History of the Montparnasse Tower: Paris's Controversial Skyscraper

When the Tour Montparnasse was inaugurated in 1973, it wasn't met with applause—it was met with horror. It remains one of the most controversial buildings in architectural history.

The Context: A Modernizing Paris

In the 1960s, President Georges Pompidou wanted to modernize Paris. The old Montparnasse train station was overcrowded and insufficient. A massive urban renewal project was planned for the Left Bank, and the centerpiece was to be a modern office tower to drive economic growth and create a new business district.

The Construction (1969-1973)

• Architects: Eugène Beaudouin, Urbain Cassan, Louis Hoym de Marien, and Jean Saubot.
• Scale: 59 stories, 210 meters tall. It required foundations 70 meters deep to sit atop the metro lines and limestone quarries.
• Style: International Style. A dark, sleek, glass-and-steel monolith that stood in stark contrast to the surrounding stone.

The Backlash

As the tower rose, so did the anger. In a city of low-rise Haussmannian limestone buildings (typically 6-7 stories), this dark vertical slab stuck out like a sore thumb. Critics called it a "tombstone" and an "eyesore." It disrupted the historic sightlines of the city, visible from almost everywhere.

The Aftermath: A Ban on Skyscrapers

The reaction was so negative that viewing it changed urban planning laws forever. Two years after its completion, the city passed a law banning the construction of buildings over 7 stories high (37 meters) in the city center. This ban preserved Paris's historic skyline for decades (though it has recently been relaxed for the fierce Triangle Tower project).

A "New" Montparnasse?

Despite the hate, the tower became a functional success for businesses and a major tourist attraction. Today, it is undergoing a reassessment. A massive renovation project is planned to strip the dark asbestos-filled facade and replace it with a transparent, green, light-filled exterior, hoping to finally make peace with the Parisians.

Fun Fact

There is famous joke in Paris: "Where is the most beautiful place in Paris?" "On top of the Montparnasse Tower." "Why?" "Because it is the only place where you cannot see the Montparnasse Tower!" (Attributed to writer Guy de Maupassant regarding the Eiffel Tower originally, but now applied here).