The birth of the french capital - History of Paris city Home Birth of a capital BIRTH OF A CAPITAL Discover the history of Paris through the centuries… Paris was founded in the 3rd century B.C. on Ã®le de la CitÃ© by a community of Celts. They were a group of tribal fishermen called the Parisii who, pushed by emigration towards the banks of the Seine, made a permanent settlement there and profited from the area’s fertility and temperate climate. Furthermore, the islands on the Seine seemed the perfect place for this little community to establish their capital. At the time of the Parisii’s settlement in the area, there were seven islands on the river between what is now the pont d'Austerlitz and the pont des Arts . . In giving them their modern names, the first was the Ile Louviers (which existed until 1843, when it was reunited with the mainland to become Quai Henri IV), Ile Saint-Louis was divided into three islets which were successively joined to each other, the same was the case for Ile de la Cité, which was originally three separate islets.

The collective name of Lutetia is given to the group of habitations that were constructed on the islands, particularly on Ile de la Cité, but experts have long been divided about the etymology of this name. Some say that Lutetia (in French Lutèce) comes from the celtic word Loulouchezi; meaning “habitation in the middle of the waters”, from luth (water) thouèze (middle) and y (dwelling). In something of an enigma, others claim that it comes from Leug-tec, a Celtic word meaning beautiful stone, although the Parisians of the time built their homes exclusively from wood! The settlement was given the name Lutetia by the Romans, and the name Lucotecia by the geographer, Ptolemy. In the year 52 BC, Lutetia fell to one of Julius Caesar’s lieutenants, Proconsul Labienus. The title of Civitas Parisorium was then bestowed upon the city, meaning “the city of the Parisii”, the name of Paris was finally adopted in the 5th century AD, so the first people that could really be called Parisians were Gauls.

The city was fortified and began to expand on to the left bank of the Seine, it was there that the first Roman baths were built in what is now called Cluny and Arènes de Lutèce. Lutetia had become a commercial axis for the Roman Empire and over the course of time; its inhabitants were progressively Romanised. In the 3rd century they became Christians and citizens of the Holy Roman Empire, bringing an end to their persecution. Threatened by barbarian invasions, the Parisians resisted an attack in 451 by Attila’s Huns. They attributed their resistance to inspiration from Saint Genvieve and made her the patron saint of the city. The middle ages is a period of European history that spans from 500-1500 AD. During this millennium, Paris became the capital of France. This resulted from a long and complicated history of kings, to which each succeeding dynasty contributed. King Clovis took Paris in 486, and in 508 made it the capital of the Kingdom of the Francs (Clovis was King of the Francs, a people who had migrated to the Roman Empire from the East).

The city was soon relinquished and the inhabitants abandoned the left bank, where there remained only religious establishments like the powerful abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Près. In 861 Paris passed into the patrimony of the Capetians, who acceded to the throne of France with Hugues Capet in 987. Paris was originally the capital of a tiny kingdom, which the Capetians forced into expansion by imposing their will on outlying lords. To find out more about the city of Paris and its history, click on one the links below.

Architecture of Paris CITY PAGE: Architecture of Paris INTRODUCTION The architectural history of Paris can be divided into four time periods: Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, and Classical.ï¿½ The Roman period of architecture was symmetrical and organized.ï¿½ Most Roman buildings were made of concrete, which simulated limestone.ï¿½ Roman architecture almost always had columns that gave its buildings a majestic, dominating feeling.ï¿½ The Medieval period of architecture was very different from the Roman period.ï¿½ Buildings were erected haphazardly and streets were narrow and unplanned.ï¿½ It was a period of regression that was followed by the Renaissance.ï¿½ The Renaissance style in Paris was inspired by the Italian Renaissance.ï¿½ The architecture of the Renaissance was symmetrical and proportional, much like Roman architecture.ï¿½ During the Renaissance period Paris imitated the architecture of others, rather than developing its own style.ï¿½ It was an important period nonetheless because it started the path towards French Classicism .ï¿½ French Classicism was based on the styles of Ancient and Renaissance architecture.

It used the traditional columns and proportions of Roman architecture and the decorative elements of Renaissance architecture but added a new element to the mixture that made it truly French.ï¿½ The French Classical style, developed in the 1600s, made Paris famous for its architecture, which has been emulated around the world, especially in American cities, such as Washington D.C, Chicago and New York. ROMAN CITY Paris began as a Roman city called Lutetia.ï¿½ It was established on what is now known as the Ile de la Citï¿½ and eventually expanded to the Rï¿½ve Gauche, or Left Bank, of the Seine river.ï¿½ It was the largest city in Europe, but when the Roman Empire collapsed in the Fifth century A.D., so did Lutetia. All of its impressive architecture was gone by the beginning of the Middle Ages.ï¿½ Many other European cities, also founded by the Romans, underwent the same collapse. Roman building utilized arches and vaults.ï¿½ Columns were no longer needed to support the roofs of buildings but were still used to create a sense of strength and grandeur.ï¿½ The Roman cities were grids with many public spaces.

MEDIEVAL CITY During the medieval period Paris became cluttered, disorganized and claustrophobic.ï¿½ This chaos was the result of "organic growth."ï¿½ There was no layout plan for the city and people simply erected buildings where they wished.ï¿½ Paris was maze-like, with narrow, curving, unplanned streets. During the architectural period of the medieval city, two types of buildings emerged: the gabled house and the hï¿½tel.ï¿½ Most Parisians lived in gabled houses.ï¿½ Their facades were built and designed by carpenters.ï¿½ Artisans of lesser skill completed the work on the timber frame.ï¿½ The gabled houses were simple but not devoid of ornamentation.ï¿½ The variety in the woodwork around the door frames and the first-floor ceilings gave each house a unique quality, even though they were practically identical in shape and layout.ï¿½ In the fourteenth century, masons replaced carpenters as the producers of gabled houses.ï¿½ The frames of the houses were made of stone and mortar rather than timber, which made them sturdier and safer.

The other type of building that emerged during the Middle Ages was the hï¿½tel where the aristocracy and royalty resided.ï¿½ The advent of the hï¿½tel was a turning point in Parisian architecture because it was when architects first became involved in the building and design of the city.ï¿½ Henceforth, architects would play an expanding role in Parisian architecture and urban planning. At the end of the fifteenth century Paris began to be influenced by the architecture of the Italian Renaissance.ï¿½ It was not until the early sixteenth century, behind Italy by a hundred years, that Paris began to adopt the Renaissance style of architecture wholesale.ï¿½ The Renaissance city had deliberate planning and a predetermined layout.ï¿½ Following this trend, Paris started to become more organized and coherent.ï¿½ Because of their complexity, these plans required architects, who therefore became a larger part of city construction.

One of the first important Renaissance projects was the reconstruction of the Pont de Notre Dame, the bridge that connected the Ile de la Citï¿½ to the Left Bank of the Seine.ï¿½ The new bridge embodied many of the cardinal characteristics of the period: it was very wide, with orderly houses on either side, and it created a feeling of space and regularity. The Renaissance style of architecture was advanced primarily by the patronage of Franï¿½ois Ier (1515-1547).ï¿½ He commissioned Italian architects to aid in the revival of Paris.ï¿½ The most important architect he hired was Sebastiano Serlio (1475-1554), who designed the Grand Ferrare at Fontainbleau from 1544-1546.ï¿½ The two most important aspects of Serlioï¿½s buildings were symmetry and proportion.

Parisian architecture didnï¿½t just imitate Italian architecture during the Renaissance period, it also began to develop its own style.ï¿½ Under the influence of Henry IV (1589-1610), three piazzi were built: the Place Dauphine, the Place Royale and the Place de France.ï¿½ Although influenced by Serlio, the three piazzi, which were meant to embody modernity and France, were novel and distinctively Parisian.ï¿½ They "transformed the city and gave Paris the pattern for three centuries of urban design.ï¿½ Had he lived, Henry IV would be known today as the greatest early town planner.ï¿½ At last, the city had left the Middle Ages, and the way to a French urban classicism was open." The Renaissance was followed by a period of French classicism that continued to fashion Paris until the twentieth century.

CLASSICAL CITY In the early 1600s, Paris still had not developed its own style of architecture.ï¿½ Parisian architecture still embodied the classical style of the Ancient world and of the Italian Renaissance style.ï¿½ Parisian architecture began to evolve its own style when uniqueness and grace were added to the regularity and proportion of the Ancient and Renaissance styles. ï¿½This was the birth of French classicism, a balance between tradition and novelty, that the country could call its own.ï¿½ As French classicism flourished, interest in Italian architecture and architects declined.ï¿½ The Crown, especially Louis XIV (1643-1715), was enthusiastic about the architectural innovations that were taking place in Paris and used its patronage to encourage classicism.ï¿½ Classical buildings were made with top quality materials, were symmetrical and proportional, and had many of the same regal and imposing qualities as Roman and Renaissance buildings. The architecture of Paris maintained a balance between continuity and variety.ï¿½ Variety was provided by the unique visions of architects and their patrons.ï¿½ Continuity was achieved through adherence to prescribed theories and concepts taught at the Acadï¿½mie Royale dï¿½Architecture.

The Acadï¿½mie Royale dï¿½Architecture was founded in 1671.ï¿½ It helped with the continuing expansion of the architectural profession by providing classes for students interested in the field.ï¿½ As a result of the success of the Acadï¿½mie, all the major buildings in Paris were now completely designed by architects. History of Paris - Paris On Line INTRODUCTION Paris, the capital of France, came into being thanks to its particularly favourable geographic situation for the settlement of human life and to its history, closely linked to that of the kings of France. Men settled on the central islet, which would become the Île de la Cité, as early as the Quaternary. Life on this island was possible thanks to the proximity of land sufficiently fertile to allow an every growing population to survive, but also thanks to the stone and limestone quarries which allowed houses to be built. Its position as a commercial crossroads linking the North and South of Gaul, and its openness to the surrounding provinces, gradually allowed this island to become a particularly attractive town, the centre of numerous invasions and European conflicts.

LUTETIA: GALLO-ROMAN TOWN As early as the second Iron Age the Parisii (Celtic population from Germania) settled on the Île de la Cité, which was called Lucoticia, and fought against the Roman conquest. Thanks to the gold coins found in archaeological digs, we can assume that already at this time Lutetia enjoyed considerable economic importance. The Romans won the battle for Lutetia and left the town in ruins. Lutetia then divided into two towns: * The Gallic town rebuilt on Île de la Cité according to the models of Italian cities, from where the Roman governor ruled. * The new city established on the left bank. There are still traces of Gallo-Roman remains from that time, such as the Amphitheatre ("les Arènes") of Lutetia or the Thermal Baths of Cluny. The right bank was left uninhabited and abandoned to the marshes (hence the name of the Marais neighbourhood). Under Roman rule the town was prosperous and commercial, of average importance, with a population of around 8000.

The town prospered for three centuries, then from the middle of the third century the invasions of the « Barbarians » (peoples from across the Rhine) began to destabilize the Roman Empire. These invasions did not spare Lutetia, where the inhabitants withdrew to the Île de la Cité, a defensive site made even more effective by the construction of fortifications. It was at this time that Lutetia took the name of Paris and that Christianity appeared with the first bishop, Saint Denis. LUTETIA: MEROVINGIAN CAPITAL The fifth century was marked by invasions, notably those led by Attila and the Huns, who destroyed Gaul but did not touch the Parisian Basin (then making up an independent Gallo-Roman state). Legend has it that Paris was saved thanks to the courage of a small shepherdess called Geneviève. She even became the patron saint of the city. Although the Huns spared Paris, it finally came under the yoke of the Franks.

Paris became the capital of the kingdom of Clovis, and his successors had numerous churches and basilicas built there (notably the Abbaye Sainte Geneviève as a tribute to the patron saint of Paris, the Église Saint Germain des Prés, and the Palais Royal.). The town now spread onto both banks. DECLINE UNDER THE CAROLINGIANS The Carolingians succeeded the Merovingians in the 7th century and moved the centre of power toward northeast France, closer to the regions from where they originated (the Rhine area). The emperor Charlemagne decided to establish the two capitals of the Empire in Rome and in Aix la Chapelle. With the Carolingian decline Paris, which lost its political importance, was weakened. It became the scene of numerous assaults and sieges by Norse Vikings. The town resisted as it could, but the Roman town located on the left bank and the suburbs were destroyed. For a century, the Parisians once again inhabited the Île de la Cité. THE CITY OF THE FIRST CAPETIANS In 987 Hugues Capet offered Paris the opportunity to become the first capital of the kingdom.

The town then grew rich, thanks to its trading activity and to its major land commercial routes (sheets from the north, wheat, fish). The monarchs established themselves in the palace of the Cité and the densely constructed and inhabited Île de la Cité remained the royal and episcopal power centres. In 1163 Bishop Maurice de Sully began the construction of Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was only completed in 1330. The kings Hugues Capet, Henri Ier, Philippe Ier and Louis VI succeeded each other in the Palais of the Cité. The fortifications were reinforced, notably at the bridges, while the left bank was almost abandoned. It was used as agricultural land. THE WORKS OF PHILIPPE AUGUSTE Under Philippe Auguste, Paris became a more important defensive town, capable of resisting the attacks of the king of England thanks to the construction of strong ramparts which also encircled the left bank (Paris moreover remained a fortified town for over seven centuries). The Louvre, which was then a fortress, began to be built in 1180.

The left bank became important as the seat of new centres of education, independent of the episcopal schools, located in the Latin Quarter, which attracted a population of students who came to receive a university education. The University, a symbol of independence, ensured the intellectual reputation of Paris on an international level from the 12th century onwards. At the same time, the construction of Notre - Dame cathedral and the creation of Les Halles market continued. In 1257, Robert de Sorbon, chaplain of Saint Louis, founded the Sorbonne University. As King Saint Louis had his court in Paris, the princes and dignitaries had private mansions built close to the Royal Palace. THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR Under Philippe le Bel (Philip the Handsome), the Parisian population reached 200 000 inhabitants in 1328. Paris then experienced an increasing political and financial importance. This trading town extended further onto the right bank, on which 4 fifths of the taxpayers lived. This demographic fact led to the construction of a new wall on this bank, supported by the fortresses of the Louvre and of the Bastille.

At this time, the town was divided as follows: the Île de la Cité was the seat of royal and religious power, the right bank was more commercial, while the left bank was the intellectual centre of Paris. Etienne Marcel (provost of Merchants, who would be assassinated) was a key Parisian figure, embodying the discontent of the Parisian people (strikes) and opposing the heir apparent Charles V. The war against the English, the plague of 1348, the capture of king John the Good and the weakness of the heir apparent thus led to the first Parisian revolution. Charles V then abandoned the palace on the Cité to establish himself in the fortress of the Louvre in 1358. The English occupation, and the siege of 1429 in particular, ruined the town which maintained, despite all these difficulties, the central bodies of the royal government (Parliament, Chamber of Counts, etc.). To control the town, the king did not grant a Charter of commune to Paris. In compensation, he granted the Parisians, notably the Merchants (of water, butchers, drapers, ), important privileges.

This guild became so important in this period that its representatives awarded themselves a commercial court, the levying of taxes and a headquarters. This increase in the power of the merchants enabled them to elect a first town council. PARIS : CITY OF THE RENAISSANCE A new way of seeing the world appeared throughout Europe in the 16th century. The kings, receptive toward the ideas of the renaissance, became interested in architecture, among other things, and tried to harmonize the façades of Parisian houses. Flamboyant Gothic was the style of the day (église Saint Séverin, hôtel de Cluny) followed by Art nouveau (Fontaine des Innocents, palais des Tuileries.) In 1528 Paris again became the capital of the monarchy under Francis I, who decided to reconstruct the fortress of the Louvre, razing the donjon to the ground and constructing a renaissance palace in place of the two wings of the castle, and to equip Paris with a city hall in keeping with the capital. The creation of the Collège de France by Francis I again updated the intellectual fame of Paris, proposing a modernized education by adding exact sciences and humanism to traditional teaching.

The Reformation led to a religious civil war which reached its height in the night of Saint Bartholomew (1572) during which the Catholics massacred the Protestants in the streets of Paris (between 15 000 and 60 000 victims), under the orders of Catherine de Médicis and the Duc de Guise. The destroyed and famished city rose up against the kings Henry III (who built the Pont Neuf, linking the right bank and the left bank), and Henry IV. However, the latter, by converting to Catholicism, was able to renew relations with the Parisians and re-establish the lost grandeur of the city with enormous building sites (place Dauphine, place des Vosges, followed by the construction of the Louvre and of the château des Tuileries). These building sites were based on the first town planning regulations laid down by Sully. This architectural momentum lasted well after the assassination of Henry IV. The city expanded and numerous monuments, squares and secondary homes were built.

Under Louis XIII, the capital was radiant thanks to the creation of the royal press in 1620, to that of the Jardin des Plantes and of the French Academy. The expansion of the city started up again thanks to new fortifications on the right bank. New neighbourhoods replaced the countryside (Faubourg Saint Honoré, Marais, île saint Louis, Faubourg saint Germain). However, the Fronde created an important economic crisis, aggravating the misery of the people. Under Louis XIV, the death rate was higher than the birth rate, requiring the construction of the Hôpital général. Louis XIV (the Sun King), concerned by the revolutionary nature of Parisians (he had to flee Paris as a child) established himself in Versailles, which he made the seat of government, in 1682 and left Colbert in charge of Parisian politics. Calm gradually returned to Paris, where it was decided to demolish the ramparts in 1670, replacing them by a tree-lined promenade where triumphal arches replaced the fortified gates. These former gates of Paris can still be admired, for example on the « Grands Boulevards », where the Rue Saint Denis ends.

Impressive buildings were constructed under the reign of Louis XIV (hôpital Salpetrière, Observatory, Invalides ) and others such as the Louvre and the Jardin des Tuileries were reformed. Although during this period Paris became adorned with majestic monuments, the people remained destitute. THE ENLIGHTENMENT Paris was liberated from a royal power installed in Versailles until the fall of the Ancien Régime. The City of Literature and the Arts was the symbol of an intellectual bourgeoisie in which philosophers and encyclopaedists criticized society and its values. It was the Paris of the Enlightenment, open to democratic ideas. An economic improvement led to population growth under the reign of Louis XV. Major architectural projects were completed, with the construction of the organized neighbourhoods, notably the Ecole Militaire and the future Panthéon. Parisian architecture, although initially serving an aesthetic purpose, gradually came to have a social function, with markets, sewers, theatres, such as the « Odéon », which obliged the architects to think in a more humane manner. The period of Louis XVI and Louis XV marked the beginning of modern town planning.

THE 1789 REVOLUTION The 1789 revolution broke out in this Paris of major upheavals, Paris being the privileged scene of numerous events. The economic crisis, the raising of the political awareness of the Parisian people by philosophers, and the resentment of the monarchy which had abandoned Paris more than once, triggered the anger of the people, led to the fall of the monarchy with the storming of the Bastille, and culminated with the beheading of the king Louis XVI and of his wife Marie-Antoinette. The Jacobins and Cordeliers (QUE ES AIXO ???), originating from Parisian political clubs, took over the power. Despite the new values of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, to quieten dissidents and impose a still shaky republic, the repressive regime known as the Reign of Terror was imposed. To implement their policies, they among others centralized power in Paris, thus strengthening a French trend which began under Louis XIV, and which continued until the 19th century and was increased with the creation of the networks of railway communications, the rural exodus and the industrial revolutions.

It was necessary to wait until the second half of the 20th century for a timid movement of decentralization to begin. The Terror gave way on the 9 Thermidor Year II, and was followed by compromise regimes (Convention Thermidorienne and the Directory). When Bonaparte came to power, the architectural style changed with the appearance of Neoclassicism under the Directory then «egyptomanie », a style inspired on Bonaparte's expedition in Egypt. THE CAPITAL OF THE POST-NAPOLEONIC EMPIRE The first French census of 1801 recorded an increase in the population of Paris (5 546 856 inhabitants), despite the losses under the revolution, notably thanks to provincial immigration, which was concentrated in the textile sector. Louis XVIII did not offer Paris major architectural changes or reforms, but private construction underwent rapid development, inspired by a classical style mixed with the antique style (l'Europe and Saint Georges neighbourhoods). Parisian society was then characterized by the rise of an economically powerful bourgeoisie, described by Balzac in his masterpiece La Comédie Humaine, triumphant under Louis Philippe, and which coexisted with a more modest bourgeoisie composed of civil servants.

The proletariat also made up an important part of the Parisian population (65% of Parisians did not pay taxes and 80% of the dead went to the communal grave). This poverty-stricken population, the victim of violent epidemics (44 000 died in the 1832 cholera epidemic), lived in the central neighbourhoods. It was moreover in these poor neighbourhoods of Paris that the opposition movements of the regime were formed until they expressed their opposition as Revolutions (1830 and 1848). It was also the time of the first French railway, with the inauguration of the Gare Saint Lazare in 1837. THE PARIS OF HAUSSMAN Although during the troubled period of the 1848 revolution there was an interruption in the building of the railways, the future emperor Napoléon III (a nephew of Napoléon I) ensured that the work continued, surrounding himself with, among others, the prefect of Paris, Baron Haussman and numerous engineers. Major building work proliferated in this period (Opéra Garnier) as well as the construction of new stations and of a very important traffic infrastructure in Paris.

Pavements appeared alongside the asphalt-covered public roads, along with improved sewage mains. Moreover, the City was razed to the ground then transformed with the addition of a new Hôtel Dieu (General Hospital) and police headquarters. The Louvre doubled in size and green spaces were landscaped all around Paris (Bois de Vincennes, Bois de Boulogne, Parc Montsouris, public gardens, etc ). The expansion of Paris (the number of inhabitants doubled between 1851 and 1871), its intellectual and artistic influence (numerous industrial fairs) and its economic richness increased until the 1870 war against Prussia which brought this prosperity to a halt, leading to disasters and poverty. FROM THE COMMUNE TO THE GREAT WAR This war led to the defeat of the imperial regime by Prussia with the surrender of Paris. The Parisians felt abandoned by their leaders, rose up in the insurrection of 18 March 1871 and became the masters of their city.

This was the Commune, a revolutionary government which was expressed as a direct democracy in a city under siege and which lasted for a few weeks before being very severely repressed by the government of the republic which had withdrawn to Versailles (25 000 victims including many women and children). Under the 3rd Republic Paris lost the political power that it gained in 1789, to the benefit of radical socialist provincial leaders. The capital found it difficult to get over this political and economic defeat, although its population underwent considerable growth, thanks to immigration from the north which allowed it to reach almost three million inhabitants in 1911. The population increased most especially in the outlying arrondissements. A real concern to achieve equal comfort for all Parisians led to numerous developments, such as the distribution of gas and electricity, the collection of household refuse, and the construction of primary and secondary schools, as well as hospitals. Moreover, the metro appeared as part of this same democratic momentum in 1900. This flourishing period is called the Belle Epoque, an era in which the population enjoyed a certain euphoria which can be found in a colourful architecture, always in search of innovation and modernity.

It was the era of Art nouveau, of Guimard, of the World Fairs, the Eiffel Tower was built in 1889, the Grand and Petit Palais in 1900, the Palais de Chaillot in 1937, and the Musée des Arts Africains et Océaniens for the colonial fair of 1931. In 1910, Paris suffered from considerable flooding. The "années folles" (mad years) enjoyed an artistic agitation which granted Paris its international reputation as a capital of the arts. THE TWO WORLD WARS Paris again suffered from war and its disastrous consequences with the 1914 - 1918 war. The post-war years were also very painful, with an economic and political crisis during which the Parisians tried to regain the political power that they had lost. If urban politics did not enjoy the profits of the Belle Epoque, efforts were made in favour of the people with the creation of the "Habitations à Loyer Modéré" (public sector housing) and the extension of the metro to the inner suburbs.

The appearance of concrete allowed big blocks of flats to be constructed, which gradually replaced the former housing and transformed the urban landscape of Paris. In the Second World War France surrendered and in June 1940 the German forces occupied Paris. Again the city underwent years of hardship and bombardments which lasted four years. Throughout these years, there were ruthless arrests by the Gestapo, numerous imprisonments in concentration camps and tortures and executions in Paris. At the same time, the resistance (shadow army) was organized and developed around Jean Moulin (1943). The Resistance helped liberate Paris after the Allied Normandy landing and offensive (1944). POST-WAR YEARS Paris was not destroyed by the war, and numerous restorations of monuments and improvements were the order of the day from the 1960s. Paris developed thanks to a policy of major building projects concerning both the city and the suburbs. Over the last few decades this policy has led to the construction of the Opéra Bastille, the Bibliothèque Nationale, the Grande Arche de la Défense and the Louvre pyramid.

The Paris of today, as you will see when you visit it, is the legacy of all these events and many others that we do not have the space to explain here. It is undoubtedly a city with an astonishingly rich culture, overflowing with vitality. The romantic Paris of the end of the 19th century, of the Belle Epoque, no longer exists, no more than that of the intellectual elite of the 1950s and 60s. As a result of the immigration of the 1950s to 90s, it is now a highly multiracial and multicultural city, which has on the whole succeeded to integrate the old with the new, and which is dynamically rooted in the new millennium. But visitors will not be disappointed, because they will see all the past and the traditions which made the city famous in its architecture, in its way of life, in the atmosphere of its neighbourhoods there are still plenty of « titis parisiens » (typical Parisian kids)!!!

History - Paris Paris History The history of Paris goes back more than 2,000 years when some 60 Celtic tribes called the Gauls inhabited the region, most notably in the Paris Basin on the Ile de la Cité. One of their tribes, the Parisii, eventually gave their name to the present-day city. The Gauls were composed of warrior tribes who hunted, fished, and lived in huts with thatched roofs. Their religion, called druidism, celebrated nature. Many present day religious festivals include remnants of druidic worship. The main festival, la fête du gui (mistletoe), welcomed in the new year. They also burned the Yule log to celebrate the return to light after a long dark season of winter. Their chief warrior, Vercingétorix, was defeated by the Roman army under Julius Caesar (c. 100–44 B. C. ) in about 50 B. C. The Romans renamed the Gaulish capital Lutetia, which it remained until it was reconquered by a Germanic tribe called the Franks—hence the name for present day France (land of the Franks).

Their king, Clovis (465–511) converted to Christianity and took the old name of Paris for its capital. By brute force, Clovis established the Merovingian dynasty of kings and established a code of laws known as the Salic Law. In 800, Charlemagne (747–814) moved his capital from Aix-la-Chapelle to Paris, thus solidifying Paris as the permanent capital city of what would become modern day France. Between 900 and 1000, another tribe of invaders called Vikings (actually Norsemen) repeatedly invaded and pillaged Paris until they eventually became a civilized part of the community. By the middle of the twelfth century, King Philippe Auguste (1165–1223) Side view of the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris (1163), a world-famous example of Gothic architecture. () turned Paris into a true medieval city with a protective wall around it. He built his castle, which was little more than a fortress on the site of the modern-day Louvre. No one knows what the word Louvre means, except that it is thought to come from the Latin word for wolves.

Philippe housed his wolf-hunting dogs in the fortress. The Middle Ages saw the beginning of the construction of the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris (1163), one of the most famous examples of Gothic architecture, and the founding of one of the greatest universities in the world, the University of Paris. The city of Paris, surrounded by walls, still was contained on the Ile de la Cité in the middle of the River Seine. Gradually the city of Paris became so heavily populated that the walls were erected further and further out to accommodate the growing community. The last of these protective walls was razed in 1919 by the government of the Third Republic. The kings of France slowly enlarged and modernized the Louvre to become the palace of kings. The French Revolution (1789–93) was a turning point for the modernization of Paris. During that turbulent period, there were riots in the streets, and the people barricaded the narrow, winding streets to thwart the power of the government. The reign of Emperor Napoleon I (1769–1821) saw the building of monuments and the creation of a modern sewer system, which beautified and cleansed the city.

The brief restoration of the monarchy (1848–1870) saw the rebuilding of Paris from a medieval town to a city of breathtaking beauty and grandeur. Under the leadership of Baron Haussmann (1809–1891), the boulevards were widened so that they could no longer be easily barricaded. Parks and monuments were created; the Louvre was completed; the Opera house was built; and an extensive system of sewers was constructed. The city was at that time organized into its present-day 20 arrondissements. Building codes were enforced to keep the neo-classical look and to maintain a low building height. In 1889, the World's Fair came to Paris, which unveiled the newest crowning glory, the Eiffel Tower. At the time of its construction, it was thought to be a monstrosity, and the French people wanted it torn down immediately. The tower outlasted the controversy to become the symbol of Paris. In 1900, Paris joined London in the construction of the subway (the Métropolitain).

The metro stations at the turn of the century were beautiful examples of Art Deco, with intricately designed ironwork gates. Some of these still exist today. During World War II, the city of Paris was almost destroyed by German bombs. Miraculously, Paris survived the war intact. All of the treasures in the Louvre art museum were hidden by the French people during the war, so they would not be taken by the invading German army. The government of General Charles de Gaulle brought the French government to the present Fifth Republic. Modern-day Paris is truly a feast for all of the senses. The classical beauty of the city is breathtaking at night when many of the monuments are lighted. A new opera house has been added at the former location of La Bastille (a political prison during the French Revolution), and some high-rise buildings have been constructed outside the central area. Basically, Paris remains true to the architectural plans of Baron Haussmann. The wide, main boulevards are crowded with people 24 hours a day. One can relax in a sidewalk café or visit any number of the many museums Paris has to offer. The cuisine is delicious, whether from a café or an elegant five-star restaurant.

Shoppers can find the very latest in fashion or browse the flea markets for a bargain. New urban renewal during the 1990s saw the renovation of the Beaubourg area with the destruction of Les Halles (a central market place) and the creation of the Centre Pompidou (arts) in its place. New business centers in La Défense have been added to the International Communication Center. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Paris has retained all the allure, mystery, and romance of its fabled past. That is why Paris is the number one destination for travelers around the world. Copyright © 2008 - Advameg Inc. Paris: History History History Early History Julius Caesar conquered Paris in 52 B.C. It was then a fishing village, called Lutetia Parisiorum (the Parisii were a Gallic tribe), on the Île de la Cité. Under the Romans the town spread to the left bank and acquired considerable importance under the later emperors. The vast catacombs under Montparnasse and the baths (now in the Cluny Mus.) remain from the Roman period. Legend says that St.

Denis , first bishop of Paris, was martyred on Montmartre (hence the name) and that in the 5th cent. St. Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, preserved the city from destruction by the Huns. On several occasions in its early history Paris was threatened by barbarian and Norman invasions, which at times drove the inhabitants back to the Île de la Cité. Clovis I and several other Merovingian kings made Paris their capital; under Charlemagne it became a center of learning. In 987, Hugh Capet, count of Paris, became king of France. The Capetians firmly established Paris as the French capital. The city grew as the power of the French kings increased. In the 11th cent. the city spread to the right bank. During the next two centuries—the reign of Philip Augustus (1180–1223) is especially notable for the growth of Paris—streets were paved and the city walls enlarged; the first Louvre (a fortress) and several churches, including Notre-Dame, were constructed or begun; and the schools on the left bank were organized into the Univ. of Paris.

One of them, the Sorbonne, became a fountainhead of theological learning with Albertus Magnus and St. Thomas Aquinas among its scholars. The university community constituted an autonomous borough; another was formed on the right bank by merchants ruled by their own provost. In 1358, under the leadership of the merchant provost Étienne Marcel, Paris first assumed the role of an independent commune and rebelled against the dauphin (later Charles V). During the period of the Hundred Years War the city suffered civil strife (see Armagnacs and Burgundians ), occupation by the English (1419–36), famine, and the Black Death. During the Renaissance The Renaissance reached Paris in the 16th cent. during the reign of Francis I (1515–47). At this time the Louvre was transformed from a fortress to a Renaissance palace. In the Wars of Religion (1562–98), Parisian Catholics, who were in the great majority, took part in the massacre of St.

Bartholomew's Day (1572), forced Henry III to leave the city on the Day of Barricades (1588), and accepted Henry IV only after his conversion (1593) to Catholicism. Cardinal Richelieu, Louis XIII's minister, established the French Academy and built the Palais Royal and the Luxembourg Palace. During the Fronde , Paris once again defied the royal authority. Louis XIV, distrustful of the Parisians, transferred (1682) his court to Versailles. Parisian industries profited from the lavishness of Versailles; the specialization in luxury goods dates from that time. J. H. Mansart under Louis XIV and François Mansart, J. G. Soufflot, and J. A. Gabriel under Louis XV created some of the most majestic prospects of modern Paris. The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries During the late 17th and the 18th cent.

Paris acquired further glory as the scene of many of France's greatest cultural achievements: the plays of Molière, Racine, and Corneille; the music of Lully, Rameau, and Gluck; the paintings of Watteau, Fragonard, and Boucher; and the salons where many of the philosophes of the Enlightenment gathered. At the same time, growing industries had resulted in the creation of new classes—the bourgeoisie and proletariat—concentrated in such suburbs ( faubourgs ) as Saint-Antoine and Saint-Denis; in the opening events of the French Revolution , city mobs stormed the Bastille (July, 1789) and hauled the royal family from Versailles to Paris (Oct., 1789). Throughout the turbulent period of the Revolution the city played a central role. Napoleon to the Commune Napoleon (emperor, 1804–15) began a large construction program (including the building of the Arc de Triomphe, the Vendôme Column, and the arcaded Rue de Rivoli) and enriched the city's museums with artworks removed from conquered cities.

In the course of his downfall Paris was occupied twice by enemy armies (1814, 1815). In the first half of the 19th cent. Paris grew rapidly. In 1801 it had 547,000 people; in 1817, 714,000; in 1841, 935,000; and in 1861, 1,696,000. The revolutions of July, 1830, and Feb., 1848, both essentially Parisian events, had repercussions throughout Europe. Culturally, the city was at various times the home or host of most of the great European figures of the age. Balzac, Hugo, Chopin, Berlioz, Liszt, Wagner, Delacroix, Ingres, and Daumier were a few of the outstanding personalities. The grand outline of modern Paris was the work of Baron Georges Haussmann , who was appointed prefect by Napoleon III. The great avenues, boulevards, and parks are his work.

During the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71), Paris was besieged for four months by the Germans and then surrendered. After the Germans withdrew, Parisian workers rebelled against the French government and established the Commune of Paris , which was bloodily suppressed. Under the Third Republic With the establishment of the Third French Republic and relative stability, Paris became the great industrial and transportation center it is today. Two epochal events in modern cultural history that took place in Paris were the first exhibition of impressionist painting (1874) and the premiere of Stravinsky's Sacre du Printemps (1913). In World War I the Germans failed to reach Paris. After 1919 the outermost city fortifications were replaced by housing developments, including the Cité Universitaire, which houses thousands of students. During the 1920s, Paris was home to many disillusioned artists and writers from the United States and elsewhere. German troops occupied Paris during World War II from June 14, 1940, to Aug. 25, 1944. The city was not seriously damaged by the war.

Contemporary Paris Paris was the headquarters of NATO from 1950 to 1967; it is the headquarters of UNESCO and the European Space Agency. A program of cleaning the city's major buildings and monuments was completed in the 1960s. The city was the scene in May, 1968, of serious disorders, beginning with a student strike, that nearly toppled the Fifth Republic. In 1971, Les Halles, Paris's famous central market, called by Zola the "belly" of Paris, was dismantled. Construction began immediately on Chatelet Les-Halles, Paris's new metro hub, which was completed in 1977. The Forum des Halles, a partially underground, multistory commercial and shopping center, opened in 1979. Other developments include the Georges Pompidou National Center for Art and Culture, built in 1977, which includes the National Museum of Modern Art. The Louvre underwent extensive renovation, and EuroDisney, a multibillion dollar theme and amusement park, opened in the Parisian suburbs in 1992.

A number of major projects in the city were initiated by President François Mitterrand (1981–95); they include the new Bibliothèque Nationale, the glass pyramid at the Louvre, Grande Arche de la Défense, Arab Institute, Bastille Opera, and Cité de la Musique. Sections in this article: The History of Paris - Paris.fr 1,8118,8125 The History of Paris From Lutetia to the Napoleon Bonaparte Empire, from the declaration of the Republic to the Paris Commune: Paris was right at the heart of events that marked French history and shaped its present. Here is a look back to the birth of this major city. Antiquity : Gaul Even though the site of today’s Paris has been inhabited for 90000 years (Mesolithic period), the city’s history really began in the 3rd century BC. At this time, the Parisii, a tribe in Gaul, took up residence in this area, a strategic crossing point towards the north of the country and for the trading route of the Seine river (ou for the river trade along the Seine river).

Aware of the strategic importance of the location, Julius Caesar sent his troops to crush the Gauls. This was in 52 BC and is known as the battle of Lutetia, won by the occupying forces. A roman city was then built on the left bank of the Seine, along the northern slope of Sainte-Geneviève hill. Lutetia started to take shape. At the end of the 1st century AD, the “Arènes de Lutèce” amphitheatre and the Cluny public baths were constructed. The baths were supplied with water from an aqueduct alongside the Bièvre, a river which has since been buried under the city. These buildings reflect a lifestyle which was typically Roman. In the 4th century, Lutetia became a garrison town for troops fighting the Barbarians on the northern and eastern frontiers of Gaul.. The city moved to the Île de la Cité wich was fortified and renamed Paris. In 451, an event took place which made the history books: the nun Saint-Geneviève succeeded in diverting the course of Attila the Hun and his army who wanted to take the city.

She became the patron saint of Paris. The Middle Ages: at the heart of the Kingdom of France In 508, Clovis, king of the Franks, made Paris the capital of his kingdom. In the 8th century, the centre of the Carolingian Empire shifted to the Northeast. Yet the city took on a new dimension under Hugues Capet. Capet, Count of Paris was elected King of France in 987 and founded a new dynsasty, the Capetians. Then Louis VI, known as Louis the Fat, built a fortification, the Châtelet, around the rebuilt Grand-Pont (currently the Pont au change). The construction of Notre-Dame cathedral began in 1163 (and was completed in 1345). Then, Philippe Auguste, a great urban planner, left his mark on Paris by surrounding it with walls and building the fortress of the Louvre. Paris is consecrated capital under his reign. In the 13th century, Paris was the most populated (approximately 200,000 inhabitants) and the richest city in the West. Up to this period the city was governed by one man, the King’s provost.

In 1268, the powerful boatmen’s guild adopted its motto, « Fluctuat nec mergitur » (the boat is beaten by the waves but does not sink), which later became that of Paris. In the 14th century, the municipality enjoyed real authority, yet over the following centuries was regularly brought to heel by the royal powers. In the 15th century, Paris was occupied by the English for sixteen years. The modern era: the birth of royal squares In the middle of the 16th century, under the reign of François 1st, the capital grew in beauty with Renaissance constructions, such as the new Louvre and the Hôtel de Ville. At this time, several historic buildings were built, including the Natural History Museum and the Luxembourg Palace. From the reign of King Henri IV, the city has the role of honouring the sovereign and praising his power. Royal squares were created for this purpose: Place Dauphine for Henri IV, Place de la Concorde for Louis XV, Place des Vosges for Louis XIII, etc. 1648 saw the beginning of the Frond, a people’s uprising which lasted until 1653.

In 1680, Louis XIV left the Louvre Palace, which was until then the residence of the Kings of France, to take up residence in Versailles, to the west of Paris. He died there after a 72-year reign. The Bastille: symbol of the Revolution On 14 July 1789, Parisians appalled by the King’s pressure on the new assembly formed by the third estate, took siege of the Bastille fortress, a symbol of absolutism. This event is the start of the French Revolution and the decline of the divine right of monarchs in France. On 17 July, the national tricolour flag with the colours of Paris (blue and red) and of the King (white) was adopted at the Hôtel de Ville by Louis XVI. Jean-Sylvain Bailly, the first Mayor, was elected on 15 July 1789. The Republic was declared for the first time in 1792. In 1793, Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette were executed on the Place de la Concorde. The Reign of Terror took hold.

Then, a coup d’etat by Napoleon Bonaparte overthrew the French Directory and put an end to the Revolution. Prefect Haussmann transforms Paris Napoleon was crowned emperor in Notre-Dame cathedral in 1804. He gave Paris the Ourcq canal, the embankments, the creation of the sewerage system, a numbered house system, etc. Later, the barricades went up in the capital: the July revolution toppled Charles X in 1830. Six years later, under Louis-Philippe, work is completed on the Arc de Triomphe. The 1848 Revolution led to the proclamation of the 2nd Republic. In 1852 and during the Second Empire, the capital is transformed under the leadership of Prefect Haussmann. He doubled the width of traffic lanes, made pavements commonplace, etc. He also created 2,000 hectares of woodland and planted 90,000 trees along major roads. He developed an approximately 500-km-long sewerage network. The five train stations were completed in 1847.

Between 1855 and 1880, the sales price of buildings increased by 136%. The 3rd Republic was declared in 1870 at the Hôtel de Ville. The Prussians invaded Paris. The Paris Commune was crushed during the ‘Semaine sanglante’ (bloody week). The outcome was 20 to 30,000 victims, a third of the city was burned down and the Hôtel de Ville destroyed. Paris, under siege, lost its status as capital of France for a time. In 1889, the Eiffel Tower was opened during a universal exhibition. In 1910, Paris was once again flooded when the Seine burst its banks in its hundred-year cycle. Paris and the two World Wars In World War One, Paris was saved from the German offensive by the Battle of the Marne. However, the city could not escape German occupation from 1940 to 1944. The collaborationist State, governed by Marshal Pétain, is based in Vichy. In London, the free France organised its forces led by General de Gaulle.

In 1942, 12,000 Jews were arrested and gathered together at the Vélodrome d’Hiver to be deported. Paris was liberated on 25 August 1944. The following day, General de Gaulle paraded down the Champs-Élysées. The city was saved: the German commander Dietrich von Choltitz, in charge of defence in Paris, disobeyed Hitler’s order to demolish the capital’s historic buildings. From Montparnasse tower to the tram’s comeback… Many tower blocks were built in the city in the 1960s. In May 1968, a student revolution took place around the Sorbonne University (5th arrondissement). In the early 1970s, the Paris ring road, the Montparnasse tower and the Palais des Congrès convention centre were completed. In 1977, Jacques Chirac was elected Mayor of Paris: the first mayor since 1871. Many important buildings continue to flourish: the Opera Bastille, the Grande Arche de la Défense, the Stade de France, etc.

In 2001, the new City Hall team, led by Bertrand Delanoë, took charge of the city. In December 2006, the tramway made a comeback in the south of Paris: the first to be operated in the capital in 69 years! For more information: Paris | Define Paris at Dictionary.com Paris [par-is; for 2 also French pa-ree] /ˈpær ɪs; for 2 also French paˈri/ Spell 2. Ancient Lutetia Parisiorum, Parisii [puh-riz-ee-ahy] /pəˈrɪz iˌaɪ/ (Show IPA). a city in and the capital of France and capital of Ville-de-Paris Department, in the N part, on the Seine. 3. a city in NE Texas. 4. a town in NW Tennessee. 5. Treaty of. a treaty signed in 1763 by France, Spain, and Great Britain that ended the Seven Years' War and the French and Indian War. a treaty signed in 1783 by the United States and Great Britain that ended the American Revolution.

a treaty signed in 1898 by the United States and Spain that ended the Spanish-American War. Paris noun, Classical Mythology. 1. a Trojan prince, son of Priam and Hecuba and brother of Cassandra, who awarded the apple of discord to Aphrodite and was by her help enabled to abduct Helen. Expand a department in N France. 41 sq. mi. (106 sq. km). Capital: Paris. [frans, frahns; French frahns] /fræns, frɑns; French frɑ̃s/ Spell 1. Anatole [a-na-tawl] /a naˈtɔl/ (Show IPA), (Jacques Anatole Thibault) 1844–1924, French novelist and essayist: Nobel Prize 1921. 2. a republic in W Europe. 212,736 sq. mi. (550,985 sq. km). Capital: Paris. Heraldry. fleurs-de-lis or upon azure: a bordure of France.

Examples from the Web for Paris Expand Historical Examples There is such an uneasiness in Paris, that we have actually a run of confidence upon us! British Dictionary definitions for Paris Expand noun 1. the capital of France, in the north on the River Seine: constitutes a department; dates from the 3rd century bc, becoming capital of France in 987; centre of the French Revolution; centres around its original site on an island in the Seine, the Île de la Cité, containing Notre Dame; university (1150). Pop: 2 125 246 (1999) Ancient name Lutetia 2.

Treaty of Paris a treaty of 1783 between the US, Britain, France, and Spain, ending the War of American Independence a treaty of 1763 signed by Britain, France, and Spain that ended their involvement in the Seven Years' War a treaty of 1898 between Spain and the US bringing to an end the Spanish-American War Word Origin via French and Old French, from Late Latin (Lūtētia) Parisiōrum (marshes) of the Parisii, a tribe of Celtic Gaul Paris2 noun 1. (Greek myth) a prince of Troy, whose abduction of Helen from her husband Menelaus started the Trojan War 2. Matthew. ?1200–59, English chronicler, whose principal work is the Chronica Majora France1 noun 1.

a republic in W Europe, between the English Channel, the Mediterranean, and the Atlantic: the largest country wholly in Europe; became a republic in 1793 after the French Revolution and an empire in 1804 under Napoleon; reverted to a monarchy (1815–48), followed by the Second Republic (1848–52), the Second Empire (1852–70), the Third Republic (1870–1940), and the Fourth and Fifth Republics (1946 and 1958); a member of the European Union. It is generally flat or undulating in the north and west and mountainous in the south and east. Official language: French. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: euro. Capital: Paris. Pop: 62 814 233 (2013 est). Area: (including Corsica) 551 600 sq km (212 973 sq miles) related adjectives French Gallic France2 noun 1. Anatole (anatɔl), real name Anatole François Thibault.

1844–1924, French novelist, short-story writer, and critic. His works include Le Crime de Sylvestre Bonnard (1881), L'Île des Pingouins (1908), and La Révolte des anges (1914): Nobel prize for literature 1921 Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for Paris Expand capital of France, from Gallo-Latin Lutetia Parisorum (in Late Latin also Parisii), name of a fortified town of the Gaulish tribe of the Parisii, who had a capital there; literally "Parisian swamps" (cf. Old Irish loth "dirt," Welsh lludedic "muddy, slimy").

The tribal name is of unknown origin, but traditionally derived from a Celtic par "boat" (cf. Greek baris; see barge ), hence the ship on the city's coat of arms. Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper Expand Paris definition A prince of Troy in classical mythology , whose abduction of the Greek queen Helen caused the Trojan War (see Helen of Troy and Judgment of Paris ). Paris (or, according to some stories, Apollo disguised as Paris) killed Achilles by piercing his heel with an arrow. Paris definition Capital of France and the largest city in the country, located in north-central France on the Seine River ; an international cultural and intellectual center, as well as the commercial and industrial focus of France. Note: In the Treaty of Paris (1783), Britain formally acknowledged the independence of the thirteen colonies as the United States. Note: In the 1920s, Paris was home to many artists and writers from the United States and other countries. Note: During World War II , German troops occupied the city from 1940 to 1944.

Note: The city's tourist attractions include the Eiffel Tower , the Louvre Museum, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris . The Champs Élysées is the most famous of its many celebrated streets, avenues, and boulevards. Note: Paris is a center for fashion and design. Note: It is called the “City of Light.” France definition Nation in Europe bordered by Belgium and Luxembourg to the north; Germany , Switzerland , and Italy to the east; the Mediterranean Sea and Spain to the south; and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its capital and largest city is Paris . Note: During the reign of Louis XIV (1653–1715), France was a principal world power and cultural center of Europe. Note: The French Revolution , organized by leaders of the middle class and lower class, brought about an end to the French absolute monarchy and forged a transition from feudalism to the industrial era. A bloody and chaotic period, the Revolution helped lay the foundations of modern political philosophy and ultimately engulfed much of Europe in the Napoleonic Wars.

(See Napoleon Bonaparte .) Note: In the French and Indian War in the 1750s, the British and colonial forces drove the French from Canada and the region of the Great Lakes . Note: In World War I , France was one of the Allies ; much of that war was fought on French soil. Note: In World War II , France's military resistance to the German army collapsed in the spring of 1940. Germans occupied much of France from 1940 to 1944. In 1944, the Allies invaded France, along with French troops, and drove the Germans out of France, finally defeating them in 1945. Note: France is known for its wine, cheese, and cooking. The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. francofiles Paris City of Light Ville Lumiere The “Le ft Bank” and the “Right Bank”. Which one is which?

The Left and Right banks are determined by the way the river flows to the sea, so you have to face the direction of the flow. When you do this, you will discover the Left Bank is on your left! Rive Gauche means the Left bank and Rive Droite means Right bank. On the map and picture above, the river flows from East to West. Thus La Tour Eiffel is on the Left Bank, (rive gauche) and Le Louvre on the Right Bank (rive droite). Traditionally, the Left Bank (rive gauche) was the cheaper, student area, while the Right Bank (rive droite) was larger, and housed the more affluent. These days, the differences between the two are much less marked. The Right Bank houses more of the tourist attractions. It contains 14 arrondissements against 6 on the Left Bank. How many peopl e live in Paris? During the peak of the Roman Occupation, 80,000 - a very big city for that time!

After the Romans left, during the Viking invasions, just before Hugh Capet made it the capital in 1,000AD, about 30,000 (it was no longer a desirable place to be!) In the 1300's, the population reached 250,000; however, about 20% died during the time of the Black Death. By 1835, the population had reached one million. By 1885, the city's inhabitants numbered three million! Paris was a boom city due to its make-over by Baron Haussmann, its many Great Exhibitions, attractions like the Eiffel Tower, its shops and its theatres and café concerts like the Moulin Rouge. From the early twentieth century, people began to move out of the city; and the First and Second World Wars continued the population decline. Now, the population of the city is about 2.2million, and the immediate urban area around Paris has about 10 million inhabitants. Why is Paris called the City of Light? Paris is known as the City of Light. How did it get this nickname? There seems to be two reasons.

During the Age of Enlightenment in the Eighteenth century it became a centre of education, learning and philosophy. So it was seen as an "enlightened" place to be. In the nineteenth century, Paris was one of the first cities to adopt street lighting, gas lamps in the Champs Elysées in 1829 and electric lights for its Great Exhibition of 1889. So it really was a city of light among all the other cities that were still in the dark! Having the city lit at night was a great innovation. It meant that people were now able to undertake leisure activities after dark. It made the streets safer. Instead of staying at home, people began to use the time after night fell in a productive way. The Expo stayed open until midnight. It marked the beginning of modern urban life. This picture shows how the top of the Eiffel Tower looked for the 1889 Expo, which really showed the ordinary person how useful electricity could be. Electric lights were used to illuminate not only the Eiffel Tower, but also bridges, parks and pavilions. A Little History of Paris. V ery early Paris - Lutetia The ancient name for France is Gaul.

More than two thousand years ago, a tribe of Gauls called the Parisii settled on two little islands in the Seine in what is now the centre of Paris and founded a little fishing village. We know this area today as the Ile de la Cité, and it is where Notre Dame is located. The Romans, led by Julius Caesar, conquered the area in 52BC, They made the Parisii fishing settlement into a regional centre and called it "Lutetia" (or Lutèce in French.) They also created a a suburb on the Left Bank in the “Latin Quarter”. Today you can visit the Musée de Cluny and see the remains of a Roman bathhouse and its "frigidarium" or cold bath. You can also see many Roman artefacts including fishing and trading canoes in the Musée Carnavalet (or Museum of Paris). Paris of the Middle Ages During the 5th to 10th centuries Paris must have been a dangerous place to live. Its residents had to endure fires, continuous Viking raids, and seiges. King Clovis renamed the Roman Lutetia, Paris, after the tribes who originally lived there and made the city his capital.

It became the capital of France just before the year 1000 when Hugh Capet, the Count of Paris, became the King of France. The Ile de la Cité gradually became too small for the city, as the number of its inhabitants grew, and its area expanded on both sides of the river. The original centre, on the islands, was the government and religious centre, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris was begun just after 1100. The Left Bank became the centre for learning, and it was here that in the 13th century, the Sorbonne University was founded, one of the earliest Universities in the world. The marshes on the Right Bank were drained and the land was reclaimed. The centre for commerce and finance was located there. Today, this area is still called "Les Marais" which means "marshes" in French. About this time, the Louvre was built, as a fortress by the River Seine. By the 15th Century, Paris had become one of the major cities in Europe. Paris of the 19th century Paris as we know it today was created by Baron Haussmann during the mid-nineteenth century.

He decided that the slum areas of the city needed to be removed so that the city could be modernised. Baron Haussmann deliberately destroyed the old houses and slums dating back to the middle ages. He had a vision that the Arc de Triomphe should be focus point for his new, modern city. Consequently he designed twelve main avenues to radiate outwards from the Arc. He called the square "Place de l'étoile" which means "Star Square." On the right is a diagram of the the avenues that surround the Arc de Triomphe in the 8th arrondissement. Today we know this as "Place Charles de Gaulle." The Avenue des Champs Elysées is the best known street in the world. The Avenue de la Grande Armée is the widest road in all Paris! Source: lebrunf9.free.fr The Gallic heroes, Asterix and Obelix had adventures in Lutèce. Here is a drawing from one of their stories to show what the settlement would have looked like. Even in those days, there may have been bridges across from the Right and Left Banks. Notre Dame de Paris took over 200 hundred years to build.

It fell into disuse during the Revolution and was saved by a campaign led by author Victor Hugo in his book, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". A peaceful inner court in Les Marais. The famous pyramid at Le Louvre Twelve grand avenues radiate outwards from the Arc de Triomphe to create a visual focus point from many parts of Paris.

Question: What was the Roman name for the city of Paris?
Answer: Lutetia