The
popular Canal Saint-Martin is a long canal
in the lovely city of Paris. It is 4.5
kilometers long and it connects the Seine
River and the Canal de l'Ourcq. In 1802,
Napoleon I ordered the construction of the
canal to create a channel through which
fresh water may come into Paris to support
the increasing population and to help
prevent the spreading of diseases such as
cholera and dysentery.
A prefect of Paris by the name of Gaspad de
Chabrol proposed the building of a canal
from the Ourq River. The excavation for the
canal began in 1802 and ended in 1825. The
project was funded by the newly imposed tax
on wine.
After its construction, the canal did more
than just bring fresh water in the city. It
also became the gateway through which food,
building materials and other goods were
brought into Paris. The Bassin de la
Villette and the Port de l'Arsenal were
built to receive supplies carried by canal
boats.
During the 1960s, traffic on the canal had
greatly decreased and it was almost
converted into a highway. The canal is now
filled in between the Place de la Bastille
and the Rue du Faubourg du Temple.
