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History of Paris |
| Date Added: Oct 30, 2008 |
| Author: |
| Category: Travel & Tourism |
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So, you’re headed to the City of Lights and could use a little history of Paris. Truthfully, that could take up many volumes of books and many years to read and digest. Paris has been around for 2,500 years! Let’s just try to get down the basics, that way you can have a working knowledge of the history of Paris, and make your trip all that more meaningful and interesting.
The history of Paris began around the fourth millennium BC by a tribe of Celts called Parisii and was established as a fishing village. Not too hard to figure out where the name came from, right? Paris was prosperous, as it had control of the Seine River giving it dominance over shipping and fishing. Eventually, the Celts were overtaken by the Romans who completely Romanized the city and region and named it Lutetia, a name it held until re-named Paris in 212 BC. For centuries, the city was a battleground between the Romans and local tribes trying to regain power. During this time battles with barbarian invaders prompted the building of a defensive wall around the city. Attila the Hun was rumored to be considering taking over Paris after the fall of the Romans in Gaul. It is said that his attack was thwarted by the constant praying of Saint Genevieve and her followers. Ste. Genevieve remains the Patron Saint of Paris even today.
The history of Paris through the middle ages saw the building of Notre Dame, the Basilica and The Louvre under the Carpetians. After the Carpetian line died out, control of Paris was taken over by the Valois when Edward the III of England declared he was the rightful heir to the throne. During this period the history of Paris capitulated to one of sickness and despair. Outbreaks of plague, political uprisings and eventually civil war tore the city apart. The French Revolution followed and led into the rule of Napoleon in the 19th century.
Paris continued to be a hotspot for unrest right through the 20th century into the late 1940’s. Luckily, for those of us in 21st century, the history of Paris has been more peaceful. Parisians are a proud people who have worked hard to erase the wounds of war and showcase the beauty of their history through monuments, memorials and amazing works of art. Paris has proven to be a resilient, beautiful city.
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