PARIS ET SES MONUMENTS

Le Palais Brongniart est plus connu sous le nom de la Bourse de Paris.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Si bien qu’il a donné son nom à la station de métro qui le dessert.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Pourtant, ce bâtiment construit au XIXème siècle n’abrite plus le cœur de la finance française depuis 1996 !                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        En 1724, Louis XV a l’idée de créer la Bourse de Paris. Mais il faudra attendre l’ascension au pouvoir de Napoléon pour prendre conscience de l’importance de la centralisation des activités financières du pays.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Ainsi, après un appel d’offres, l’architecte Alexandre Théodore Brongniart, à qui l’on doit les plans du Père Lachaise, est choisi. La construction débute en 1808.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             C’est sur les ruines du couvent des Filles Saint Thomas que le bâtiment sera placé. Et pour faire rayonner la France, Napoléon, comme à son habitude, a de grandes ambitions.

Il désire que le bâtisseur s’inspire des basiliques antiques et plus particulièrement du Temple de Vespasien, à Rome.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Ainsi, l’édifice de 69 mètres sur 41 se pare d’un péristyle de 82 colonnes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Si les grandes lignes sont plus moins établies, l’architecte Brongniart succombe en 1813. Il ne verra donc jamais son oeuvre.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Pour prendre la relève sur cet énorme chantier, c’est Eloi Labarre qui est désigné.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Le nom du premier architecte y restera pourtant à jamais associé.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Le palais de la Bourse de Paris est officiellement inauguré en 1826, sous le régime de la Restauration, et son faste ne laisse personne indifférent.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Aux quatre coins du bâtiment, sont placées des statues allégoriques : le commerce, l’agriculture, l’industrie et la justice.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Les décors au plafond rendent hommage aux différentes villes de France et aux différentes bourses d’Europe.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            La verrière de la grande salle laisse entrer la lumière.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Tous ces détails, savamment choisis, lui ont valu d’être classé Monument Historique,  en 1987.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Aujourd’hui, le palais n’accueille plus la Bourse depuis 1996, les corbeilles des courtiers ayant été progressivement remplacées par les transactions informatiques.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         L’espace est alloué à des séminaires et des conférences.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       – Dès sa création, la Bourse de Paris refusait l’accès aux femmes. Il faudra attendre 1967 pour que des femmes aient le droit d’entrée et c’est en 1968 que la première, Roselyne  Pierre, gravit les marches.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        – Le 5 mars 1886, un drame est évité au Palais Brongniart. Charles Gallo, un anarchiste, a dans l’idée de commettre un attentat dans ce lieu.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Il tente tout d’abord de déverser un liquide toxique dans la corbeille, mais c’est un échec. Il tire alors sur des agents, heureusement sans faire de victimes.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Pour ce crime, il sera tout de même condamné à 20 ans de bagne…