In the 17th century, the Porte Saint Martin marked the Paris city limit.

The area then spread out towards the North and the East, and saw the creation of the Chemins de Fer de l'Est (Eastern Railways). The two main stations for Northern and Eastern Europe, which are very nearby, have encouraged the commercial and cultural development of this arrondissement.
So nearby you will find the famous Grands Boulevards with their many theatres.
The Sentier is also very close at hand as are the Châtelet and Notre-Dame, more towards the centre.
For lovers of all things technical, there is the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers with the famous Foucault’s Pendulum.