Origin and history

The eye of the Medici aqueduct, located in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, is a monument whose primary function was related to water management. This type of work, often discreet, played an essential role in urban water supply networks, allowing for the control or distribution of flows. Although its name evokes the Medici aqueduct, built in the 17th century to supply drinking water to Paris, the available data do not specify whether this look is directly part of it or whether it is anterior/posterior.

In the Parisian context, aqueducts and their eyes were vital infrastructures for a constantly growing population. At a time when public hygiene was a major issue, these systems allowed water to flow from remote sources to fountains, public baths or aristocratic residences. The eyes, point-of-access points to these underground networks, were also used for their maintenance.

Their presence in the urban landscape reflects the hydraulic engineering developed to meet the needs of a metropolis like Paris.