# Haussmann appointed prefect of the Seine (1853)

URL: https://history-france.com/timeline/1853-haussmann-appointed-prefect-of-the-seine
Location: Paris

A vast reconstruction program transformed Parisian streets, infrastructure and public spaces. Within the broader Second Empire period, Napoleon III combined authoritarian rule with economic modernization, Parisian reconstruction and an ambitious foreign policy. Liberal reforms came late, and defeat by Prussia destroyed the empire. At this point in the timeline, the relevant governing authority is Napoleon III (Emperor of the French). Haussmann appointed prefect of the Seine mattered because it changed material life, state capacity, economic networks or France’s ability to project power. The event is positioned here so visitors can read it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion, culture and France’s wider international setting.

## Why it matters
Haussmann appointed prefect of the Seine mattered because it changed material life, state capacity, economic networks or France’s ability to project power.

Ruler at the time: [Napoleon III](https://history-france.com/rulers/napoleon-iii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia topic lookup — Haussmann appointed prefect of the Seine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=Haussmann+appointed+prefect+of+the+Seine&go=Go)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Haussmann appointed prefect of the Seine](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Haussmann+appointed+prefect+of+the+Seine)
- [Vie-publique — French institutions and history](https://www.vie-publique.fr/)