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Highlights
· Terrible damage caused by the Commune uprising in 1871
· Photos of Notre Dame
· Pompidou Centre – love it or hate it?
· Jewish quarter
· Cake and coffee shopping
Today
The Mairie is a majestic building just off the rue Rivoli and a stone’s throw away from the River Seine, so is pretty central to most tourist’s activities. To some extent, its architecture is eclipsed by the Hôtel de Ville just a block away with its grand square, turrets and figures in history, but make sure you see both buildings, as for a couple of reasons, you are very lucky to be seeing them at all!! Both buildings were heavily shelled during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 when Paris was under siege. As if this wasn’t bad enough, their ruins in a sorry state of repair were then set on fire by the mad, female ‘Petroloises’ in the Commune uprising of 1871. Not much was left of either building, but with determination, the new authorities at the start of the Belle Époque set about restoring them both to their former glory. For the town hall, this activity wasn’t completed until
1884, and administration of the 4th could resume properly.
For those wanting to know more about these terrible events, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%!C(MISSING)3%!B(MISSING)4tel_de_Ville,_Paris
Whilst we’re on the subject of splendid buildings, I have to mention Notre Dame, of course. It’s hard to say anything more about it as it is one of the great tourist attractions in Paris, and has been written about hugely: I simply couldn’t do it justice. So, my best comment is to show you a series of pictures taken from all angles and times of day, including an unusual one in twilight on a clear winter’s evening.
With less history, but at the same time subject to much more controversy - is the Pompidou Centre. Designed by Renzo Piano of Italy and Richard Rodgers of Lloyds of London fame, you will either love it or hate it. Just like Lloyds of London, all utilities and services are handily and very efficiently placed on the outside of the building, thus promoting the space inside for maximum use. But, it makes for a rather strange looking building.
Visit the official website to learn more about the building and its exhibitions:
https://www.centrepompidou.fr/en I hope
Twilight Splendour
Notre Dame from the SWyou agree that my pictures show off its colour and innovative design. I like it, but almost everybody else I know hates it. What do you think? Post your comments on this blog site, please!
The 4th is the site of the Marais (swamp in French) and is home to the old Jewish quarter, centred around rue des Rosiers. Its narrow cobbled streets are a far cry from the huge, grand boulevards designed by Haussmann, featured very much in other arrondissements that I have written about on this blog. But, note that this part of the 4th has some very dark recent history - for the roundup of the Jews in July 1941 during WWII took place efficiently and effectively as most Parisians turned a blind eye to what was going on. The empty streets of the Marais, where only the jack boots on the cobbled stones made any noise in an area notorious for its over-population and commotion were an obvious signal to anybody that something terrible was happening!
Today, the area is lively once again and has several traditional Jewish shops and businesses, including Sacha Finkelsztajn’s super cake shop, (father and son since 1946 - see
Time Exposure at Night
Notre Dame from the SW photo). Nearby, is the beautiful place des Vosges, saved from dereliction as little as 40 years ago!
Bordering the River Seine at #52, rue Hôtel de Ville is Cafeoteque, the finest coffee emporium in the city - try the Guatemalan medium roast, and visit:
http://www.lacafeotheque.com/index.php?langsite=en
Happy slurping!!
Finally, make sure you get a ride on the Bat-o-Bus. It's great value for money at 19 euros for 2 days, and you can use it all day.
History
The current Mairie of the 4th was built between 1866 and 1868 by Antoine-Nicolas Bailly. The Prefect Baron von Haussmann had instructed the architect to prepare a report on the town halls of Paris. Following this report, this design was supposed to serve as a model for all the remaining town hall buildings. But, three years after its completion unfortunately it was burned by the Commune revolutionaries in 1871, (as I already mentioned above). Following the repression of this movement, (i.e. 2,000 rebels shot without trial - see my blog of the 13th), the town hall wasn’t fully restored until 1884 and only then did it find its original functions again. Consisting of four buildings of neo-Renaissance style,
Big Tourist Attraction
Notre Dame from the South it forms an irregular trapezoid, defined by the streets and avenues surrounding it and is organized around a central courtyard.
Today, after several changes, several floors are divided up as follows:
A ground floor with a staircase between two passages leading to, on the first floor, home services, the magistrate’s court, an exhibition hall, and part of social services (CASVP);
The second floor is home to the Ceremonial Hall, the Hall of Marriages and the offices of the Mayor and his elected officials;
On the third floor, can be found some service departments for the benefit of the population outside of the 4th arrondissement, such as general school funds, or Social Services for the whole of Paris;
On the fourth floor are the offices of the Directorate General of services, and the housing department;
Finally, a basement level houses the technical installations, archives and of course, given its bellicose history, an air raid shelter.
The frontage is built in a neo-classical style, favoured by Haussmann and the main entrance leads to one of Bailly’s specially designed staircases. In the middle of the stairs, you will find the symbolic face of the French Republic:
Marianne. This female figure represents the values of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, that well known French maxim.
Her scarf is etched with three founding dates for the three successive French Republics:
· 1789: start of French Revolution Announcing the First Republic (actually created in 1792);
· 1848: creation of the Second Republic, after a revolution which finally overthrew the monarchy;
· 1870: the dictator Emperor Napoleon III was captured, exiled and the Republicans regained power. (The Third Republic was actually introduced in 1875.)
These dates are the symbol of victory of the Republican political regime over imperialism and monarchy. Since 1870, the republican regime has never been seriously questioned, although the riots and political unrest of 1968 came close to it in more recent times.
At the top of the stairs, you can see the emblems of the city of Paris engraved in the ceiling. On this shield is the representation of a silver boat. It embodies the ‘Scilicet’, a symbolic merchant vessel of water that managed the municipality in the Middle Ages. I was told by one of my teachers at the Institut de Catholique that this is now Paris' adopted emblem - 'il
flotte toujours': it floats whatever happens, and in the face of the current economic crisis, 'La Crise', it's probably just as well! But, moving on: between each coat of arms on the ceiling are the names of the four quarters under the authority of the mayor of the 4th: Arsenal, Notre Dame, St. Gervais, Saint-Merri.
The two main rooms of the hall are decorated with allegorical paintings. In the Wedding Hall, the pictures are by Fernand Cormon (1845-1924) and his themes are of social welfare, education, and marriage, but of course.
For those of you wanting to know more about the workings of the 4th arrondissement, visit the French website:
http://www.mairie4.paris.fr/mairie04/jsp/site/Portal.jsp
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Heather
non-member comment
I really enjoyed your Paris post. I've been to Europe many times, but not France yet, so I enjoyed getting a taste of what it's like, from your detailed account. My blog is looking for travel photos, reviews, etc, to share. If you have the time, check it out at dirty-hippies.blogspot.com, or email us at dirtyhippiesblog@gmail.com. Continued fun on you travels! Heather :)