Paris

Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower)

The symbol of Paris is the Tour Eiffel, built on the occasion of the 1889 World Exhibition to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. It has been named after its architect, Gustave Eiffel. The iron building with its height of 320 metres was the tallest building of the world up to 1930. The artistic and literate elite of the city opposed the building as yet another example of the undesired modern things, hence, in 1909, it was close to be demolished. Tour Eiffel was finally saved due to the need for accommodating the antennae of the telegraph - being a novelty in those days. The first three levels of the tower are open to the public, the can be reached by lift or by stairs.

Louvre

The Louvre was built around 1200 as fortitude, later rebuilt during the 16th century, then was used as a Royal palace. From 1793, it has been functioning as a museum. In 1980, during the presidency of Mitterand, it was refurbished and a 21-metre high glass pyramid was built in its middle. This glass pyramid, incompatible with the traditional style of the Louvre divides the Parisians; some like it as an ingenious "spot-on" monument, some feel it an eyesore destroying the image of the centuries' old building. In our endeavour of admiring the pictures and paintings of exceptional beauty, due to the crowds and long queues in front, we may only expect to see the top half of the Mona Lisa and of the Venus of Milo. Though it is forbidden, everybody takes photos.

Notre Dame

Not only is the monumental cathedral the symbol of Paris, but it is the symbol of the whole country too. Its history is interwoven with the important events of the French history. The building of this masterpiece of gothic architecture started in 1163 and was completed in 1345. The five-nave building is capable of accommodating up to 6000 people simultaneously. The visitor is overwhelmed by the impressive rosetta inside. Though the huge, 7800-pipe organ has been refurbished, it still does not function perfectly. It is worthwhile to climb the West wing, from where the beautiful view of Paris can be enjoyed,.

Pompidou Centre

The rather special building was completed in the '70s as initiated by President Pompidou, for supporting and representing contemporary and modern arts. Along with the Tour Eiffel, and similarly famous spots, surprisingly, this is one of the most frequently visited places in Paris. Its unusual look is originated from the exposed structural elements and utility devices on the external of the building. Seasonal exhibitions are shown on the ground floor. A third of the Modern Arts Museum's 40,000 exhibits are on the fourth and fifth floors. In the library operating in the Centre 2,500 daily papers and periodicals can be found, a large number of which are in English. Cinemas. CD and video centre, halls suitable for dance and theatre performance can all be found here. The fame of the square in front of the Centre is, however, not that good, as it is crowded by drug dealers and pickpockets.

Arc de Triomph

Napoleon Bonaparte initiated the start of building of the arch in 1806, to commemorate the victory at Austerlitz. It was only completed after thirty years, in 1836. Four statues can be seen on the four pillars of the structure. Those refer to the victory in 1810, to resistance, to peace and to the homecoming of the volunteers. There is a small museum in the building; showing the building's history. From the top of the Arc de Triomph, a wonderful view of Paris can be seen; starting from the Champs Elysées, the Louvre a little further, then the Concorde Place. On the top of the arch, the list of fighting fields of the revolution and the Napoleon-wars is cast in stone. The name of the 558 commanders are also listed there, underlined those who lost their life on the field. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier is under the arch, and the light of a perpetual candle serves as a memento to the dead of the two world wars.

Champs-Élysées Avenue

One time, the Champs Élysées Avenue accommodated the show-off promenade of the sophisticated aristocracy, as the symbol of the joys of the life in Paris. Fast-food restaurants and car showrooms that recently occupied the area fade out the earlier brilliance; however, the 2 km long, 70 metres wide avenue is still the place for evening strolls adding extra flavour to the overpriced meals of the restaurants.
The little gothic Sainte-Chapelle is worth seeing, that was built by Louis the Ninth, in 1240. The chapel is surrounded by the Palace de Justice. The lower level of the two-storey building is rather dark and close, but the top level is beautiful with its huge windows and small balcony.

The Opera, built between 1862 and 1875, must not be missed. The stage of the 11,000-square metre building is capable of accommodating nearly 450 actors at any one time. The stage section itself occupies roughly half of the building; therefore, the auditorium can only hold 2,200 seats. According to the legend, when the architect, Charles Garnier was asked, whether his design followed the Hellenistic or Roman style, he simply answered: "In the style of Napoleon the Third!"

Hotel de Ville is a similarly spectacular building, into which, the town's principals moved in the 1300-s already. During the Commune, it was burned down; later restored. The gothic architectural structures were ornamented with rich details; motives of the Italian renaissance can be seen in certain parts. The building is still the centre of the municipal administration today, accommodating the Mayor's Office too.

Numerous streets and places of Paris are well known, for many, the names of the earlier mentioned Champs-Élysées, along with the Concord Place, Vendome Place, and Bastille Place sound familiar. Bastille, the famous building of French history, was demolished in 1789, at the beginning of the Revolution. The place named after the prison is a memento; some of the original masonry can be seen, built  in the underground station under the place. The Concord Place is the largest place of Paris, from it starts the Champs-Élysées.

In the region surrounding Paris, in the Ile de France, a dozen or so castles can be found. A recently developed Paris-suburb can also be seen here, where only modern sky-scrapers are. The modern version of the Arc de Triomph was also built here. An avenue connects the new and the old buildings. Also EuroDisney is near Paris, and the Royal Palace of Versailles is nearby to the city. Many-a tourist visits the D'Alma tunnel, where Diana, the Princess of Wales lost her life in a fatal car accident. For a quiet rest, we suggest a visit to the Jardin du Luxembourg.