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| PARIS
HOMEPAGE » NOTRE DAME AREA » WHAT TO SEE |
THE CENTER OF LE MARAIS
The heart of this charming district..shopping in the Marais is a
complete aesthetic experience: boutiques of all colors and flavours
pop out along medieval streets and among tree-shaded cafés.
What the Marais does best is independent designer shops selling
truly unique creations, as well as vintage stores. |
ILE DE LA CITÉ – ILE ST-LOUIS
Ile de la Cité - Notre Dame |
The Ile de la Cité is the cradle of Parisian civilization.
It was here that the Parisii tribe lived; the Romans, led by Caesar's
lieutenant Labenius, conquered the Parisii in 52 AD and set up camp.
The city was given the name Lutecia, from the Latin lutum meaning
"mud". During the barbarian invasion, Lutecia's inhabitants,
galvanized by the young Sainte Geneviève, took refuge on
the easily defended Ile de la Cité. Clovis, king of the Francs
and defeater of the Romans, made the island his capital. It stayed
the area's center of activity throughout the Middle ages.
In the 9th century, the Norman invasions subjected Paris to repeated
Viking attacks. One such attack in 885 met with the resistance led
by Count Eudes, later king; once again, the defeat was organized
on the island.
The Ile St-Louis was originally two smaller islands: the Ile aux
Vaches (Island of the Cows), originally nothing but pasture; and
the Ile Notre-Dame, site of judicial duels during the Middle Ages.
It wasn't until the 17th century that the 2 islands were united.
The work was done by Marie, a general contractor, and his 2 sponsors,
Le Regrattier and Poulettier. After the construction, lords and
financiers built their homes here. As a result, the Ile St-Louis
remains a lovely place to walk around and admire the mansions, still
standing. |
NOTRE DAME DE PARIS
Notre Dame de Paris |
Proceeded by a Gallo-Roman temple to Jupiter, a Christian basilica,
and a Romanesque church, construction of Notre-Dame de Paris began
in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII. Pope Alexander III laid the
foundation stone. The idea to replace the Romanesque church occupying
the site - the Cathedral of St. Etienne (founded by Childebert in
528) - was that of Bishop Maurice de Sully (who died in 1196). (Some
accounts claim that there were two churches existing on the site,
one to the Virgin Mary, the other to St. Stephen.) Construction
was completed roughly 200 years later in about 1345.
The choir was completed in 1182; the nave in 1208, and the west
front and towers circa 1225-1250. A series of chapels were added
to the nave during the period 1235-50, and during 1296-1330 to the
apse (Pierre de Chelles and Jean Ravy). The transept crossings were
build in 1250-67 by Jean de Chelles and Pierre de Montreuil (also
the architect of the Sainte-Chapelle). It was essentially completed
according to the original plans.
The reigns of Louis XIV (end of the 17th century) and Louis XV saw
significant alterations including the destruction of tombs, and
stained glass. At the end of the 18th century, during the Revolution,
many of the treasures of the cathedral were either destroyed or
plundered. Only the great bells avoided being melted down, and the
Cathedral was dedicated first to the cult of Reason, and to the
cult of the Supreme being. The church interior was used as a warehouse
for the storage of forage and food.
After falling into disrepair, a restoration program overseen by
Lassus (died 1857) and Viollet-le-Duc, was carried out in 1845.
This program lasted 23 years, and included the construction of the
spire and the sacristy.
During the Commune of 1871, the Cathedral was nearly burned by the
Communards - and some accounts suggest that indeed a huge mound
of chairs was set on fire in its interior. Whatever happened, the
Notre Dame survived the Commune essentially unscathed. |
HÔTEL DIEU
Steps away from the Notre-Dame, smack in the heart of tourist-filled,
car-clogged Paris, lies a cool and serene heaven, known only to
a few visitors, although it's well-known to most Parisians…a
hospital!
The Hôtel Dieu, right across from Paris' most famous cathedral,
holds secrets of the kind that tourists cherish, once stumbled upon.
As the oldest hospital in Paris, the history of the Hôtel
Dieu is steeped in legend. The Roman Emperor Julien II is said to
have built a residence over the remains of a Druid temple. Centuries
later, around 651, Saint Landry, the 28th Bishop of Paris, built
a hospital at or near this site.
Ironically, the hospital was originally built to confine rather
than to cure the sick. Guards were posted at its gates to keep those
inside from getting out and infecting the city. During the French
Revolution, it was the hospital's proximity to Notre-Dame that saved
the cathedral from being burned to the ground by the communards
who feared the fire would endanger their hospitalized wounded comrades.
Having survived fires, revolutions, wars, and numerous reconstructions,
the hospital today offers state-of-the-art medical services. Although
the hospital takes up a city block, most tourists aren't even aware
of it.
Once inside the reception area, turn right and follow the hallway
to an open courtyard where you'll find beautifully tended gardens
that invite you to sit and rest body and spirit. Open during regular
hospital hours, the gardens are a cool and fragrant surprise at
any time of the year. |
HÔTEL DE VILLE
Hôtel de Ville |
The Hôtel de Ville is the center of political Paris. Like
Paris, it has had a turbulent history.
Until 1141 when water merchants created the port de Grève
(Shore Harbour) to relieve Paris's busy port, the site was merely
a shingle beach. The square near the harbour was known as the 'place
de Grève'.
In 1246 the first municipality was created when the Parisian trade
guilds elected aldermen as representatives towards the King. It
wasn't until 1357 when one of the Aldermen, a water merchant, bought
a house near the place de Grève. The two-storied building
featured two towers and arcades. Known as the House of Pillars,
it served as the predecessor of the city hall. A new Hôtel
de Ville in Renaissance style was built between 1553 and 1628. It
was enlarged in 1803 and again in 1837.
A revolting Commune which had occupied the Hôtel de Ville
for months set the building on fire in May 1771, destroying the
valuable city archives. Shortly after the Commune was defeated by
royalist forces, the city government held a competition for a new
city hall. The architects Théodore Ballu and Edouard Deperthes
won this competition with their proposition to reconstruct the Hôtel
de Ville in its original style. Funded by a national subscription
the construction started in 1873. Nine years later, the new Hôtel
de Ville was officially inaugurated.
The building is decorated with 108 statues, representing famous
Parisians. 30 Other statues represent French cities. The clock at
the central tower is adorned with several feminine sculptures representing
the Seine River, The city of Paris, 'Work' and 'Education'.
The interior of the city hall is decorated in a pompous IIIe Empire
style. Noteworthy are the large staircase, the long Salle des Fêtes
(ballroom), the painted ceilings and walls, the stained glass windows
and the
numerous chandeliers. From 1310 on, the Place de Grève was
the square were most of the executions in Paris took place. Here
people were beheaded, quartered, cooked up or burned at the stake.
In 1792, a guillotine was installed. It would prove itself useful
during the French Revolution. The last execution took place in 1830,
after which the square was renamed Place de l'Hôtel de Ville.
It was enlarged by Haussmann to its current size. |
CENTRE POMPIDOU – BEAUBOURG
Centre Pompidou |
One of the most visible examples of renovations in the 4th arrondissement
is the Centre Pompidou, the ultra-modern exhibition, performance
and research space considered alternately an innovation and an eyesore.
Dominating Beaubourg, a former slum quarter whose high rate of tuberculosis
earned it classification as an “ilot insalubre” (unhealthy
block) in the 1930s the Pompidou shocked Parisians when it opened
in 1977 and continues to be the subject of aesthetic debate today.
Its architects, one of them is the famous Renzo Piano, designed
a building whose colour-coded electrical tubes (yellow), water pipes
(green) and ventilation ducts (blue) line its exterior. Today, the
building and its Musée National d’Art Moderne, attract
more then 20.000 visitors per day. In fact, more people visit the
Pompidou then visit the Louvre. |
VILLAGE ST-PAUL
The Village St-Paul was created when this area was renovated and
is a maze of courtyards on different levels, entirely occupied by
galleries, libraries, antique boutiques and a few cafes where loitering
is a delight. It's like a village in the middle of Paris, located
between the quai des Celestins, rue St.Paul and rue Charlemagne,
protected from the outside by houses surrounding the village. The
shops and dealers display their goods in cute interior courtyards.
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PLACE DE LA BASTILLE
The Colonne de Juillet dominates la Place de la Bastille
like a statue of Liberty. It marks the site of the prison known
as the Bastille which was stormed by the Mob in 1789 at the start
of the French Revolution. In 1831, King Louis-Philippe laid the
cornerstone for the July Column to commemorate Republicans who died
during the revolution. Emblazoned names commemorate the 504 martyrs
of 1830 buried inside, along with, strangely enough, two mummified
Egyptian pharaons. In the subway station beneath the square, stones
from the Bastille's foundation can still be seen. This square is
also home to the Opéra Bastille . |
PLACE DES VOSGES
Place des Vosges |
The Place des Vosges, the oldest square in Paris is one of the most
beautiful squares in the world.
Its history goes back to 1604 when King Henri IV built a Royal pavilion
at the southern end of the square.
The King ordered all 35 other buildings bordering the square to
follow the same design. The result, an early example of urban planning,
is a symmetrical square surrounded by buildings with red brick and
white stone facades, steep slate roofs and dorm windows, all constructed
over arcades.
The square was officially inaugurated in 1612 as the 'Place Royale'.
At that time merely a lawn, it was a favourite place for duels.
In 1639 Richelieu had an equestrian statue of King Louis XIII erected
at the center of the square. It was destroyed during the French
Revolution but a new statue of King Louis XIII was installed in
1825.
In 1800 Napoleon changed the name of the square from 'Place Royale'
to 'Place des Vosges' to show his gratitude towards the Vosges department,
the first department in France to pay taxes. It was again renamed
Place Royale in 1815, only to be changed yet again into 'Place des
Vosges' in 1870. You can visit the rooms where Victor Hugo wrote
most of 'Les Misérables'. On display are souvenirs, drawings
and books, all in chronological order, from his childhood to his
exile between 1852 and 1870. The Place des Vosges is now a peaceful
place, a nice central park surrounded by arcades with shops and
cafes. |
HÔTEL DE SULLY – CAISSE NATIONALE DES MONUMENTS HISTORIQUES
Hôtel de Sully |
The Hôtel de Sully was built in 1624 and acquired by the Duc
de Sully , minister of Henri IV. The inner courtyard offers fatigued
tourists benches and a formal garden. On the side of the hotel,
is the Centre d’Information des Monuments Nationaux, which
distributes free maps and brochures on monuments and museums.
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