In Paris, a city known for blending the old with the new, even police stations can become artistic statements. This is precisely the case with the 12th district police station, located at 80 Avenue Daumesnil, which houses not only police officers but also an unexpected gallery of sculptures inspired by Michelangelo.
Designed by Spanish architect Manuel Núñez Yanowsky, the structure combines a police station on the ground floor with residential apartments above. But what truly sets the building apart is its façade: across the top two floors, 13 monumental sculptures are aligned—copies of The Dying Slave, one of the Renaissance’s most iconic works, whose original resides in the Louvre Museum.
A façade facing the Bastille
The identical sculptures all face Place de la Bastille, a symbolic gesture that Yanowsky described as a reversal of the traditional meaning of prison: “It’s not the criminals who are imprisoned, but the police themselves—slaves to the law.” This ironic reading gives the building a provocative character that goes well beyond aesthetics.
The project was initially proposed in 1985, with the support of then-President François Mitterrand, but was forgotten for several years. It wasn’t until 1991 that the idea was revived and finally brought to life.
Art, censorship, and Parisian humor
Although the sculptures are based on a nude figure, they include a peculiar alteration: no visible genitals. According to the architect, this was a deliberate decision to avoid shocking politicians at the time. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop some local residents from jokingly lamenting that “the most interesting part was removed.”Interestingly, to fully appreciate the sculptural ensemble, it’s not enough to stand in front of the building—you’ll need to look up, or better yet, head to the nearby Viaduct of the Arts, from where the rooftop and its architectural composition can be viewed in greater detail.