35 Amazing Photos Capture Street Scenes of Paris in the 19th Century ~ Vintage Everyday

During the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), Paris was besieged by the Prussian Army. After months of blockade, hunger, and then bombardment by the Prussians, the city was forced to surrender on 28 January 1871. On 28 March, a revolutionary government called the Paris Commune seized power in Paris. The Commune held power for two months, until it was harshly suppressed by the French army during the “Bloody Week” at the end of May 1871.

Paris in the 19th century

Late in the 19th century, Paris hosted two major international expositions: the 1889 Universal Exposition, was held to mark the centennial of the French Revolution and featured the new Eiffel Tower; and the 1900 Universal Exposition, which gave Paris the Pont Alexandre III, the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais and the first Paris Métro line. Paris became the laboratory of Naturalism (Émile Zola) and Symbolism (Charles Baudelaire and Paul Verlaine), and of Impressionism in art (Courbet, Manet, Monet, Renoir).

These amazing vintage photos show what street scenes of Paris looked like in the 19th century.

Square Émile-Chautemps, April 1855

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and Imperial Palace, August 1860

Paris street scenes, 1860

Tuileries Palace, circa 1860

Construction of the ticket offices of the La Trémoille pavilion around 1863

Notre-Dame, 1863

Palais-Royal Garden, 1865

Place de la Concorde, 1865

Rond Point des Champs Elysées, 1865

Rue de Rivoli, 1865

The Baths of the Samaritaine, Paris, circa 1865

Parc des Buttes Chaumont when the park opened, 1867

Notre-Dame, 1868

Hôtel-Dieu under construction, 1869

Boulevard de la Madeleine, 1870

Vendôme column, Paris, May 16, 1871. The column was pulled down under the direction of the painter Courbet. Rebuilt on May 30, 1873 for the price of 350,000 gold francs, which ruined Courbet