Grenelle Artesian Well of Paris, 1841

Drilling started in December 1833 and finally, at a depth of almost 1, 800 feet, the boring-rod broke through the rocky arch above the subterranean aquifer, and water gushed up through the pipes in the well in 1841. The water needed to be contained and piped to a reservoir from which it could be distributed to other parts of Paris. The system required a pipe that rose high above the ground near the well to let the water continue flowing at an even pressure. This could have been a functional piece of equipment to do the job, but this was a time of great pride in engineering. Designed by Constant Delaperche visitors could climb the cast-iron circular stairs that wound up the middle of the column, stop on any one of the three circular balconies, and gaze out over Paris. At other times water that tumbled outwards and downwards from each of the balconies. The Grenelle artesian well of Paris was demolished in 1903 and replaced by a statue of Louis Pasteur

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1841 Artesian Cast-iron Colorised Colorization Conduit Constant Distribution Enhancement Figuier Grandes Grenelle Inventions Management Ninth Storied Subterranean Technological Waterworks

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