II.3.5. LOUIS XIV'S ARC LOOMS OVER THE ROUTE

CONTINUE TOWARD A MONUMENT THAT IS SUPERB AND TRAGIC

Enthralled by a victorious campaign, Louis XIV had the 14th-century rampart torn down, making the Boulevards that replaced them a shortcut to Versailles...

(Campaign 1672, rampart demolished 1674)

Plan of Paris toward 1640 / zoom

Then he had this arc built on the site of the Saint-Denis gate:

Erasing the protection of ramparts

 that were universally taken for granted 

announced that attacking the city was unthinkable.

That trumpeted French domination.

To be continued.

End of this mini-section.

*     *     *

Next,

II.3.6.

Toward the horizon