 Arrondisements refers to the municipal administrative district of certain large cities in France. Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements municipaux (which roughly means “municipal boroughs”). In simpler term, it is referred to as arrondissements. When the word “arrondisement,” is used in relation to Paris, it refers mostly to the municipal arrondissements. It should not, however, be confused with departmental arrondisements, which subdivide the 100 French departments. In Parisian postal codes (75001 up to 75020), the last two digits indicates the number of the arrondissement.
The 20 Arrondissements are grouped in the form of a clockwise spiral, beginning with the 1st in the middle of the city on the right bank (north bank) of the Seine River.
History
Before 1860
Paris was divided into 12 arrondissements on October 11, 1795. From west to east, they were numbered with 1-9 situated on the right bank of the Seine, and on the left bank 10-12. In 1790, 48 original districts were created which corresponded to 4 quartiers of the subdivision of each arrondissement.
After 1860
Napoleon III defined new territory within the city on January 1,1860, where the present 20 arrondissements were formed by rearranging the previous 12 arrondissement with this new territory. It is important to distinguish between the old and new systems in references to historical records. The number with the term ancienne is followed in the old arrondissements, for e.g. 2eme ancienne or 7eme anc.
|
