITAEPITA
The École Pour l'Informatique et les Techniques Avancées , more commonly known as EPITA is a French higher education institution specialized in the field of computer science and software engineering...
and EPITECH
Notable residents
- Roger CailloisRoger CailloisRoger Caillois was a French intellectual whose idiosyncratic work brought together literary criticism, sociology, and philosophy by focusing on subjects as diverse as games, play and the sacred...
(1913–1978), writer, sociologist, and literary critic. - Suzanne FlonSuzanne FlonSuzanne Flon was a French film actress and comedienne.-Early life:Her father was a railway worker and her mother crafted jewelry....
actress and comedienne, born in 1918 at Kremlin-Bicêtre. - Kamelancien, rap artist of Moroccan origin, who debuted in 1993.
- Charles Lavialle (Emile Charles Jean Aldéric Lavialle) was an actor, who died 16 October 1965 in this town.
- Lazare PonticelliLazare PonticelliLazare Ponticelli , Knight of Vittorio Veneto, was at 110, the last surviving officially recognized veteran of the First World War from France and the last poilu of its trenches to die. Born in Italy, he travelled on his own to France at the age of eight...
, the last surviving FrenchFrench Foreign LegionThe French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
and ItalianItalian ArmyThe Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
veteran of World War I, ResistanceFrench ResistanceThe French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
member and industrialist, died here in 2008. - Vincent Purkart, seven-time French table tennisTable tennisTable tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
champion and creator of the Secrétin-Purkart Show, a humorous look at the sport broadcast on television. - Jean-François RevelJean-François RevelJean-François Revel was a French politician, journalist, author, prolific philosopher and member of the Académie française from June 1998...
, intellectual, lived in this town during the latter part of his life, and he died here in April 2006.