Paris in the 16th century Paris in the 16th century During the 16th century, Paris was the largest city in Europe, with a population of about 350,000 in 1550. The 16th century saw the Renaissance arrive in Paris, expressed in the city's architecture, art and cultural life. The Kings of France returned to Paris from the Loire Valley. Paris. In 1534 Francis I became the first French king to make the Louvre his residence. Under King Francis I, the Renaissance style of architecture, imported from Italy, was widely used in churches and public buildings, replacing the gothic style. Paris landmarks built during the 16th century
St. Bartholomew's Day massacre in audio form. The St Bartholomew's Day Massacre is the setting for Tim Willocks' historical novel, "The Twelve Children of Paris" (Matthias Tannhauser Trilogy:2) (2013), and Ken Follett's book A Column of Fire, published in 2017. Follett gives several of the book's main characters a role in the massacre and the events leading up to it. St. Bartholomew's Day massacre The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre () in 1572 was a targeted group of assassinations and a wave of Catholic mob violence, directed against the Huguenots (French Calvinist Protestants) during the French Wars of Religion. Traditionally believed to have been instigated