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PARIS

 

PARIS ON THE NILE

AN EGYPTIAN TOUR OF THE CAPITAL

 

Napoleon Bonaparte's campaign in Egypt and the East between 1798 and 1801 led to the rise of an architectural style known as the Egyptian Renaissance in Paris, and generated several monuments across the French capital that were inspired by pharaohs, sphinxes and other iconic images for their decoration. But if you walk around like an Egyptian for an afternoon in Paris, you'll find that the Napoleonic era is far from the only influence. Sometimes it seems like pyramids and obelisks are everywhere ...

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Fellah fountain

The Fellah Fountain was built in 1806 during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. It is the work of architect François-Jean Bralle and sculptor Pierre-Nicolas Beauvalet. The fountain was one of fifteen fountains built by Napoleon to provide drinking water to the people of Paris and to commemorate his military campaigns.

Pyramide, Parc Monceau

 

Pyramid, Parc Monceau

The park includes a collection of scaled-down architectural elements, or follies - including an Egyptian pyramid, a Chinese fort, a Dutch windmill, and Corinthian pillars. A number of these items are Masonic references, reflecting the fact that Philippe d'Orléans was a prominent Freemason.

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Sphinx, Hotel Fieubet

In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh was sometimes depicted as the sphinx, a lioness with a human head. From the earliest written records of man, the lioness was recognized as the fierce hunter of the dreaded species in the cultures of ancient Egypt and Africa and dominated in the pantheons of these ancient cultures as representing warriors and protectors of the country.

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Luxor Obelisk

Two 3,300-year-old twin obelisks once marked the entrance to the Luxor Temple. Muhammad Ali Pasha, the Wāli and self-proclaimed Khedive of Egypt, offered the two obelisks to France in 1829. In August 1832, the French paddle steamer Sphinx traveled to Alexandria to meet the barge Louqsor, which was to load the Luxor Obelisk and bring it to Paris.

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The Man with the Raised Arm by Olivier Brice, Place du Caire

Egyptian-style works of art and architecture have been occasionally produced or built on mainland Europe and the British Isles since the Renaissance era.

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Facade of the Cairo Passage , in the Sentier district

Among the oldest examples of renaissance in France is the Passage du Caire building constructed in 1798. The exterior of the stone structure features large, engaged Hathor heads, a freize, and other more subtle architectural influences. of ancient Egypt.

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Luxor Cinema

Opened in 1921 as an independent cinema, the Luxor was taken over by the Pathe chain and then finally closed for more than 25 years. In 2003, the City of Paris bought the site. After undergoing a major renovation, the Luxor reopened in April 2013.

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Nubian lion fountain

While the Egyptians ruled over Nubia, they documented the cult of Dedun as a god of wealth and prosperity, who was said to be the son of the Nubian lioness goddess, although they did not incorporate this deity into their own pantheon.

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Palm tree fountain

The Fontaine du Palmier (1806-1808) is the largest fountain built during the reign of Napoleon that still exists.

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The pyramid of Louvre

The Louvre Pyramid is surrounded by three smaller pyramids in the main courtyard (Cour Napoléon) of the Louvre Palace. The great pyramid serves as the main entrance to the Louvre museum. Completed in 1989, it has become a landmark of the city of Paris.

© 2024 by Jacques Bravo

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