Latin Quarter

We're exploring Paris's Latin Quarter on the left bank of the Seine, so what better time to talk about the origins of this term, now used in cities worldwide? Paris was originally divided into three areas: the Île de la Cité, home to the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the right bank, aka the city centre, and the left bank, nicknamed "the university." In the 17th century, the university district came to be known as the “Latin Country”, a nod to the Latin language used in schools and universities at the time. It became a hub for humanist education, philosophical discourse, and intellectual movements. By the 19th century, it had become a bohemian neighborhood popular among students, writers and artists. The city's reputation in the fields of education, art and culture prompted other major cities around the world to create their own version of the Latin Quarter. This is the case for the Latin Quarter in Montreal or Mexico City. Others may not officially bear the name but are often compared to it, such as the San Telmo neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Lastarria in Santiago, Greenwich Village in New York, or the Cambridge area around Harvard and MIT in Boston. And what do they have in common, you might ask? They're all home to universities and are known for their vibrant, cosmopolitan intellectual life. So, there you have it! That's the story behind the Latin Quarter, this old saying from the Middle Ages that is still totally relevant, even though classes are no longer taught in Latin!