The French Revolution did not 
affect the architectural style of 
Paris. None of the pre-1789 
architectural legacy was 
discredited or even significantly 
questioned, and classical 
architecture continued in Paris 
without interruption. Until 1815, 
the neo-classical trend 
predominated. Thereafter, no 
single fashion had the upper hand, 
but fidelity to classicism was 
unquestioned.

The transformation of Paris under 
the Second Empire is the biggest 
commonplace of urban history after 
the Great Fire of London. It 
coincided with the first surge of 
French industrialization, 
beginning in the 1840s and lasting 
until the Great Depression of the 
1870s. The main emphasis was on 
streets, which were laid out in 
the periphery, or driven through 
the center at the cost of 
thousands of demolitions. New 
streets and new buildings on this 
scale were bound to affect the 
appearance of Paris.