Paradisaical Paris

The great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright said: “A doctor can bury his mistakes, but an architect can only advise his clients to plant vines.”

The former part of the quote is slightly chilling, but no matter; this article is not concerned with incompetent practitioners. In fact, it’s not concerned with incompetent architects either; it’s concerned with the architecture of Paris, and suffice to say there aren’t too many vines hanging about the French capital.

If we assume that the people are the soul of a place and that the buildings are the body, then Paris is the architectural equivalent of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie amalgamated into some androgynous being that transcends all before-known degrees of hotness. It is an absolute corker, to put it bluntly.

How it got to look the way it did is quite an interesting tale, if a little long, so we’ve kindly condensed everything down into perfectly manageable portions, complete with buildings from different ages* that you should visit.

*All date brackets are approximate and architectural styles inevitably overlap by varying degrees

Roman Paris (50 – 500 AD)

Paris began life about 2,000 years ago as a Roman settlement called Lutetia. The Romans, who were light-years ahead of their time, devised a grid layout and used concrete for their buildings. Alas, their empire collapsed in the fifth century and with it went most of Lutetia. By the start of the Middle Ages, which were largely populated with people light-years behind their time, the city was unrecognisable from its former glory. The grid system had mutated into a tangled web and the concrete had been replaced with wood and straw. It all worked out for the best eventually, of course, but precious little remains nowadays to suggest Paris’s not-so-humble beginnings.

Look out for…

Rue Saint-Jacques, a straight road that slices through the centre of the city and which follows the exact same line of an old Roman road.

Later Medieval Paris (900 – 1500)

As the Middle Ages progressed, the Parisians began to up their game a bit. They began constructing religious buildings from stone (unlike the secular counterparts) and as such some have survived to the present day. The Romanesque style, so called because it bore some resemblance to Roman architecture, became prevalent in the 10^th Century, and this was followed by the Gothic style, which was characterised by pointed arches, cross vaults, flying buttresses and sharply pointed spires. Another important development in this period was the emergence of Hôtels, built to house the aristocracy. This marked the turning point whereby architects were, for the first time since the Romans, becoming heavily involved in the general design and layout of the city.

Look out for…

Saint-Germain-des-Pres Church, one of the oldest and best preserved Romanesque churches in the city, and Notre Dame, an exquisite example of the Gothic style and one of the most beautiful churches in the world.

Renaissance Paris (1500 – 1600)

The Renaissance was a cultural movement that began in Italy in the 14^th Century and gradually spread across the whole of Europe over the next 300 years. It came to Paris just after the turn of the 16^th Century with the enthronement of Francis I, who was an avid believer in the new ideals, which came from a renewed interest in the Classical civilisations of Greece and Rome. The Renaissance was humanistic at heart, and this showed clearly in the new style of architecture, which can be seen as a reflection of the human form: the solid base (often arcaded) as the feet, the graceful middle as the body and the short and steep roof-peak as the hat.

Look out for…

Place des Vosges, a magnificent square surrounded with symmetrical townhouses built in the Renaissance style, and the neighbourhoods of the Latin Quarter, which have been built in the same style.

Baroque and Rococo Paris (1600 – 1750)

This is a hugely significant period in the history of Parisian architecture as it is when the city began to develop its own unique style. The classical influence remained, but more as a foundation for novel approaches than a defining element. There was an emphasis on grand floor plans and strict symmetry, which reflected the harmonious and restrained nature of the earlier Renaissance fashion, but to supplement this, architects were successfully experimenting with more exuberant and ornate styles. Rococo (which was hot on the heels of Baroque) in particular was a decidedly more playful and creative approach, to the extent of entire rooms being designed as works of art in their own right.

Look out for…

Les Invalides, a complex of buildings most recognisable (in an architectural sense) for its enormous dome, which was directly inspired by St Peter’s in Rome. But alongside the obvious Classical influence are lashings of Baroque and Rococo in the form of decorative windows and doorways.

Neo-Classical Paris (1750 – 1850)

Neo-classicism sprung up following a renewed interest in Greek and Roman architectural theories (which in part was spurred by the recent rediscoveries of Pompeii and Herculaneum), and acted as a kind of backlash to the preceding styles of Baroque and Rococo, which were dominated by emotion rather than practicality. As such, the new style was intensely logical and devoid of decorative elements, which were deemed unnecessary. Although the new form began during the doomed reign of Louis XVI, it continued even after his execution, as revolutionaries could strongly relate to Athens because it was the birthplace of democracy, which was their ultimate aim, meaning its architecture remained highly relevant in their eyes.

Look out for…

The Pantheon (named after the Roman Pantheon) is one of the earliest and best examples of Neo-Classical architecture

Haussmann Paris (1850 – 1870)

Opinion on Baron Haussmann is divided: he is either the man who ruined Old Paris, or the man who created New Paris. He was employed by Emperor Napoleon III (who had been heavily seduced by the urban fabric of London) and tasked with regenerating a city that by this point was in serious danger of sprawling, with a population of over a million and 80% of homes lacking basic facilities. Haussmann’s impact was remarkable. Within just 20 years he renovated Paris: the style of his apartment blocks are now the Parisian norm, his sewage system still works and his reorganisation of the road system is lauded to this day.

Look out for…

The Town Hall, a strikingly handsome edifice, which was commissioned by Baron Haussmann, in the 13^th arrondissement

Art Nouveau Paris (1870 – 1920)

A brief but glorious spell of Art Nouveau (‘new art’) flashed up at the turn of century, with architects becoming inspired by the massively increased availability of very strong materials such as iron and steel, due to the burgeoning Industrial Revolution. They sought to turn the status quo inside out, quite literally, by designing buildings that were supported from the outside, which meant it was both possible to see how they were put together and also to free up massive amounts more room in the interior. On a decorative note, Art Nouveau is characterised by swirling lines and an absence of corners; essentially it is supposed to reflect nature.

Look out for…

The entrances to Metro stations, which, with their steel frames wrought into twists and curves and their universal green paintjobs reflecting plant-life, are classic examples of Art Nouveau.

Art Deco, Post War and Contemporary Paris (1920 – 2012)

Art Deco became fashionable in the period between the two World Wars. Architects tried to imitate the optimism and freedom of the age with angular shapes which were intended to reflect the new cruise liners that were ferrying people about the place. After the Second World War and through to the 1970s Parisian architecture took a turn for the worse, and it’s probably best if we leave that dismal period where it is. But from 1980 to the present, the French capital was fortunate enough to have Francis Mitterrand watching over it. President from 1981 – 1995 he initiated some radical new projects that, despite early concerns, are now among the most celebrated and iconic architectural symbols of Paris.

Look out for…

The Palais de Tokyo, an Art Deco structure that houses a modern art gallery, and the glass pyramid outside the Louvre, one of the shiny new symbols of Mitterrand’s influence.

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For any more information on this great city, come and visit us at My Destination Paris for a comprehensive guide written by local experts on the ground

Will Jones, My Destination Paris
January 2012