Moulin Rouge is a
cabaret built in 1889 by Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris
Olympia. Close to Montmartre in the Paris district of Pigalle on
Boulevard de Clichy in the 18th arrondissement, it is marked by
the red windmill on its roof. The closest métro station is
Blanche.
The Moulin Rouge is best known as the spiritual birthplace of
the modern form of the can-can dance. Originally introduced as a
seductive dance by the courtesans who operated from the site,
the can-can dance revue evolved into a form of entertainment of
its own and led to the introduction of cabarets across Europe.
Today the Moulin Rouge is a tourist destination, offering
musical dance entertainment for visitors from around the world.
Much of the romance of turn-of-the-century France is still
present in the club's decor.