Sunday, December 31, 2017

Varsovie

I just learned that the Trocadero Fountain at the Chaillot Palace, across the river from the Eiffel Tower, is more formally known as la Fontaine de Varsovie (the Warsaw Fountain), named for the Polish capital city. The intersection between the fountain and bridge across the river is named Place de Varsovie. I wonder if the name originates from the Universal Exposition of 1878? My exhaustive quick and dirty research didn't turn up any information to explain it.

I took this photo in the spring of 2009. Friends and I planned to go up into the tower, but it was closed because of a strike.

The current fountain dates from 1937, the original having been removed during the reconstruction of the Chaillot Palace and gardens in preparation for a special exposition that year. The fountain is big, and it's quite impressive when the water cannons are operating, which they're not in this photo (but you can see them in the lower right corner).

The view is quite popular from the terraces of the Chaillot Palace (behind me), across the fountain and the Pont d'Iéna to the Eiffel Tower, then along the Champs de Mars to the École Militaire and beyond to the Tour Montparnasse.

6 comments:

  1. Great view. How many times have you gone up?

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  2. According to old photos, it looks like there already was a fountain at the site when it was le Palais du Trocadéro

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  3. Hey, I think I've seen this monument before ;)

    Enjoy New Year's Eve everyone!

    Judy

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  4. It was after many trips to Paris that I finally saw this lovely view. Happy NYE to one and all!

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  5. HNY 2018 to you and ken and the furkids! great pix; paris never ages!

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  6. mitch, I think I've been up there maybe three times since 1981.

    chm, I believe you are right. It was built for the exposition in 1878.

    judy, looks familiar, eh? LOL

    evelyn, :)

    anne marie, HNY to you all as well!

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