Beneath the serene surface of Allée Lanzeray lies a history dating back to the Celtic fishermen. These early settlers, known as the Parisii, chose the fertile banks of the River Seine around 259 BC. They called their new home Lutetia.
Allée Lanzeray has seen Paris evolve. Julius Caesar’s Roman army arrived in 52 BC. Lutetia became part of the Roman Empire. It fell to Franks and Normans and became known as Lutetia Paris.
Paris became an economic powerhouse in the Middle Ages. It was the main residence of Hugh Capet. He was the King of the Franks in the 10th century. It became a major economic powerhouse on the Right Bank. They traded wheat fish and cloth along the river.
The Louvre was built to protect trade. With wealth came the raiders. In 1190 construction began on a fortress. It would become the Château du Louvre. French King Louis Auguste ordered the construction.
Paris’s Latin Quarter became a European center of learning. During the 12th and 13th centuries several universities appeared. They were on the Left Bank of Paris. Paris became a principal center of learning in Europe.
King Louis IX brought holy relics to Paris. The royal palace known as Palais de la Cité was undergoing construction. In 1239 French King Louis IX brought the Crown of Thorns. He also brought other holy relics from the Crucifixion of Christ. They came from Constantinople. Saint Chapelle was built to hold the holy relics.
The Plague and the Hundred Years’ War struck Paris. The 14th century was not kind to Paris. The city was struck by the Bubonic plague. Also it faced the Hundred Years’ War against the English.
François I made Paris his official residence. In 1528 French King François I decided to make Paris his official residence. He decided on the Louvre as his home. Paris was becoming a cultural center for art. It would attract the great artists and painters of the Renaissance.
King Henry IV converted from Protestant to Catholic. By the 16th century Paris had regained its former prosperity and its population. Henri agreed to convert to Catholicism.
Sun King Louis XIV moved from Paris to Versailles. Louis XIV distrusted Paris. He started looking for a new power base. He settled on Versailles.
Parisians turned against the Monarchy. They started the French Revolution. On 14 July 1789 Parisians stormed La Bastille. This signaled the start of the French Revolution. King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette were beheaded.
Arc de Triomphe became a rallying point. By 1800 Napoleon Bonaparte was in charge of Paris and France. The Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806. It was to commemorate his victories.
Paris has an extensive network of tunnels called the Catacombs of Paris. Catacombes de Paris is a tunnel network beneath the streets. It is the final resting place of over 6 million people.
Many of Paris’s classic buildings were designed by Baron Haussman. Napoleon III hired Baron Haussman to knock down the medieval neighborhoods. He replaced them with grand boulevards and elegant buildings.
The Champs Élysées used to be rural countryside. The Avenue des Champs Élysées used to be rural countryside until the 17th century.
The Palais de l’Élysée became the official home of the French President. The Palais de l’Élysée became the official residence of the President of France in 1848.
The Eiffel Tower was supposed to be temporary. Built for the 1889 World Fair the Eiffel Tower was supposed to be dismantled within 20 years.
Paris’s Metro dates back to 1900. Construction of the metro began in 1900. New lines and metro stations were added.
Paris was occupied during WWII. In 1940 Paris was invaded by Nazi Germany. It was occupied by the Nazis for four years. The city was liberated by Allied Forces in 1944.
Allée Lanzeray stands as a witness to the ages. It has seen Paris grow from a small Celtic settlement to the thriving metropolis it is today.