Atlas of Battles

siege, major, nineteenth century

Siege of Paris

Siege of Paris was a siege conducted on 19 September 1870 at Paris, in what is now France; it lasted 4 months. It was part of the Franco-Prussian War, which ran from 1870 to 1871. The recorded result: German victory; Proclamation of the German Empire and the Paris Commune. Recorded strength: 240,000 regulars against 200,000 regulars, Garde Mobile and sailors; 200,000 militia.

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Ernest Meissonier, Le Siège de Paris, huile sur toile, 1870-1884, Paris, musée d'Orsay. « Mémorial des morts » et « symphonie héroïque de la France », le tableau représente allégoriquement la ville de
Ernest Meissonier, Le Siège de Paris, huile sur toile, 1870-1884, Paris, musée d'Orsay. « Mémorial des morts » et « symphonie héroïque de la France », le tableau représente allégoriquement la ville de. Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought19 September 1870lasted 4 months
WhereParis, France48.857N, 2.352E
OutcomeGerman victory; Proclamation of the German Empire and the Paris Commune
BelligerentsNorth German Confederation (before 18 January 1871); Kingdom of Prussia; Kingdom of Saxony; Baden; Kingdom of Bavaria; Kingdom of Württemberg; German Empire (after 18 January 1871)againstGovernment of National Defence
Part ofFranco-Prussian War1870 to 1871

Where it sits in the Franco-Prussian War

Siege of Metz, 1870Second Battle of Orléans, 1870Siege of Thionville, 1870Lichtenberg Siege, 1870Siege of Marsal, 1870Battle of Saarbrücken, 1870Battle of Wissembourg, 1870Battle of Spicheren, 1870Battle of Wörth, 1870Siege of Bitche, 1870Siege of Phalsbourg, 1870Battle of Borny-Colombey, 1870Battle of Mars-la-Tour, 1870Siege of Strasbourg, 1870Siege of Toul, 1870Battle of Gravelotte, 1870Battle of Buzancy, 1870Battle of Nouart, 1870Battle of Beaumont, 1870Battle of Noisseville, 1870Battle of Bazeilles, 1870Battle of Sedan, 1870Siege of Montmédy, 1870Battle of Montmesly, 1870Siege of Paris, 1870First Battle of Châtillon, 1870Battle of Sceaux, 1870Battle of Chevilly, 1870Battle of Nompatelize, 1870Battle of Saint-Quentin, 1870Battle of Artenay, 1870Siege of Verdun, 1870Battle of Châtillon, 1870Siege of Neu-Breisach, 1870Battle of Bellevue, 1870Battle of Châteaudun, 1870Battle of Buzenval, 1870Battle of Dijon, 1870Battle of Le Bourget, 1870Siege of Belfort, 1870Siege of La Fère, 1870Battle of Coulmiers, 1870Battle of Havana, 1870Siege of Mézières, 1870Battle of Amiens, 1870Battle of Beaune-la-Rolande, 1870Battle of Villiers, 1870Battle of Choisy-le-Roi, 1870Battle of Villepion, 1870Battle of Loigny-Poupry, 1870Battle of Beaugency, 1870Battle of Longeau, 1870Battle of Nuits, 1870Second Battle of Le Bourget, 1870Battle of Hallue, 1870Siege of Péronne, 1870Battle of Pontarlier, 1871Battle of Bapaume, 1871Battle of Villersexel, 1871Battle of Le Mans, 1871Battle of the Lisaine, 1871Battle of Saint-Jean-sur-Erve, 1871Battle of Saint-Melaine, 1871Battle of St. Quentin, 1871Battle of Buzenval, 187118701871Siege of Paris, 1870
65 placed engagements of the Franco-Prussian War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date19 September 1870
to 28 January 1871
PlaceParis, France
48.857N, 2.352E
KindSiege, nineteenth century
Strength240,000 regulars200,000 regulars, Garde Mobile and sailors; 200,000 militia
Casualties and losses16,000 dead or wounded24,000 dead or wounded; 249,142 capitulated; 47,000 civilian casualties
Commanders
  • Louis Jules Trochu
  • Joseph Vinoy
Siege of ParisSiege of ParisBattle of ParisSiege of ParisSiege of ParisSiege of ParisSiege of ParisBattle of ParisLe HavreRouenOrléansReimsLe MansAmiensTroyesDieppe100 km48.857N, 2.352E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Siege of Paris
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 10 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Siege of Paris today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2024-08-05. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2024.

The recorded site stands at about 42 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from 6 to 137 m, 131 m of relief, gently rolling country and today it is 88% built-up, 9% tree cover, 2% water.

built-up: 88%tree cover: 9%water: 2%built-up 88%tree cover 9%water 2%
west to east, 10.0 km26 to 75 mnorth to south, 10.0 km26 to 77 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 27 times between 52 BC and 1944.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1870

Siege of Paris is one of 3,694 engagements of the 19th century in the atlas and one of 1,495 in present-day France.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q690489, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Siege of Paris (1870–1871), revision 1385294385, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.