Les Halles and the Church of Saint Eustache After Ile de la Cité, that gave birth to Paris, Les Halles is the city’s oldest and most steeped in history. Today it is one of the most popular and frequented.
Back in 1135, in the days when Paris was growing and increased their supply needs, Louis VI the market was transferred to the Place de Greve (now Town Hall Square) to the present site of Les Halles. In 1183, Philip Augustus ordered the construction of two large frames that Parisians called “find”, covered markets. For centuries retain its role of market and increase its facilities.
A mid-sixteenth century corporations and artisans were also installed there, and the streets of the area took their names: Rue au Lard, de la Poterie, the Ferronnerie, de la Lingerie, Déchargeurs des …
In 1851 Napoleon III commissioned the architect Baltard modernization of markets, who devised a set of ten pavilions metallic glazes, the famous “umbrella” Baltard, which Napoleon called “the Louvre of the people” as their detractors criticized the ugliness of structure and the high cost of building …
A mid-twentieth century, Les Halles was insufficient to meet the demands of a growing population and decided to transfer to suburban shopping center in 1963, leaving a large empty space in the heart of the city. This decision involved the complete renovation of the entire neighborhood.
President Georges Pompidou in Paris wanted to give a modern architecture, increased the Montparnasse Tower, the district of La Defense, the Pompidou Centre, but there was an interesting project for the “hole” in Les Halles.
The answer came when Paris was equipped with a new line of regional metro: Les Halles and became the largest subway station in Europe, being the junction of the lines converging from all parts of the city and surrounding areas.
Work on the construction of the great Forum des Halles began in 1979. The huge shopping center includes five underground levels for parking two commercial and three, including restaurants, cinemas, video and even a pool. From the outside, arranged with large gardens that are mixed with metal structures, only visible level and steel structures that reflect the surrounding buildings, allowed some integration in this historic quarter of Paris.
[Church of Saint Eustache]
Along with the Forum des Halles rises the beautiful church of Saint Eustache, a jewel of Gothic art.
The construction of the Church of Saint Eustache began in 1532 and lasted for nearly a century, although parts were never finished. Because of its proximity to the Louvre, was considered real church, and was especially famous for thereby passed under different circumstances, kings and celebrities: Louis XIV received his fellowship here, Moliere celebrated her marriage, Anne of Austria and were veiled in Mirabeau this church, among others.
In the Church of Saint Eustache is one of the largest organs in France (the third after Notre Dame and Saint Sulpice Church), built in 1854, which, coupled with the excellent acoustics of its impressive dome, makes the ideal place for those who enjoy high quality sound.