Mois: mars 2014

Who Is Henri Beyle?

A bit of culture never killed somebody!

For teenagers living in Grenoble, he is a high school or an University even if he was one the greatest French writer in the early 19th century. The Red and The Black, La Chartehouse of Parma… Still no idea? Well it could be only Stendhal who was born in Grenoble in 1783!

In the daily life, Stendhal was Henri Beyle, Stendhal was only his favourite pseudonym, the one that earned his renown. But why did he choose this name? The question brings us to Germany. Before writing books, Stendhal fought for the Napoleon Army. He took part at the Prussia Campaign and arrived in Braunschweig in 1806. He surrounded the city and discovered the city Stendal. He loved so much this little town that he added a « h » between the « d » and « a » because he thought that it would emphasize the German origin.

Some explain that the French writer devoted an unbridled admiration to Johann Joachim Winckelmann, born in Stendal in 1717. He is the founder of the modern archaeology and an advocate of the Antiquity Art. Another theory points that Stendhal met Minna von Griesheim and shared a passionate love story between 1807 and 1808. Thus, it is rather for love that he chose this pseudonym.

After his military career, Stendhal moved in Paris where he wrote most of his masterpieces till his death in 1843. If you want to know more about Stendhal, you can visit the apartment where he spent all his childhood in Grenoble! For further information, check the website: http://www.bm-grenoble.fr/596-stendhal.htm

Stendhal, by Olof Johan Södermark, 1840

Stendhal, by Olof Johan Södermark, 1840

 

 

 

 

The mystery of the magic square « Sator »

There is a very old door in the Jean-Jacques Rousseau street, in the historic neighborhoods of Grenoble, on which is engraved a strange message. It is composed of five Latin words whose origin and meaning have never been discovered yet.

Whatever the reading direction, horizontal left to right or right to left, or vertical downward and upward, the magic square always delivers the same message, consisting of the following five Latin words: « SATOR » « AREPO », « TENET », « OPERA », « ROTAS ».

-carre-SATOR-02A mysterious message that is repeated in every sense of reading.

The mystery increases when we know that the same square was found in several countries in Europe and the Middle East. Its earliest representation was discovered in the ruins of Pompeii, which traces its origin no later than the year 79 AD.
It is also found in other Italian cities such as Rome, Siena or Cremona, Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Conimbriga in Portugal, Circencester in UK, Budapest in Hungary, 8 French towns but also in the ancient site of Dura Europos in Syria and in Egypt.

All these places have one thing in common: they are very ancient human occupation sites, all confined within the borders of what the Roman Empire was.

Sator_Square_at_Oppède The same old square was found in several countries.

Much ink has been spilled on the magic square Sator for centuries, involving attempts to explain them with different interpretations: religious, numerological, and even alchemy.
One of the most popular theories is the Christian explanation: the square Sator was used by early Christians in the Roman Empire. Persecuted and forced to hide, the magic square have served their recognition code.

But, a recognition code engraved on the walls is not really discreet.

Actually, we will probably never know the meaning of this mysterious message…

Jean Jaurès, the longest European avenue

Image

Cours Jean Jaurès à Grenoble

 

Do you know the “cours Jean Jaurès” in Grenoble? We bet YES! But did you know it is the longest straight avenue in Europe? Let’s explain this!

This avenue starts with the name “cours Jean-Jaurès” (just at the bottom of the famous “Bastille”) and becomes the “cours de la Libération et du Général de Gaulle” when it crosses the “boulevard Maréchal Foch”. Then this avenue comes back to the name of the “cours Jean-Jaurès” when it crosses the European road E712 (N87 in French). It finally becomes the “cours Saint André” when the avenue enters in the city of “Le Pont de Claix”.

We have already heard you saying “Why does it change of name?” Here is our answer.

Initially, the whole avenue was baptized “cours Saint André”, but since it has crossed different cities, they all have the right to name it as they want. “Le pont de Claix” has decided to keep the original name “cours Saint André” which was the name of a powerful family in the 17th century. In 1920, Grenoble decided to baptize its part of the avenue “cours Jean Jaurès” and in 1944 (5th of December), Grenoble baptized the south part of the avenue “cours de la Libération et du Général de Gaulle” to honor the famous Général de Gaulle.

What does this avenue stand for?

At the starting point (the end of the 17th century), it was a small dyke to help the Drac’s canal in the struggle of the overflowing and where citizen went to take for a walk. Today, it gathers hundreds of business, shops and stores and is one of the center of the economy in Grenoble.

How deep is the avenue?

To compare to Paris, between the “place de la Concorde” and the “Defense”, there is only 5.8 kilometers and the famous avenue “Champs Elysées”, which is one of the most known avenue in Europe lengths only 2 kilometers. This avenue lengths 7.8 kilometers and is 50 meters width.