Paris, the City of Lights, is renowned for its monuments, museums, restaurants, culture, and haute couture. But, do the millions of visitors and expatriates truly know Paris? This series of six lectures will explore the known and unknown aspects of this remarkable city.
Instructor: Dr. Simon Sibelman
Wednesday, 10 am-11:30 am
Six classes: October 9, 30, November 6, 13, 20, December 11
From a Prehistoric Settlement on the Seine to the End of the Roman Empire
Prehistoric tribes, notably the Parisii, settled along the banks of the Seine, the Romans as they conquered Gaul creating a “Roman city” in Northern Gaul.
From a Sleepy Town on the Seine Towards the Royal City
With the Roman withdrawal in the 5th century, the local Gallo-Roman tribes began to reconfigure the remains of the Roman city of Luetia into something wholly new. As Christianity emerged as the principal religion, so the pagan remnants were transformed into churches and cathedrals. Gradually, Paris became the focal point of royal and religious activity.
The Gothic Age in Paris
As Paris emerged as a major power in France, the Gothic Age, which began just north of Paris at St. Denis, became the epicenter of one of the first “modern” international movements. As a result, Paris would emerge as the political power center in France. Even during the disastrous Hundred Years Wars, Paris continued to evolve.
From the Wars of Religion to the Age of Louis XIV, le Grand
Paris convulsed during the bloody Wars of Religion (Catholics versus Protestants). But, when the presumptive king, Henri de Navarre, a protestant, uttered the following expression: “Paris vaut bien une messe!!” (Paris is well worth a mass”) the Wars of Religion concluded and led to the aggrandizement of the city eventually leading to a remarkable urban center in the reign of Louis XIV.
Ville Révolutionnaire, Ville Bourgeoise: Paris from 1789 to 1870
From the beginning of the French Revolution (14 July 1789) to the destructive, anarchic Commune (1870-71), Paris emerged as a bourgeois urban city. Over the 19th century, the urban landscape transformed the capital and its environs as few could have imagined.
Paris in the 20th and Early 21st Centuries
Modernization and modernity enforced massive changes in Paris: some seen, many unseen. This final lecture will explore how this old, rich urban center continues to evolve and emerge moving into the future.
