Cardo Maximus

The Cardo Maximus of ancient Lutetia runs beneath the modern street grid of the Latin Quarter. It functioned as the primary north-south axis of the Roman city, stretching from the heights of the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève down toward the Seine. Today, this ancient path corresponds to the modern Rue Saint-Jacques. Roman engineers laid out the town on a rigid grid, positioning this road to connect the city to major trade routes while avoiding the marshy banks of the river.