Beatrice Lang
Paris, also known as the City of Light, has a long history of street lighting. In 1318, the first public lamp was placed in front of the Grand Chatelet. In the 17th century, under the rule of Louis XIV, Paris began lining its streets with lanterns hung from ropes. In the 1840s, gaslights replaced oil lamps. In the late 1870s, electricity began to be installed throughout Paris, with the first electric streetlights, known as arc lamps or Jablochkoff candles, illuminating the Avenue de l'Opera in 1878.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First electric streetlights installed | 1878 |
| First electric streetlights known as | Arc lamps, Yablochkov candles, or Jablochkoff electric candles |
| First public streetlight | 1318 |
| First public streetlight was a | Candle lantern |
| First public streetlight placed in front of | Grand Chatelet |
| Ordinance of Louis XIV in | 1667 |
| Ordinance of Louis XIV increased the number of lamps and insisted they should be lit between | November 1 and March 1 |
| Invention of the | Oil lamp with a silvered reflector in 1774 |
| Inventor of the oil lamp with a silvered reflector | Abbe Matherot de Perigny |
| First gas lamps installed in | 1829 |
| Number of flat-flame gas lamps in 1839 | 14,000 |
| Number of flat-flame gas lamps in 1870 | 21,000 |
| Number of gas lamps in 1870 | 20,000 |
| Paris briefly known as the | Electric Capital of the World |
| Year Paris became known as the Electric Capital of the World | 1881 |
| Year of the last gas lamps in Paris | 1962 |
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What You'll Learn
The first electric streetlights in Paris were installed in 1878
Paris has long been known as the "City of Light", a name which may refer to the brilliant minds of the city's 18th-century philosophers or to the brightly illuminated streets of the French capital. The first streetlights in Paris were installed in the 17th century during the reign of Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King. These early streetlights consisted of tallow candles placed in iron-framed glass boxes and hung from ropes stretched across the streets.
Over the next two centuries, Paris's streetlights evolved from candles to oil lamps to gas lamps. In 1829, the first gas lamps were placed in the Place du Carrousel, and by 1870, there were over 20,000 gas lamps lighting the streets of Paris.
Then, in 1878, Paris took another step forward in its lighting history with the installation of the first electric streetlights. These early electric streetlights, known as arc lamps or Jablochkoff (or Yablochkov) candles, were bright and intense, creating a harsh light and deep shadows. They were placed on very high poles and used to light the Avenue de l'Opera, marking the beginning of the end for gas lighting in Paris.
While the transition to electric lighting took time, with gas lamps remaining in use until as late as 1962, the late 19th century saw Paris enter a period of rapid modernisation and urbanisation, characterised by a sense of prosperity and optimism. The invention of the electric light bulb was one of the major innovations of this era, and the proliferation of electric lights throughout the city transformed the surroundings and inspired artists such as Vincent van Gogh and John Singer Sargent to create stylistically avant-garde works capturing both the joys and anxieties of modernisation.
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They were known as arc lamps or Jablochkoff candles
Paris has a long history of street lighting, dating back to the 14th century when the first public lamp was hung in front of the Grand Chatelet in 1318. Over the centuries, the city experimented with various lighting sources, including tallow candles, oil lamps, and gaslights. However, the introduction of electric streetlights in the mid-19th century marked a significant turning point.
The first electric streetlights in Paris, known as arc lamps or Jablochkoff (or Yablochkov) candles, were installed in 1878. These innovative lights were invented by Russian electrical engineer Pavel Yablochkov, who first demonstrated them in Paris during the Exposition Universelle in 1878.
The Jablochkoff candle was a type of electric carbon arc lamp that revolutionized street lighting. It consisted of two long carbon rods separated by an insulating material such as plaster of Paris or kaolin. When an electric current was applied, it created an arc of light that illuminated the streets with a bright, harsh glare. These arc lamps were mounted on very high poles, casting light over long distances but also creating deep shadows.
The Jablochkoff candles offered several advantages over traditional oil lamps and earlier carbon arc designs. They provided a cheaper and more efficient lighting solution, and their simple mechanism amazed people. The candles could be powered by a seven-mile circuit, and their soft, steady light was preferred over the fluctuating light of competing carbon arc lamps.
The impact of the Jablochkoff candles extended beyond Paris. Within two years of their debut in Paris, over 2,500 electric candles were installed across Europe, illuminating important streets and docks. The candles found their way into palaces in Persia and Cambodia, and by 1880, they reached the United States, lighting up venues like the Concert Hall of Koster & Bial in New York City. The world was embracing the electric candle, and Paris, the City of Light, played a pivotal role in its global adoption.
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Paris's medieval infrastructure was updated in the 1870s
Paris, the "City of Light", has undergone a significant transformation in its journey towards becoming one of the world's most well-lit cities. The medieval infrastructure of Paris was updated in the 1870s, marking a pivotal phase in the city's evolution. This period witnessed the introduction of electric lighting, building upon earlier advancements in street lighting that had begun in the 17th century.
Prior to the 16th century, Paris literally operated in the dark after sunset. The government attempted to address this issue by proposing that households with ground-floor windows overlooking main streets keep a light burning, but the plan proved too costly. Paris remained unlit until the 17th century when King Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, initiated a significant increase in street lighting to enhance safety and reduce crime. These early streetlights consisted of tallow candles housed in iron-framed glass boxes and hung from ropes stretched across the streets.
In the late 18th century, the Abbe Matherot de Perigny invented an oil lamp with a silvered reflector, which was considered a remarkable advancement in lighting technology at the time. During the Revolution, these lamps were suspended by pylons or span wires stretched across the streets. The early 19th century saw further improvements with the introduction of Argand burners in 1821, followed by the installation of the first gas lamps in 1829.
The medieval infrastructure of Paris underwent a significant transformation in the 1870s, coinciding with the arrival of electricity in the mid-19th century. The first electric streetlights, known as arc lamps or Jablochkoff (Yablochkov) candles, were installed in Paris in 1878. These early electric lights produced a bright, glaring light, casting harsh shadows and fluctuating in intensity. They were a stark departure from the softer, muted glow of gas lamps.
The installation of electric lighting in the 1870s marked a pivotal moment in the modernisation of Paris. This period, known as the Belle Époque, was characterised by a sense of prosperity and optimism. The proliferation of gas and electric lights across the city inspired artists such as Vincent van Gogh, who captured the unique atmosphere of this era in his paintings. The iconic Eiffel Tower, completed in 1889, symbolised the emergence of a shimmering, modern Paris.
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The transition to electric light took a long time
Paris has a long history of public lighting, dating back to the 14th century when the first public lamp, a candle lantern, was placed in front of the Grand Chatelet in 1318. In the 17th century, under the reign of Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, the number of street lamps in Paris increased significantly. These early street lamps consisted of tallow candles in iron-framed glass boxes, hung from ropes stretched across the streets.
In the 18th century, the Abbe Matherot de Perigny invented an oil lamp with a silver reflector, which improved lighting distribution. During the Revolution, these lamps were suspended by pylons or span wires at a height of about 16 feet. The adoption of Argand burners in 1821 further enhanced the lighting.
In the 1830s and 1840s, Paris underwent a transition from oil lamps to gas lighting. This change was significant as it required a centralized delivery system, and the number of gas lamps increased rapidly. By the 1870s, there were approximately 20,000 gas street lamps in Paris, creating a faint, glowing ambiance.
The introduction of electric lighting in Paris began in the late 1870s with the installation of Jablochkoff electric candles, also known as Yablochkov candles or arc lamps. These early electric lights produced a bright, intense, and harsh light, a stark contrast to the muted glow of gas lamps. Despite the excitement around electricity and the International Exhibition of Electricity held in Paris in 1881, the transition to electric lighting in the city was gradual.
It was not until 1962 that the last gas lamps in Paris were finally replaced, demonstrating the lengthy process of fully adopting electric lighting in the City of Light.
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The harsh, white light was a shocking departure from gas lamps
Paris has a long and fascinating history of street lighting. The French capital, also known as the "City of Light", has seen various lighting technologies over the centuries, from early lanterns and candles to the modern electric bulbs that illuminate the city today.
In the 17th century, under the reign of Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, Paris began to install street lighting. These early efforts included hanging iron-framed glass boxes with tallow candles from ropes stretched across the streets. An ordinance from Louis XIV in 1667 increased the number of street lamps, which were to be lit even during moonlit nights from November 1 to March 1.
Over time, these candles were replaced by oil lamps, and then by gaslights in the 1840s. This transition to gas lighting was a significant change, as it required a centralized delivery system, which likely increased costs for the city.
However, the biggest transformation in street lighting came with the introduction of electricity in the mid-19th century. The first electric streetlights in Paris, known as arc lamps or Jablochkoff (Yablochkov) candles, were installed in the late 1870s, specifically in 1878 on the Avenue de l'Opera.
These early electric lights marked a shocking departure from the gas lamps that came before. The electric lights emitted a harsh, white, and intense glare, creating deep shadows and a completely new nocturnal atmosphere. A Chicago journalist visiting Paris in 1878 remarked, "The electric light is as cruel as the sun," highlighting the stark difference between the new electric light and the softer, muted glow of gas lamps.
The late 19th century was a period of rapid modernization and urbanization in Paris, and the proliferation of electric lighting played a significant role in shaping the city's artistic and social landscape. Artists like John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec captured this transition in their works, reflecting both the excitement and anxiety of modernization during the Belle Époque.
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Frequently asked questions
Paris began installing electric lights in the late 1870s.
The first electric streetlights in Paris were bright, glaring arc lamps on very high poles. They cast a harsh light and created deep shadows. These early electric lights were known as Jablochkoff or Yablochkov candles.
Before electric streetlights, Paris used gas lamps. Gaslights replaced oil lamps in the 1840s.
Paris continued to use gaslights alongside electric lights for many years. The last gas lamps in Paris were not removed until 1962. The introduction of electric lighting in the late 19th century also inspired artists such as John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who incorporated the new lighting into their artworks.
