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The nickname "The City of Light" traces its roots back to the Enlightenment era, a period in European history marked by the flourishing of arts, philosophy, and science. In the 18th century, Paris was the intellectual hub of Europe, attracting brilliant minds such as Voltaire, Rousseau, and Diderot. This era of intense creativity and ...
In the 18th century, Paris was the centre of the intellectual ferment known as the Enlightenment, and the main stage of the French Revolution from 1789, which is remembered every year on the 14th of July with a military parade. In the 19th century, Napoleon embellished the city with monuments to military glory.
Jan 19, 2024 · To understand how Paris got its name, we must travel back to ancient times when the city was known as Lutetia Parisiorum. The name “Lutetia” is of Roman origin and dates back to the 1st century BC when the Romans conquered the territory that is now France.
Paris, sometimes referred to as the "City of Love," the "City of Light," or even "Paname," is adorned with diverse nicknames. But what is their origin? City of Light: Let's begin with one of the most famous nicknames of Paris: the City of Light. Beyond merely referencing our sparkling Eiffel Tower or the international prominence of Paris, our beautiful city is simply called the "City of Light ...
- The Original Settlement in Paris Dates Back to 8000 BC.
- Paris Is Named After The Parisii, A Celtic Tribe.
- When The Romans Conquered Paris, It Became Lutetia.
- Saint Genevieve Became Its Protectrice.
- Paris Becomes A Cultural Capital Under Clovis, The First King of The Franks.
- There Were Ancient Walls Surrounding The City.
- King Charlemagne Prefers Aix-la-Chapelle.
- Paris Becomes An Economic Powerhouse in The Middle Ages.
- The Château Du Louvre Is Built to Protect Trade.
- Paris’s Latin Quarter Becomes A European Center of Learning.
Archeologists have found the oldest hunter-gatherer settlement in Paris dating back to 8000 BC, in the 15th arrondissementon the Left Bank. There are also traces of other settlements from 4000 BC that are today on display at the Carnavalet Museumin Paris.
During the Iron age between 250 and 225 BC, a sub-tribe of the Celtic Gauls, called the Parisiisettled on the banks of the Seine. They began to build a type of walled fort called an oppidum in the 2nd century BC, in the area. It is not entirely clear if this fort was in Île de la Cité, which is the historic center of Paris, or in nearby Nanterrewhi...
In 58 BC, Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire conquered the region. They changed the name of Paris to Lutetia, building a city on banks of the river Seine, in what is today Ile de la Cité. It was not the biggest city in Roman times, that honor went to Lyon, which was then the capital called Lugdunum. At the time, Paris was rather unimportant, behind...
By the 5th century, Roman empire was gradually decreasing in influence due to the increasing Frankish invasions (a Germanic tribe). At the time, lived an ordinary woman from Nanterre, called Genevieve who saw God and became a nun at 15. She would slowly become renownedfor her piety and her visions. In 451 AD, the city was threatened by the army of ...
Clovis I was the first king of the Franks to unite all of the Frankish tribes under one ruler in 481 AD. He conquered the nearby Kingdom of Soissons, which was previously a capital. Clovis ensured that the monarchy was passed down to his heirs, as part of the Merovingian dynastyin France. Legend has it that Mary Magdalene had arrived in Provence, b...
Paris used to be surrounded by city walls that gradually expanded (as per the map above). You can see where the borders of Paris used to be in the street names, which have the word “faubourg” in it. It is an indication that the area used to be outside of Paris city walls. Today Paris is not surrounded by walls, but a giant highway. Perhaps one of t...
By the 8th century, it is King Charlemagne on the throne, expanding his kingdom east to include Alsaceand the area that is now Germany. Paris is no longer as central and loses its importance as the capital is moved to Aix-la-Chapelle (today in German territory known as “Aachen”). However, Charlemagne’s sons would begin squabbling after his death, a...
It became the main residence of Hugh Capet, King of the Franksin the 10th century, becoming a major economic powerhouse on the Right Bank, with the trade of wheat, fish and cloth along the river. A large market was founded in 1110 called the Marché les Halles in the center of what is today the 1st arrondissement of Paris. (The food market has now b...
With wealth came the raiders, and in 1190 construction began on a fortress that would become the Château du Louvreunder French King Louis Auguste. The fortress was intended to defend against one of the traditional routes taken during invasions and raids since the time of the Vikings. Its location on the Right bank of the Seine river was across from...
During the 12th and 13th centuries, several universities popped up on the Left Bank of Paris, including the University of Paris (Sorbonne). Paris became one of the principal centers of learning in Europe with students and scholars coming to the city from England, Germany and Italy to teach and be taught. The area became known as the Latin Quarter, ...
Jun 4, 2016 · June 4, 2016. During the second half of the 19th century, the French emperor Napoleon III assigned the prefect Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann to modernize Paris. In addition to razing crooked ...
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Oct 7, 2019 · The real reason for the city’s name actually stems from the mid-17th century, when Louis XIV, otherwise known as Louis the Great (Louis le Grand) or the Sun King (Roi Soleil), was on the throne. After a prolonged period of war and domestic civil strife, the king was committed to restoring the public’s faith in law and order. On March 15 ...
