Home > Baron Haussmann
Georges-Eugène, Baron Haussmann ( March 27, 1809 – January 11, 1891) was a French civic planner whose name is associated with the rebuilding of Paris. He was born in that city of a Protestant family, German in origin.Avenue de la Grande Armée, one of Haussman's twelve grand avenues radiating from the Arc de Triomphe.
La Défense and the Grande Arche (the hollow white cube) can be seen on the horizon.
He was educated at the College Henri IV , and subsequently studied law, attending simultaneously the classes at the Paris conservatoire of music, for he was a good musician. He became sous-préfet of Nérac in 1830, and advanced rapidly in the civil service until in 1853 he was chosen by Persigny prefect of the SeineThis article is about the river in France; it should not be confused with the Senne, a much smaller river that flows through Brussels. For other rivers named Seine see Seine River (disambiguation). A seine is also a kind of fishing net. The Seine (pronoun départementThe departements (or departments) are administrative units of France, roughly analogous to British counties and are now grouped into 22 metropolitan and four overseas regions''. They are subdivided into 342 arrondissements''. Departements are also found i in succession to Jean Jacques Berger , who hesitated to incur the vast expenses of the imperial schemes for the embellishment of Paris. Haussmann would remain in this post until 1870Events January 6 The inauguration of the Musikverein ( Vienna). January 10 John D. Rockefeller incorporates Standard Oil January 15 A political cartoon for the first time symbolizes the United States Democratic Party with a donkey ("A Live Jackass Kicking.
Commissioned by Napoleon III to instigate a program of planning reforms in Paris, Haussmann laid out the Bois de BoulogneBois de Boulogne is a park located along the western edge of the 12eme arrondissement of Paris. The site was made into a park by Napoleon III in 1852., and made extensive improvements in the smaller parks. The gardens of the Luxembourg PalaceThe Luxembourg Palace in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, north of the Luxembourg Garden, is where the French Senate meets. ( Luxembourg GardenThe Luxembourg Garden Jardin du Luxembourg familiar nickname Luco is a 224,500 m² public park in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the garden of the French Senate, which is itself housed in the Luxembourg Palace. The garden is enjoyable for i) were cut down to allow of the formation of new streets, and the Boulevard de Sebastopol , the southern half of which is now the Boulevard St Michel , was driven through a populous district. Additional, sweeping changes made wide "boulevards" of hitherto narrow streets. A new water supply, a gigantic system of sewers, new bridges, the operaThe Palais Garnier is a grand landmark at the northern end of the Avenue de l'Opera in Paris, France. It is regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its time. Built in the Neo-Baroque style, it is the thirteenth theatre to house the Paris Oper, and other public buildings, the inclusion of outlying districts - these were among the new prefect's achievements, accomplished by the aid of a bold handling of the public funds which called forth Jules Ferry's indictment, Les Comptes fantastiques de Haussmann, in 1867. (A play on words between contes, stories or tales - as in Les Contes d'Hoffmann or Tales of Hoffmann, and comptes, accounts.)
A loan of 250 million francs was sanctioned for the city of Paris in 1865, and another of 260 million in 1869. These sums represented only part of his financial schemes, which led to his dismissal by the government of Émile Ollivier. After the fall of the Empire he spent about a year abroad, but he re-entered public life in 1877, when he became Bonapartist deputy for Ajaccio.
His work had destroyed much of the medieval city. It is estimated that he transformed 60% of Paris' buildings. Notably, he redesigned the Place de l'Etoile, and created long avenues giving perspectives on monuments such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Opera Garnier.
Haussmann had been made senator in 1857, member of the Academy of Fine Arts in 1867, and grand cross of the Legion of Honour in 1862. He died in Paris and is buried in Le Cimetière Père Lachaise, Paris. His name is preserved in the Boulevard Haussmann. His later years were occupied with the preparation of his Mémoires (3 vols., 1890-1893).
