Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Champ-de-Mars is a large public garden located in Paris in the 7th arrondissement, between the Eiffel Tower and the Military School. With an area of 24.3 hectares, it is one of the largest green spaces in the capital. Its name, inspired by the Roman Mars Field, evokes its initial use as a military manoeuvring ground, in connection with the proximity of the Military School built in 1765 by architect Gabriel. Originally, this land belonged to the Grenelle Plain, a marsh dedicated to vegetable farming.

From 1765, Champ-de-Mars became a strategic place for military journals, hosting up to 10,000 soldiers. It is bounded by ditches and grids, and bordered with elms in quinconce. During the French Revolution, it was the scene of major events such as the Feast of the Federation (1790), where Louis XVI took the oath of the Constitution in front of 300,000 people, or the shooting of 1791, where 50 demonstrators were killed by the law enforcement forces under the orders of Mayor Bailly.

The site also hosts scientific experiments, such as the balloon climbs of Jacques Charles (1783) and Jean-Pierre Blanchard (1784). Under Napoleon I, he served as a framework for imperial ceremonies, including the distribution of eagles in 1804. In the 19th century, it became a place of universal exhibitions (1867, 1878, 1889, 1900, 1937), including the construction of the Eiffel Tower in 1889 to celebrate the centenary of the Revolution.

In the 20th century, the Champ-de-Mars became a cultural and festive space, hosting giant concerts (Jean-Michel Jarre in 1995, Johnny Hallyday in 2000), fireworks on 14 July, and sporting events such as the 1900 Olympic Games. In 1956, it was classified as a historical site, and in 1991 it was integrated into the UNESCO World Heritage Site via the Paris - Rives de la Seine site.

Today, Champ-de-Mars is a popular gathering place, with pedestrian paths, kindergartens, and ephemeral infrastructures such as the Grand Palais éphemere (2021) or the Eiffel Tower Stadium (2024) for the Olympic Games. It remains a symbol of France's political, scientific and cultural history, while being a popular green space for Parisians and tourists.

Future

Rich in bicentennial history, Champ-de-Mars welcomes Parisians and tourists all year round around a wide range of activities.

External links