The great redevelopment of Paris according to Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s plan was one of the most significant and controversial urban reforms in 19th-century Europe. The transformation of the city from a cramped, medieval metropolis to a modern City of Lights changed not only its appearance, but also its social, economic and cultural structure.
Before Haussmann’s reform, Paris was a densely populated, dangerous and chaotic city. Narrow, dark and winding streets created labyrinths that were not only difficult to navigate, but also encouraged the spread of disease and poverty. Overcrowded working-class neighbourhoods, the lack of a sewage system and inadequate water supply were the source of typhoid and cholera epidemics.
Paris in 1828. Source: C. V. Monin HUGO, Jean Abel – Count, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
In 1853, Napoleon III entrusted Georges-Eugène Haussmann with the task of radically transforming Paris. The rebuilding of the city took more than two decades and aimed to modernise the infrastructure, rebuild the city, improve mobility and enhance the aesthetics of the French capital. Haussmann focused on the construction of a modern sewerage system, aqueducts and water reservoirs, which helped to improve sanitation and the quality of life of the population. Thousands of buildings were demolished to make room for wide boulevards, spacious squares and monumental structures.
The Isle de la Cité in 1771 and today. Many historic buildings were removed as part of the redevelopment. Photo Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons and Starus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The new avenues facilitated the movement of both people and goods, as well as being of strategic importance to the military, enabling it to more effectively quell potential riots. At the same time, Paris gained a coherent and elegant appearance with uniform facades of townhouses, new green parks such as the Forest of Boulogne, and representative squares. The total redevelopment also included new churches, bridges, stations, hospitals or theatres.
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Opéra Garnier. Photo by Peter Rivera, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
The transformations carried out by Haussmann had significant effects. Paris became one of the best designed and cleanest cities in Europe, with wide boulevards, green spaces and harmonious architecture giving it a unique character. Public health improved and the epidemics that previously haunted the city became less frequent thanks to modern sanitation infrastructure. Residents also gained access to new public spaces that fostered social integration.
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Rue Monge, circa 1870. Photo by Charles Marville, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons[/caption]
However, Haussmann’s reforms were also controversial. Many criticised the demolition of medieval neighbourhoods, which entailed irreparable damage to the city’s cultural heritage. The redevelopment also contributed to social segregation, pushing poorer residents to the outskirts of Paris, while the central districts became spaces for the upper class. Furthermore, the wide boulevards were seen as a tool of social control, facilitating the rapid movement of troops.
Haussmann, enjoying the full support of Napoleon III, carried out his projects without financial constraint, spending between 50 and 80 million francs annually. The costs of carrying out the works were only partially recouped through the sale of land to new owners, which simultaneously led to large-scale speculation.
From 1860, the situation began to become more complicated. Parisians, weary of the lengthy construction work and their inability to influence decisions, increasingly supported investments with private funds. Their dissatisfaction grew, further weakening public support for the controversial redevelopment of the city.
When the budget for the works was closed in 1870, it emerged that the project had ended up with a deficit of one and a half billion francs. This huge debt triggered a wave of fierce criticism, one of the loudest of which was Jules Ferry, author of the pamphlet Haussmann’s Fantastic Sums. Eventually, just before the collapse of the Second Empire, Haussmann was stripped of his post, symbolically closing the era of his rule in Paris.
Paris today would not be the same city without Haussmann’s vision. His wide boulevards, elegant townhouses, spacious squares and innovative infrastructure solutions gave the city a distinctive look and functionality that inspires urban planners around the world. Despite much controversy, Haussmann remains a symbol of the modern approach to city planning.
Today, Paris authorities are trying to correct certain aspects of his vision, such as the dominance of car traffic, by promoting pedestrian-friendly spaces.
Source: theguardian.com, re-thinkingthefuture.com
Also read: Places, Squares, Parks | Urbanism | City | Metamorphosis | Paris | whiteMAD on Instagram
