Posts Tagged ‘photos’
Monument Postcard
Monday, September 19th, 2011
Tour St-Jacques – From Orphaned Child of the Renaissance to Historic Monument
The City of Light is the most celebrated of Europe’s metropolitan crown jewels. It is acknowledged as having the most number of recognizable landmarks within a single city; the iconic Eiffel Tower, majestic Notre Dame Cathedral and the spectacular Louvre are merely the tip of the iceberg when considering the plethora of stunning architectural edifices that populate either bank of the serene River Seine. The city is a centuries-old magnet for romance, culture and pageantry that can only be called transcendental in its grandeur and charm.
While seeking out the more mainstream picture-postcard sites of Paris, sightseers will also find that straying off the beaten track to explore the lesser known architectural beauties makes for a rewarding adventure. La our Saint-Jacques is one of the many historical sites of interest that is overshadowed by its more ostentatious peers.
The Gothic-style tower rises from between the spectacular backdrop of Rue de Rivoli and Place du Châtelet. The early 16th century construct used to be part of the church then known as Saint Jacques la Boucherie, or Saint James the Butcher. The lovely tower is today the only remaining evidence to the loveliness the building’s Renaissance artistry.
The tower used once used to be a significant landmark for Christian pilgrims en route to Spain’s Santiago de Compostela, one of medieval Christendom’s great trifecta of pilgrimage. Rising to a height of 171 feet, the tower must have been quite eye-catching with its flamboyant adornments of stained glass windows, spiked turrets and niches occupied by delicate statuary.
Unfortunately, the church was one of the many historical sites that fell victim to the destruction and pillage of the French Revolution; the beautiful tower was reduced to a stone quarry until 1836, when the city reacquired it and granted a semblance of its former dignity by making it the centrepiece of one of the first public squares constructed in Paris. It was later restored to its former glory by architect Théodore Ballu, who had it placed atop a pedestal and made it the focal point of a small park.
The Tour St. Jacques then attained another claim to fame in the 17th century, when physicist and mathematician Blaise Pascal decided to use it as a laboratory for his experiments of atmospheric pressure. These experiments led to pivotal findings that helped shape modern technology. Today, the tower houses a statue of Pascal and many of his original meteorological instruments at its pinnacle, as a tribute to the famous scientist.
Most recently, the tower disappeared behind a net of scaffolding for years while the city reinforced and revamped it for the public. In 2009, it finally emerged from its cocoon to be revealed as one of the major features in the Parisian landscape; a triumph of architectural resilience that was finally recognized not as a historical remnant but a standalone monument in its own right.
The Tour St. Jacques and many more of Paris’s historical marvels can be explored by visitors lucky enough to book a stay at one of the palace hotels Paris. The recently revamped Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris is one of the foremost among this class of accommodation. Situated within sight of the Champs Elysees within the very heart of the city, the luxury hotel Paris combines the breathtaking quintessential elegance of the city with the classic hospitality of the international Raffles brand name.
About the Author
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
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