650 years old (about)

I have made several posts about the Philippe-Auguste wall, built during the years 1190-1215, and also about the several places where you can still find some remains (see here). The Philippe-Auguste wall was later followed by a Charles V-wall, built during the years 1356-1383 … and of course by other later walls.

The Charles V-wall was actually only constructed on the Right Bank, the Left Bank was still left with the Philippe-Auguste wall. On the Right Bank, the two walls were linked by additional walls, more or less following the Seine banks.

As I indicated above, the Philippe-Auguste wall is still visible at many places in Paris, whereas until recently I only knew about a visibility of the Charles V-wall in the Carrousel du Louvre (see a previous post). But now there is another part visible. Recent modifications of a little square in the 4^th arrondissement (Place du Père-Teilhard-de-Chardin) made the wall visible, and before covering the place, an opening was made enabling a public view of a little piece of the wall.

Maybe the rough indications of the two walls I made on the Google map would make it easier to understand what I tried to explain above.

The square (see previous post) has now lost the statue of Arthur Rimbaud, but I found it on the Seine banks during a recent walk (see here) - instead a walkway is now indicating where the wall is buried.

A late 16^th century engraving shows quite well what Paris once looked like with the two walls. We can also (again) see the three uninhabited islands, Île Notre-Dame, Île aux Vaches and Île Louviers.

The two first ones were brought together in the beginning of the 17^th century together and became Île Saint-Louis. It was as late as in the 1840’s that the space which separated the little island, Île Louviers, from the mainland was filled. So, we can remember that walking on the little square today, we would some 180 years back have been on the Seine banks.

The City has, kindly, made viewable a little part of the wall and visitors can by some photos, illustrations and text learn what I have tried to explain above.