The stone circus Cirque Jules Verne is one of the seven stone circuses that France still has. It was initially a wooden circus built in 1875. In 1886, the city of Amiens made the decision to replace it with a stone circus. Construction started in 1887. Émile Ricquier, a student of Gustave Eiffel, led the works, and the circus was solemnly opened in June 1889. The name of the author Jules Verne, who was a councilor of Amiens at this time, was given to the circus. He occupied this seat for sixteen years (from 1888 to 1906) as a member of the Republican party, and was committed to education and theater.[1]
Since then, many circus companies have performed here, including the Circus Barnum and Bailey and the Circus Annie Fratellini. But not only circus companies have used the complex, singers such as Ray Charles, Johnny Hallyday, Claude François and many other artists have also performed here. The circus also served as a backdrop for several films by well-known directors such as Federico Fellini and Nico Papatakis.
The circus was closed for two years for extensive renovations and reopened in November 2003. Particular attention was paid to the dome to restore it to its original appearance.
Sources, notes and/or references
Karol van Bastelaar, The Jules Verne Guide, Uitgeverij Elmar, Rijswijk, 2005, p. 63