d’Hiver Bouglione is considered the oldest circus in the world. It opened in 1852 in the presence of Napoleon III. Since then, it has hosted not only circus performances, but also concerts by stars, performances by renowned orchestras, as well as New Year’s shows for children.
“Bouglione” is also known as the Winter Circus. Before it, Paris had a Summer Circus, but performances there had to be suspended during the cold season.
In the 19th century, the butcher Louis Dejean bought a square in the city center. It was there that it was decided to build a solid circus building. The architect was Jacques-Ignace Hittorff, who erected the new structure in just 8 months.
Unlike the others (previously all circuses in Paris looked like theaters on the outside), the “Bouglione” circus had completely different architecture. It is a regular 20-sided polygon with a diameter of 42 m. Another bold decision was the construction of a single-piece 27-meter metal dome. Remarkably, it still stands to this day without a single support.
As for the circus performers themselves, their main difference from Russian troupes is that they are multinational: there are Chinese cycling acrobats, a Russian synchronized swimmer performing astonishing underwater acrobatics, a German clown who turns out to be Ukrainian once you meet him, and the French themselves, whose heritage is so mixed that it is no longer possible to sort out.
