Starting from the history of a capital and the urban evolution of Paris over the centuries to better understand today's city, romantic and full of charm.
History of a capital
When the Romans established their own settlement in Paris and called it Lutetia Parisiorum, in a bend of the Seine, Celtic tribes, the Parisi, had been stationed in the area for many centuries.
So it was that Lutetia, the ancient name of Paris, became a Roman city and expanded on the left bank of the Seine, the left bank.
Today, some testimonies from the Roman era have arrived, the remains of the arena and some ruins of a temple dedicated to sailors, found in the construction of the Notre Dame cathedral and subsequently transported to the Hotel de Cluny.
In addition, many remains of houses were found in the Sorbonne area.
Other Roman monuments in Paris are a 15 km aqueduct and the famous thermal baths of the Hotel de Cluny, on the Left Bank.
Around 300 Christianization became deeply rooted in the people and the city was called Paris, taking its name from its people.
In the 5th century Roman civilization turned into Roman-barbaric civilization, as the city passed under the power of the Merovingian Franks, so Paris managed to survive the Middle Ages, amid famines and repeated destruction caused by the Normans.
Finally in the 10th century there were transformations that allowed a re-flourishing of the city of Paris with the formation of a new civilization around Christian institutions and the beginning of the power of the Capetingia dynasty.
The Right Bank was urbanized, the Slaughterhouse and the markets were built, while the first cultural centers and the Theological Schools were born on the Left Bank, in the place where the cultural center of Paris still stands.
The city expanded and new suburbs developed, such as Saint Lazare.
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Especially in the XII-XIII century, with the arrival in power of Filippo Augusto, there were great improvements for Paris, the construction of the Notre Dame cathedral began, the old church of Saint-Etienne-le Vieux was enlarged, the first city walls, the Louvre tower was raised, corporate rights were reconfirmed and in 1200 the University of Paris was born, which attracted students and teachers from all over Europe.
During the following years, the Sainte Chapelle was built under Louis IX, known as the Saint, and a college which would later become the famous Sorbonne university in Paris.
With the Hundred Years War, the British occupation, the economic crisis, the black plague of 1348, the city of Paris suffered many ruins.
In 1437 Charles VII was able to return to Paris and since then the history of the city has been intertwined with the history of France.
Paris offers many things to see, evidence of its rich and fascinating history, such as the Notre Dame cathedral, the Champs Elysees, the Arc De Triomphe, the Montmartre hill with the Sacre Coeur basilica, the Eiffel Tower, symbol of Paris , the Opera Garnier, the Les Invalides complex, the Louvre museum, the D'Orsay museum, the Picasso museum and the Pompidou Center.
