The neighbourhood, in its current form,
is the result of deep transformations that took place between the 16th
and the 18th Centuries, which, among others, include the realisation
of:
The “Hôtel
de la Monnaie”. This building, which occupies a large part
of the block between Guénégaud Street and the “Institut
de France”, is the product of three different periods. First,
in 1572, Louis de Gonzague, Prince of Nevers, erected the first part
of the building, which was modified in 1641 by the architect Mansart,
who was commissioned by Henri de Guénégaud, Count of Montbrisson,
the disgraced former Keeper of the Seals of Louis XIV. Guénégaud
Street was created as part of the renovation of the “Hôtel
de Guénégaud”. The Princess of Conti acquired the
hôtel in 1670, and moved in when she was left a widow by the death
of Armand de Bourbon, the Prince of Conti, direct descendant of Henri
IV.
The “Institut
de France”. The Institute, whose the left wing was built on
the site of the Nesles Tower, opened in 1688. Funded by a foundation
created by Cardinal Mazarin, this institution, then known as the College
of the Four Nations, was dedicated to sixty students chosen from four
provinces acquired by France under the governance of Mazarin: Piemont,
Alsace, Artois and Rousillon. As with many other Parisian monuments,
the purpose of the building was modified during the French Revolution,
and it is only in 1806, that it assumes its current function, hosting
prestigious institutions and academies: Institut de France, Académie
Française, Académie des Inscriptions et des Belles Lettres,
Académie des Sciences, Académie des Beaux-Arts, Académie
des Sciences Morales et Politiques.
The «
Pont des Arts » bridge links the “Institut de France”
to “Le Louvre”, and offers a wonderful downstream-view
(Le Louvre, Orsay Museum) and upstream-view (Ile de la Cité,
Notre-Dame Cathedral). Since its opening in 1803, the bridge has seduced
its visitors with its innovative features: it was the first bridge in
Paris built with a melting structure, and it was devoted exclusively
to pedestrian; seats were installed on the bridge, as well as…
greenhouses containing exotic plants. So many attraction justified charging
a price of admission, price which was paid by 65,000 Parisians during
its opening day.
However, signs of an even older past
remain among us:
The Saint-Germain
des Prés Church is a vestige of the Saint-Germain des Prés
abbey, one of the main sites of the Benedictine order at the time, order
which owned a very large property in what is known today as the Faubourg
Saint-Germain. The church itself is one of the oldest in Paris. In 542,
a monastery had been built in this site in order to house the relics
of the King of France Chilibert, son of Clovis. This first building
was devastated four times by Normans’ attacks. The center of the
current building was built between 990 and 1021. Several extensions
have been added since then.
The “Ile
de la Cité”, the cradle of Paris (where the Parisii,
ordinary fishermen, had established their huts around 250 Before Christ),
was named Lutetia during the Roman era. During the 19th Century, reigns
of Louis Philippe and Napoléon III, the island was substantially
restructured. Consequently, a large number of ancient houses disappeared.
However, an impressive number of major structures dating as far back
as Antiquity, have been conserved: the Sainte-Chapelle (12th-13th Centuries),
Notre-Dame Cathedral (12th-14th Centuries), the “Consiergerie”
(parts from the 14th Century), Pont-Neuf bridge (end of 16th Century)…
The name of some
streets. The name of “Grands Augustins” Street, for
instance, comes from a convent, built in 1261 by King Saint-Louis for
the Brothers of the Penitence of Christ or “Sacks” (because
of the sack-like shape of their attire) who were later replaced by the
religious order of the hermits of Saint-Augustin.
The Princes of Condé, direct descendants of King Henri
IV’s father, played very important political and military roles
in the History of France during the 17th and 18th Centuries, challenging
several times the King of France, their cousin. Their last descendant,
Duc d’Enghein was kidnapped in Germany, by orders of Napoléon
I, and was later executed in France.