BARON HAUSSMAN

Baron Hussman
Georges-Eugène Haussmann
who called himself Baron
Haussmann, was a french civic
planner whose name is
associated with the
rebuilding of Paris. He was born
in Paris to a Protestant family
from Alsace.
Life History of Baron Husmman

The son of Nicolas Valentin Haussmann, a

negotiant, he was born in Paris and educated at the
college Henri iv and subsequently studied law
attending simultaneously the classes at the Paris
conservatory of music, for he was a good musician.
He became sous-préfet of Nerac in 1830 and
advanced rapidly in the civil service until in 1853 he
was chosen by Persigny prefect of the Senie
department in succession to , who hesitated to incur
the vast expenses of the imperial schemes for the
embellishment of Paris.
► Napoleon iii to instigate a program of planning
reforms in Paris.
► Haussmann laid out the Bois de Boulogne, and
made extensive improvements in the smaller parks.
► The gardens of the Luxembourg Palace (
Luxembourg Garden) were cut down to allow of the
formation of new streets.
► The southern half of which is now the
Boulevard St Michel, was driven through a populous
district. Additional, sweeping changes made wide "
boulevards" of hitherto narrow streets.
► A new water supply, a gigantic system of sewers,
new bridges, the opera house, and other public
buildings
 Transformation of Paris in
19thcent
► Haussmann's plan for Paris
inspired some of the most
important architectural
movements including the
City Beautiful Movement in
the United States. In fact,
renowned American
architect Daniel Burnham
borrowed liberally from
Haussmann's plan and even
incorporated the diagonal
street designs in his 1909
Plan of Chicago. Cities like
London and Moscow also
have Haussmann influences
in their city plans .
► Baron Haussman, the man
responsible for the
transformation of the capital city
into the magnificent “City of
Light. “
► Modern Paris is a result of
urban transformation. For
centuries this city was a
labyrinth of narrow streets with
houses made one part wooden
beams, and one part stone or
brick, until in the mid 19th
century, baron Haussmann
changed the face of the city
converting many old districts
into modern ones, with
neoclassicist buildings and long
avenues. State of the art
skyscrapers were added later as
an addition to the modernization
of the city.
 Famous Landmark of paris
► The Eiffel Tower is the most famous landmark of Paris. The world
famous tower, 324 meters tall, can be seen from almost all parts of the
city. It was built in 1889 as a temporary structure for the International
► Another world famous landmark of the city is the Arc de Triomphe or
the Triumphant Arch, raised after Napoleon’s victory in the battle of
Austerlitz. the Triumphant Arch is the starting point for numerous
parades, going down the Elysium Fields and one of the best places to
greet the New Year in Paris.
► On a small island Île de la Cité in the middle of Seine river, a gothic
cathedral Notre Dame de Paris was built also famous for its homely
tenant – the Hunchback. At the square in front of the cathedral stands
the Kilometer Zero, the starting point for calculating road distances in
France .
 Monuments
► A number of monuments familiar
to the visitor today were built
before 1800. Except for the
Château des Tuileries, burned
down in 1871 and never rebuilt,
all these monuments exist today.
Their settings however have
Palais-Royal
been radically changed. VERSAILLES

► Place des Vosges

► L’Opéra (Charles Garnier)
► Le Palais-Royal
► Le Panthéon
► Place Vendôme
► Le Petit Palais Opera paris

MADELEINE Place Vendome

 Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte
► Napoleon's nephew became emperor on
December 2, 1852, Napoléon III decided
to modernise Paris after seeing London,
a city transformed by the
Industrial Revolution, which offered large
public parks and a complete sewer
system. Inspired by Rambuteau's ideas..
► But Napoleon III still had to find a man
capable of carrying out a project of such
magnitude. He found such a man in
Georges Eugène Haussmann, a man of
action and rigour, known for being
methodical, and he nominated him
Prefect of the Seine in 1853
► Haussmann emphasised the
fundamental role of the Paris Map
services, led by the architect
Deschamps "geometry and graphic
design play a more important role than
architecture itself“.
Plan of Paris
 Growth of City
Sometimes also says that The Haussmann and the creation of Modern Paris.

• The city of Paris literally evolved from a kernel—the Ile de la Cité in

the middle of the Seine .
• The growth of Paris is delineated as a series of fortifications and
ramparts.
• The rapid expansion of the city in the 18th and 19th centuries by
noting the amount of land incorporated in the next two, successive,
placing of city limits.
• The famous « barriers » of the Fermiers-Généraux— 57 toll gates —
were erected from 1784 to 1791 to enclose a city that now extended
from the Observatoire to the south, to the villages of Passy in the West .
• Under Napoléon III in the second half of the 19th century, we have
the city limits of Paris today.
 Haussmann's plan for Paris
► Haussmann's renovation of Paris in the 1860s
ideals changed from those of a politically
motivated city to those of an economically and
socially centered city. Modern technology such
as railroads and gas lamps were conveniences
which the rising bourgeoisie could enjoy in their
leisurely lifestyle.
► There are two views of Baron Haussmann: One
depicts him as the man who destroyed Old Paris,
and the other as the man who created New
Paris.
► Georges-Eugène Haussmann was hired by
Napoleon III on 22 June 1852 to "modernize"
Paris. He hoped in hiring Haussmann that Paris
could be moulded into a city with safer streets,
better housing, more sanitary, hospitable,
shopper-friendly communities, better traffic flow,
and, last but not least, streets too broad
 Some Examples
► Haussman's plan included uniform
building heights, grand boulevards,
and anchoring elements including
the Arc de Triomphe and the Grand
Opera House.
► Napoléon III and Haussmann
covered the town with prestigious
edifices. Charles Garnier
constructed the Opéra Garnier in
an eclectic style and Gabriel
Davioud designed two symmetric
theatres on the Place du Châtelet.
L'Hôtel-Dieu, the prison of the Cité
(and future police headquarters.
► They took care to set these
monuments in the town by creating
vast perspectives. For example the
Avenue de l'Opéra offers a great
frame for the edifice of the Opera
Garnier, while the houses that
prevented contemplation of the
cathedral of Notre-Dame gave way
to a great open space.
 Landscaping
► Green spaces in Paris were
rare. Having visited and
enjoyed the beautiful and
plentiful London parks,
Napoléon III hired engineer
Jean-Charles Alphand,
Haussmann's future successor,
to create expansive parks and
green spaces. On the east and
west borders of the city, you
could find the bois de Boulogne
and the bois de Vincennes,
respectively. In the , the Parc
des Buttes Chaumont, the parc
Monceau, and the parc
Montsouris offered citizens
beautiful scenery and a place
to relax and be with nature.
Also, in each district were
built, and trees were planted
along avenues
 Modern public facilities

► Modern Sewer System

:One of Haussmann's first priorities
was the purification and
decontamination of the city's water. At
the time, Parisians still used water
carriers, and were allowed only 2 1/2
liters of water per day. There existed a
sewer system, but it was ancient, and
only extended for 160 kilometers. An
engineer, Eugene Belgrand, was
named by Haussmann to be Director
of Water and Sewers of Paris.
 Department Stores of the Boulevard
Haussmann

► The middle of the 19th century marked

the beginning of the French modern
commercial era, and the creation of
large department stores went hand in
hand with the "Haussmannisation" of
the capital.
► Jules Jaluzot, a previous employee of
the Bon Marché, which had been the
first department store in the world
► Napoleon III style buildings, Parisians
were shocked to see a building being
erected with a Renaissance style dome,
large bay windows, revolving doors, an
imposing staircase and counters made
from polished wood.
Paris become Imperial
► The urbanization and modernization of Paris was a
priority of Napoleon III. He considered himself
invested with an imperial mission, and like his
illustrious uncle before him, Napoleon I, he wanted
to respect the traditions of the sovereign builders.
He carefully rendered detailed plans for the
development and modernization of Paris, taking
care to integrate not only aesthetic principles, but
also political, strategic and social ones. During only
twenty-five years, Paris had suffered nine uprisings.
Napoleon III had witnessed how easily the narrow
streets had been barricaded against him. Hoping to
ease the movement of the cavalry if another
conflict arose, as well as considering the
dimensions of the steering locks for the horse
drawn artillery, Napoleon III carefully calculated the
width of the avenues based on these factors, as
well as aesthetic ones. He also wished to ease the
destitution of the Parisian .
 Haussmann the Destroyer of
Paris
► Because of Haussmannization, the 1860's
was a time of intense upheaval in Paris.
Many Parisians were troubled by the
destruction of old roots.
► Historian Robert Herbert asserts that the
impressionist movement depicted this loss
of connection in such paintings as Manet's
"Bar at Folies," 1882.
► The subject of the painting is talking to a
man, seen in the mirror behind her, but
seems unengaged. According to Herbert,
this is a symptom of living in Paris at this
time: the citizens became detached from
one another The continuous destruction of
physical Paris led to a destruction of social
Paris as well.
► Haussmann was also criticized for the
immense cost of his project. Napoleon III
fired Haussmann on January 5, 1870, in "Bar at Folies", Manet, 1881-82
order to increase the approval ratings of
the regime.
 Haussmann the Hero
► The image above was taken by
Charles Marville for Baron
Haussmann's City Council
Permanent Subcommittee on
Historic Works.
► The purpose of this committee was
to record Old Paris for the city
archives, as well as to survey the
city and mark areas to be
renovated. The street in the
photograph is the Rue Estienne.
► It is narrow, damp, and dirty. There
are no sidewalks, which would have
discouraged potential customers
from frequenting the shops which
line the street on either side. In the
background, one can see more
refuse, which has made the street
impassible.
► Haussmann destroyed streets like
this one, in favor of wider, and
better ventilated streets which would
encourage upper bourgeois
strolling.
 Haussmann legacy
► The Baron Haussmann's transformations to Paris brought a real
improvement to the quality of life in the Capital. Disease epidemics
ceased, traffic circulation improved and new buildings are better-built
and more functional than their predecessors.
► The end of "pure Haussmannism" 1882 and 1884 urban legislation
that broke with the uniformity of the classical street, in permitting
staggered facades and the first fantasy roof-level architecture.
► After Napoleon III, the rise of a new voluntarist Cinquième République
opened a new era of Parisian urbanism. The new era rejected
Haussmanniian ideas as a whole to embrace those represented by
architects such as Le Corbusier in abandoning unbroken street-side
facades, limitations in building size and dimension, and even
abandoning the street itself to automobiles with the creation of
separated, car-free spaces between the buildings for pedestrians.
► Haussmannian Revolution" because, for the first
time in history ,under an emperor's impetus, a
single man had the vision, willpower and stamina
to systematically modernize and embellish a city
on such a massive scope.
► As with most change, this transformation brought
about criticism and pain. People mourned the loss
of old monuments.
► The entire world -- Parisians and tourists alike --
to enjoy the ever magnificent CITY OF LIGHT!