Cirque Jules Verne - National Centre for Circus and Street Arts Amiens

Cirque Jules Verne, or National Circus Centre and Street Arts is a unique institution. It presents art as a stimulation of one's imagination. Mainly dedicated to circuses, street arts and public spaces, it has become a meeting place and an original experience for visitors.

A short history of the Jules Verne circus in Amiens

Nestling on Place Longueville in Amiens, close to the city centre, the Jules Verne Circus was built by architect Émile Ricquier in 1889. Until 2003, it was known as the Amiens Municipal Circus. It is designed with Parisian and academic inspiration to give a 19th century architectural style of neoclassical, historicising and eclectic type. Its grandiose facades and roofs have earned it the title of historical monument since 29 October 1975.

Having suffered the consequences of the war in 1916, the place was reborn from its ashes between 2002 and 2003 with more comfortable standards. New red mohair velvet seats were placed, the stained glass windows of the skylight were changed. It was inaugurated in 2003 by the writer Jules Verne.

How is the exterior of the monument?

The exterior resembles a 16-sided polygon, with a diameter of 44 m and a circumference of 150 m. An entrance portico is located on the main façade, decorated with the inscription : "municipal circus in gold lettering with a white stone background. The artists' entrance is located under the porch-shaped fireplace. There are two low pavilions covered by a terrace housing two restaurants. Two levels of bays mounted on the high rusticated base frame the elevation of the drum. The buttresses of the polygon set the pace.

In addition, the top of the roof has 16 slopes converging towards the skylight.

How is the interior of the building?

The building is versatile. That is why there is a mount with a mechanism that can turn the stands into a temporary stage. There are 16 metal beams linked by braces and supported by brackets. Side decorationThe interior is embellished by walls with an antique red background decorated with garlands. The window is decorated with polychrome friezes with heads of men and women. The hall and the passageways leading to the terraces are made of fake marble, stucco and mosaics. Nowadays, only a few traces of this ancient decoration remain inside.

What is the purpose of the Jules Verne Circus?

It aims to promote the circus in all its forms, from traditional to contemporary circuses, without putting aside other artistic forms. Every year, the establishment hosts live shows, concerts and many other arts.

The circus programme

The Jules Verne circus has a varied programme today. It includes the beautiful circular showsadapted for the track, at the Cascabel carousel to support artistic teams, and in the equestrian circus since the construction of the winter circus in 1889. The venue also offers regular programming in public spaces, especially in June during the "La Rue est à Amiens" festival. During this period, some forty shows thrill the people of Amiens for three days.

Jules Verne Circus School

L'circus school Jules Verne d'Amiens is a technical and artistic training centre that prepares students for the competitive exams of major schools such as the Centre National des Arts du Cirque de Châlons-en-Champagne (CNAC) and the École Supérieure des Arts du Cirque de Bruxelles (ESAC). It offers 3 kinds of trainingThese include preparation for higher education, the Tremplin, as well as amateur practice. During the two years of training, the students will have to do common physical preparations, such as acrobatics, teaching of specialities (acrobatic lifts) and artistic teaching around dance and theatre.

The school is approved by the Ministry of Culture and the French Federation of Circus Schools.

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