Brief reminder of Part 1 (without mistake ).
Originally, this Parisian square in the 18th arrondissement was no more than a mound of earth. A cloister was built on the edge of the land, which became the village square of Montmartre. It was in the 18th century that the first bohemian artists took over the site, which over the years evolved into a lively, picturesque square.
This town square has preserved the architectural charm of the two- and three-storey cottages dating from the 18th and early 19th centuries. It is still a pictouresque and lively place, with terraces, restaurants and the ' artists ' square ' , divided into 149 spaces where painters, portraitists and caricaturistes display their work and paint their pictures in the open air.
Each draughtsman is alowed a surface area of 1 m² on the pavement every other day, as regulatid by the Paris City Council, creating a permanent sense of artistic agitation. To obtain permission to work there, artists had to pay a fixed annual fee. Since the 1980s, the space reserved for artists has been drastically reduce in favour of restaurant terraces and cafés, creating recuring conflicts. Although Paris City Council decided in 1983 to create an artists ' area in order to create a level playing field, the eight restaurant owners present on the square continue to nibble away at the available space, and in 2018 they had 80% of this space, the general feeling being that the City Council favours the restaurant owners.
This emblematic part of the capitale, with its special soul, is a popular tourist destination. It has a country atmosphere, with narow streets lined with gingham tablecloths. It ' s not uncommon for an accordionist or violinist to create a musical atmosphere with famous Parisian tunes. From March to October, the crowds are permanentely packed. You have to love the crowds, as visitors flock here day and night. This seductive folklore has made it one of the most visited places in Paris. It ' s not until late at night, or even early in the morning, that the Place du Tertre regains a semblance of tranquillitie.
Steeped in history, Place du Tertre is the nerve centre of the 18th arrondissement and the most popular tourist spot on the Butte Montmartre. |
