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| La Samaritaine on Place de l'Ècole |
Location: Place de l'Ècole [Plaque disappeared after June 2015 (at the store's first window)]
"In the Middle Ages, one of Paris' main ports, the Place des Marchands, was located here. Around 1413, its name was changed to Place de l'Ecole. The origin of this name is ambiguous: it has been wrongly taken to refer to the school run by the priests of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois: in fact, it refers to the port's berthing point and navigation ladder. The close similarity of the Latin words “schola” (school) and “scala” (ladder) has led to confusion. The shopping tradition of Place de l'Ecole was revived in 1869 by Ernest Cognacq, founder of La Samaritaine; the establishment's name evokes the lift pump once installed on the second arch of the Pont-Neuf. With his wife, Louise Jay, he turned the company into one of Paris's leading department stores, whose current buildings were erected between 1903 and 1930, largely under the direction of Frantz Jourdain, one of the architects and activists of Art Nouveau." (Translated by DeepL)
Background notes
- The name La Samaritaine comes from "La Pompe de la Samaritaine," a famous water pump that was located on the nearby Pont-Neuf in Paris.
- This pump was essential for supplying water to the city (from 1608 to 1813) and was named after a bas-relief sculpture on the pump house depicting the biblical story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.
- La Samaritaine department store quickly became one of Paris's leading department stores, surpassing one million francs in sales by 1875 and reaching one billion francs by 1925.
- Known affectionately as "La Samar" by Parisians, the store became a beloved institution, hosting grand parades and festivals throughout the year.
- La Samaritaine was closed in 2005 due to safety concerns, and the store underwent a major renovation, reopening in 2021 with a beautiful restoration that preserved its iconic Art Noveau and Art Deco features.
- Also see plaque #2 on the Pont Neuf.
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| La Pompe de la Samaritaine |
