Joan Dejean - How Paris Became Paris : The Invention of the Modern City TXT ebook
9781608195916 English 1608195910 At the beginning of the 17th century, Paris was known for a few monuments but had not yet put its brand on urban space. Like many European cities, it was still emerging from its medieval past. In a mere century, however, Paris was transformed: it became the original modern city and the mythic city we still know today. Most people associate the signature characteristics of Paris with the 19th century. Through original research, Joan DeJean pushes that date back by two centuries, giving readers the just-blossoming city. During this period, Paris saw many seminal changes: It was the first city to tear down its fortifications, inviting people in, rather than keeping them out. A large-scale urban plan was created and executed with organized streets and boulevards, modern bridges and public parks. New technologies helped create the earliest public transportation system and street lights. And venues opened for public amusement and consumption including opera, ballet, and theater, as well as shopping as an experience of pleasure. The new model for urban space not only altered the physical city, it radically changed the way the people of Paris interacted in public. It transformed Paris into the only truly modern city of its time-and had a lasting influence on the way we think of city life today., At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Paris was known for isolated monuments but had not yet put its brand on urban space. Like other European cities, it was still emerging from its medieval past. But in a mere century Paris would be transformed into the modern and mythic city we know today.Though most people associate the signature characteristics of Paris with the public works of the nineteenth century, Joan DeJean demonstrates that the Parisian model for urban space was in fact invented two centuries earlier, when the first complete design for the French capital was drawn up and implemented. As a result, Paris saw many changes. It became the first city to tear down its fortifications, inviting people in rather than keeping them out. Parisian urban planning showcased new kinds of streets, including the original boulevard, as well as public parks and the earliest sidewalks and bridges without houses. Venues opened for urban entertainment of all kinds, from opera and ballet to a pastime invented in Paris, recreational shopping. Parisians enjoyed the earliest public transportation and street lighting, and Paris became Europe's first great walking city. A century of planned development made Paris both beautiful and exciting. It gave people reasons to be out in public as never before and as nowhere else. And it gave Paris its modern identity as a place that people dreamed of seeing. By 1700, Paris had become the capital that would revolutionize our conception of the city and of urban life., At the start of the seventeenth century, Paris was known for a few monuments, but it had not yet put its brand on urban space. Like many European cities, it was still emerging from its medieval past. But within a century, Paris would be transformed into the modern and mythic city we now know. Most people associate the signature characteristics of Paris with the nineteenth century. Joan DeJean demonstrates that the Parisian model for urban space was in fact invented two centuries earlier, when the first full design for the French capital was implemented. During this period, Paris saw many changes: It became the first city to tear down its fortifications. A large-scale urban plan was created and executed, with organized streets and boulevards, modern bridges, sidewalks, and public parks. Venues opened for urban entertainment, from opera and ballet to another pastime invented in Paris, recreational shopping.Parisians enjoyed the earliest street lighting and public transportation, even as theirs became Europe's first great walking city. A century of planned development made Paris beautiful and exciting.It gave people reasons to be out in public as never before and as nowhere else. It gave Paris its modern identity as a place that people dreamed of seeing. As Joan DeJean shows us in this compelling portrait of a city in transition, by 1700 Paris had become the capital that would transform forever our conception of the city and of urban life.
9781608195916 English 1608195910 At the beginning of the 17th century, Paris was known for a few monuments but had not yet put its brand on urban space. Like many European cities, it was still emerging from its medieval past. In a mere century, however, Paris was transformed: it became the original modern city and the mythic city we still know today. Most people associate the signature characteristics of Paris with the 19th century. Through original research, Joan DeJean pushes that date back by two centuries, giving readers the just-blossoming city. During this period, Paris saw many seminal changes: It was the first city to tear down its fortifications, inviting people in, rather than keeping them out. A large-scale urban plan was created and executed with organized streets and boulevards, modern bridges and public parks. New technologies helped create the earliest public transportation system and street lights. And venues opened for public amusement and consumption including opera, ballet, and theater, as well as shopping as an experience of pleasure. The new model for urban space not only altered the physical city, it radically changed the way the people of Paris interacted in public. It transformed Paris into the only truly modern city of its time-and had a lasting influence on the way we think of city life today., At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Paris was known for isolated monuments but had not yet put its brand on urban space. Like other European cities, it was still emerging from its medieval past. But in a mere century Paris would be transformed into the modern and mythic city we know today.Though most people associate the signature characteristics of Paris with the public works of the nineteenth century, Joan DeJean demonstrates that the Parisian model for urban space was in fact invented two centuries earlier, when the first complete design for the French capital was drawn up and implemented. As a result, Paris saw many changes. It became the first city to tear down its fortifications, inviting people in rather than keeping them out. Parisian urban planning showcased new kinds of streets, including the original boulevard, as well as public parks and the earliest sidewalks and bridges without houses. Venues opened for urban entertainment of all kinds, from opera and ballet to a pastime invented in Paris, recreational shopping. Parisians enjoyed the earliest public transportation and street lighting, and Paris became Europe's first great walking city. A century of planned development made Paris both beautiful and exciting. It gave people reasons to be out in public as never before and as nowhere else. And it gave Paris its modern identity as a place that people dreamed of seeing. By 1700, Paris had become the capital that would revolutionize our conception of the city and of urban life., At the start of the seventeenth century, Paris was known for a few monuments, but it had not yet put its brand on urban space. Like many European cities, it was still emerging from its medieval past. But within a century, Paris would be transformed into the modern and mythic city we now know. Most people associate the signature characteristics of Paris with the nineteenth century. Joan DeJean demonstrates that the Parisian model for urban space was in fact invented two centuries earlier, when the first full design for the French capital was implemented. During this period, Paris saw many changes: It became the first city to tear down its fortifications. A large-scale urban plan was created and executed, with organized streets and boulevards, modern bridges, sidewalks, and public parks. Venues opened for urban entertainment, from opera and ballet to another pastime invented in Paris, recreational shopping.Parisians enjoyed the earliest street lighting and public transportation, even as theirs became Europe's first great walking city. A century of planned development made Paris beautiful and exciting.It gave people reasons to be out in public as never before and as nowhere else. It gave Paris its modern identity as a place that people dreamed of seeing. As Joan DeJean shows us in this compelling portrait of a city in transition, by 1700 Paris had become the capital that would transform forever our conception of the city and of urban life.