Got Me Cornered

Paris iPhone Photo Chronicles ~ Got Me Cornered ~

Got Me Cornered, a photo by Paris Set Me Free on Flickr.

BONUS: For Street Photography Fans!

facebook.com/streetphotographysecrets

Tweet

If there's one place which symbolises the curiosities of Paris at least as much as any other, it's this corner here.

Not only is it situated on one of the two magical islands in the centre of Paris, Ile Saint-Louis, it has a dramatically chopped-in-half statue in an almost-nook, and an enigmatic name carved into the stone below it.

The name, to cut a long and oft-told story short is Rue de la Femme Sans Teste - 'Headless Woman' street. Those discovering (and deciphering) this for the first time generally come to the conclustion that the lady in question is the severed statue just above the name.

Wrong. The name came from an old cabaret which used to be in the street. The statue, of Saint Nicolas, was decapitated, indeed truncated, in 1793 during the dangerous post-revolutionary times when anything pertaining to religion or royals was unceremoniously smashed, bludgeoned or gouged. Ouch!

Et voila! That's the story of one of the most curious little corners in Paris, and one of my absolute favourites. With many others to discover, of course. Meet you on the corner?

And why not...

J è  GRAB MY 20 AMAZING PARIS CURIOSITIES FREE NOW!  ç J

_________________________________________________________________________________
© 2012 Sab Will / Paris Set Me Free - Contact me directly for photo tours, interviews, exhibitions, etc.