After Paris had been transformed by Haussmann in the 19th century, writers were often lamenting at how poor London looked in comparison. With the influence of Beaux-Arts planning, there was a desire to improve and beautify London into a city suitable for the spectacle and governance of an empire. At the beginning of the 20th century grand new routes such as The Mall, Aldwych and Kingsway changed the way people moved around the capital and how London was perceived by visitors.