A statue of Louis XIV to correct the axis in the Louvre courtyard

In the Cour Napoléon, the Historical Axis does not run through the Glass Pyramid and the centreline of the courtyard. This led architect Pei to request that a particular statue of Louis XIV be placed adjacent to the Pyramid and in the direct path of the Historical axis.

The equestrian statue made in bronze portrays the Sun King as ‘Alexander the Great’.

The equestrian statue of Louis XIV on the Historical Axis of Paris © French Moments

Looking to the West, the statue of Louis XIV is indeed aligned on the Historical Axis, as you can see in this photo I took on a beautiful Autumn day:

The equestrian statue and the Historical Axis of Paris looking West © French Moments

Looking eastwards towards the Louvre, from the Tuileries Garden. It is clearly visible that the equestrian statue of Louis XIV is aligned with the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.

Under the arch of the Carrousel © French Moments

From the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, the glass pyramid appeared outside the axis, to the contrary of the equestrian statue:

The statue of Louis XIV © French Moments

The same photo shows the East end of the Historical Axis… It shows the exact windows from where you should stand to see the perspective from the Louvre!

The East end of the Historical Axis of Paris © French Moments

The view from the windows of the Sully Pavilion (South Side) is stunning:

The view from the Sully Pavilion (Louvre) © French Moments

On the above photo, you can clearly see the succession of Parisian landmarks:

• the equestrian statue,
• the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel,
• the Tuileries Garden,
• the tip of the Luxor obelisk on place de la Concorde,
• the Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile,
• and the business district of La Défense.

 

The inverted pyramid

Between the equestrian statue of Louis XIV and the Arc du Carrousel, a contemporary landmark is not visible from the ground. It is the glass structure of the Inverted Pyramid (“Pyramide Inversée”).

The site of the inverted glass pyramid seen from the Louvre © French Moments

You can actually see it from the underground “Galerie Carrousel du Louvre”. The pyramid brings a well of light to the centre of the visitor complex.

It is much smaller than its counterpart at the entrance of the Louvre museum. It is therefore another Egyptian-style landmark added to the Historical Axis of Paris.

 

The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel on the historical axis of Paris © French Moments

After the destruction of the Tuileries Palace, the Arc du Carrousel has become the oldest monument aligned with the Historical Axis (besides the ancient obelisk on place de la Concorde).

This is a triumphal arch built by Napoleon from 1807 to 1808 to celebrate the victory of the French imperial army in Austerlitz.

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel © French Moments

However, originally the view of the Great Perspective from Arc du Carrousel was blocked westwards by the Tuileries Palace.

The vast square in front of the Tuileries and the Arc du Carrousel in 1856

 

The Tuileries Palace and Gardens

Prior to its destruction in 1871 during the Paris Commune, the Palace of the Tuileries played a full role along the Historical Axis as it was its real starting point.

The absence of the monument moved the visual start of the axis back to the Cour Napoléon. In doing so, it reveals a deviation of the axis to visitors. The garden architect, Le Nôtre did plan the axis to run from the Tuileries Palace in the 17th century.

Now and Before! Revealing the Tuileries palace from the Louvre © French Moments

From the Place du Carrousel, the Jardin des Tuileries offers an unbroken vista along the centreline of the Historical Axis towards the Place de la Concorde, the Arc de Triomphe and the Grande Arche.

The Historical Axis at the Tuileries garden seen from the Louvre © French MomentsThe Historical Axis of Paris in the Tuileries garden near place de la Concorde © French Moments

The view across the Tuileries Garden towards the Louvre:

The Historical Axis designed by Le Nôtre at the Tuileries garden (towards the Louvre) © French Moments

Find out more about the Tuileries Palace and the Tuileries Garden.

 

Place de la Concorde

Place de la Concorde is one of my favourite squares in Paris. It is a grand, monumental and open square that offers spectacular views on the perspective of the Champs-Elysées and the Eiffel Tower.

Arc de Triomphe from Place de la Concorde © French MomentsPlace de la concorde and Eiffel Tower, Paris © French MomentsPlace de la Concorde © French Moments

The majestic Place de la Concorde takes the form of an octagon measuring 359 by 212 metres. The River Seine borders its South side and classical-style buildings close its North front.

In the middle of the square stands an Egyptian Obelisk, raised there in 1836. The monument is part of the strange geometrical layouts and alignments along the Historical Axis, referring to the symbols of Ancient Egypt.

In 1988, another pharaoh-related structure joined this great Egyptian landmark along the Historical: the Glass Pyramid in the Louvre. This modern monument unmistakably refers to the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Place de la Concorde is also the centre of a much-shorter North-South perspective, perpendicular to the Historical Axis.

On the South side, beyond the Pont de la Concorde, it features the Palais Bourbon. On the North side, at the end of Rue Royale, the Madeleine Church closes the perspective. Both monuments match each other across the Place de la Concorde. Their grand Classical-style porticos refer to the design of Roman temples.

The fountain of the seas in Place de la Concorde © French MomentsPalais Bourbon from Place de la Concorde © French Moments

Read more about the position of the Place de la Concorde along the Historical Axis of Paris.

 

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Avenue des Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe © French Moments

The urban architect Le Nôtre had the Champs-Élysées in mind when he designed the Tuileries Garden back in the 17th century.

But it was the Duke of Antin who pursued the Grand Cours or ‘Perspective’ up to the hillock of Chaillot (Butte de Chaillot) where the majestic Arc de Triomphe now stands.

As a famous landmark along the Historical Axis, the wide processional avenue plays a major role in opening the outlook from the Louvre towards the West. Towards the setting sun.

View of the Champs-Élysées from the top © French Moments

 

The Republican Axis

From the Place Clemenceau is another ‘Grand Perspective’.

It opens towards the Hôtel des Invalides, passes through the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais, the Pont Alexandre III and the Esplanade des Invalides.

Because it was completed during the Third Republic, it was commonly known as the “Republican Axis”. Therefore it echoes the older “Historical Axis” along the Champs-Elysées.

Read more about the position of the Champs-Élysées along the Historical Axis of Paris.

 

The Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile

Arc de Triomphe © French Moments

At the end of the Avenue des Champs-Elysées stands the mighty Arc de Triomphe.

The triumphal arch rises at the centre of a huge square in the shape of a ‘star’, accurately named the “Place de l’Étoile”.

The huge monument dates back to the 19th century. It commands a strategic point on the centreline of the Historical Axis of Paris. It lies some 2.2km from the Luxor Obelisk on Place de la Concorde. This celebrated monument is the highest triumphal arch in Europe and stands 50 metres high.

The Arc de Triomphe honours those who fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. The monument is certainly a symbolic monument with a strong historic connotation.

 

When the sun setting under the arches

In fact, its alignment along the Historical Axis of Paris has been meticulously calculated to have the sun setting under the arches on some particular days.

Sunset under the Arc de Triomphe © Siren-Com – licence [CC BY-SA 3.0] from Wikimedia Commons

The sun sets on the Historical Axis several times in a year:

• It sets towards the West under the arch on 6 occasions: on the 7th, 8th and 9th May and on the 3rd, 4th and 5th August (from place de la Concorde)
• The sun rises towards the East under the arch 4 times each year: on the 4th, 5th and 6th February and on the 7th November (from Porte Maillot).

The panoramic view from the platform of the Arc de Triomphe reveals the twelve avenues departing from the Place de l’Étoile.

The view from the Arc de Triomphe © French Moments

You also get a fine view over the whole Historical Axis, from the Louvre to the Grande Arche in the CBD of La Défense.

The business district from the Arc de Triomphe © French Moments

 

The star of the Arc de Triomphe

Let’s reflect a moment on this.

A triumphal arch as a centre of a round-shape square.

From which 12 avenues form the radiating lines of a perfect star.

Set on a monumental historical axis on which various famous landmarks are aligned…

Well, how amazing is that!

But the Arc de Triomphe does not close the perspective as it used to do until the 1980s. For French leaders, anything is possible! President Mitterrand was ambitious.

He wished to expand the great perspective beyond the Arc de Triomphe by erecting an even larger, taller and wider monument: the Grande Arche de la Défense.

Read more about the position of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

 

The Historical Axis of Paris reaching La Défense

La Défense CBD viewed from Arc de Triomphe © French Moments

The idea to link the Louvre to Saint-Germain en Laye with a straight road over the little hill of Chantecoq (the site of the Grande Arche) emerged during the 15th century.

During the reign of Louis XIV, the axis became the obligatory route to reach the forest of Saint-Germain. The thoroughfare was strictly aligned on the Historical Axis that architect Le Nôtre had worked on from the Tuileries Palace.

In the 1950s, the authorities decided to create a significant business centre outside Paris in the residential and industrial district of La Défense. It is a plethora of skyscrapers whose tallest reach 230 metres.

 

La Grande Arche de la Défense

In the midst of the skyscrapers bordering the Historical Axis in La Défense, French President Mitterrand wanted to build a strong unifying symbol for the bicentenary of the French Revolution (1989): La Grande Arche.

The gigantic and stunning monument is 110 metres tall by 112 metres deep and could hold the Notre-Dame Cathedral within its arch.

The Grande Arche occupies a ‘place of honour’ on the western extremity of the Historical Axis of Paris.

But the urban planners of the 1980s also positioned it in such a way that it forms another perspective. This is visible from the top of the monument. You’ll see how it stands in perfect alignment with the Eiffel Tower and the Tour Montparnasse, two of France’s tallest buildings.

Read more about the CBD of La Défense.

 

Striking facts about the Historical Axis of Paris

Let’s focus on some striking facts about the Historical Axis of Paris, starting with the three arches.

Remember the three arches placed along the axis?

1. Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel,
2. Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile, and
3. Grande Arche.

Well, they all share a striking fact: their sizes approximately double at each stage!

And there is more! Let’s have a look at the distances between the major landmarks along the Historical Axis. They double each time!

• 1 kilometre from the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel to the Luxor Obelisk,
• 2 kilometres from the Obelisk to the Arc de Triomphe, and
• 4 kilometres from the Arc de Triomphe to the Statue of La Défense de Paris on the Esplanade de la Défense.

Is this out of a coordinated deliberation or just a coincidence?

For some, it follows a careful plan transmitted from generation to generation.

A Freemasonry scheme could be behind it, maybe related to a strong Egyptology intrigue.

For others, monuments were just added over time, and even though they represent a symbolic meaning, their alignment was no obscure mystery.

 

The Historical Axis in the Future

La Défense from the terrace of Le Nôtre, Saint-Germain-en-Laye © French Moments

Today the Historical Axis of Paris does not end at the Grande Arche anymore.

The journey continues beyond it, to the next meander of the Seine. When complete, this large-scale urban planning project will extend the axis by 3.5 km through a series of terraces, although with a slight curve.

Urban architects are redesigning the landscape through the suburb of Nanterre. The goal is to hide away the stretch of land which has, over the years, become a no-man’s land at the feet of the Grande Arche.

Eventually, the Historical Axis will be 11.5 km long. It will make a great walk from the Louvre to the Seine River in Nanterre. Who knows… maybe one day the Historical Axis of Paris will reach the forest of Saint-Germain en Laye. This is complete what Louis XIV the Sun King had once wished!

 

Find out more!

These are external websites:

• The Louvre Museum
• Arc de Triomphe
• The official website of La Défense

Paris, Axis Champs Elysée - Grande Armée - Neuilly sur Seine - La Défense

The cross-quarter connection is also underscored by the fact that the 'Historical Axis of Paris' (Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, etc.) is a cross-quarter day marker. It aligns with the (astronomical) cross-quarter sunset on August 6-8 (Lughnasadh) and May 4-5 (Beltane).

Extending the Paris Axis westward will reveal its 'secret alignment' with Houston and Corpus Christi as discussed before (the Super Bowl 'Communication' highlighted Corpus Christi as well).

Drawing a straight geodesic ('great-circle') line from Corpus Christi to Pittsburgh, home of the Steelers (winner of the '06 Super Bowl), and extending it further will pinpoint Turin, where the Imbolc Winter Olympics began days after Super Bowl XL.

Turin is pinpointed by another Paris-based alignment - a great-circle line going from Edwards Air Force Base to Paris and then to Turin.

As noted, the 'Historical Axis of Paris' marks the Lughnasadh cross-quarter sunset August 6-8. And it was right during that window in 2005 that the space shuttle Discovery returning from its special 'Return to Flight' mission landed at... Edwards AFB (Aug. 7-9)! (There is so much more magical stuff encoded there.)

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