I've recently been inspired by my trip to Europe and the many cultures I witnessed in the span of a week. So I've decided to write a series of studies regarding the cultures, histories, and cities of which I witnessed. I have already written various times about French culture (see Study of French Culture), so will bypass that general study. I do however intend to give a further look into French history as well as a study of it's iconic capital city of Paris.
I'm really not sure when my fascination with Paris began. Perhaps it was my cousins, Marc and Jennifer, who are half French, and their French dad who sparked my curiosity. I've seen the city portrayed many times in films as the ultimate site of romance and beauty. It was Woody Allen's film Midnight in Paris, that heightened my desire to visit this city all the more. I've written several times now about the city of Paris, focusing on two specific ages, (see Paris in the 1920s and La Bella Epoque).
In this post I want to give a general outline of the city's history, which could also serve an outline of French history. I'd also like to reference the most iconic landmarks of Paris and the history behind them. After visiting the city of lights and seeing it with my own eyes, I can confidently say that it lived up to the hype. It's a city that everyone should see at some point in their lives.
History of the City- The Celtic Tribe of Parisii
The most basic question I have about the city of Paris, is how did it become such a wonderful center of art. I suppose it's a question that can only be answered by studying the people's history. Just like any other major civilization it most likely began as a significant point of geography and resources. In the case of Paris, it sits in the mainland of France separated by the Seine River. This major river that leads to the English Channel, was no doubt an early source of economy.
The earliest record of a settlement in Paris, was in 250 BC consisting of a sub-tribe of Celtics who became known as the Parisii. This tribe developed golden coins, bridges, and fortresses along the river way. The area quickly grew into a booming center of trade which caught the attention of the Roman empire. In 52 BC Julius Caesar took possession of the region and was able to squash any resistance. The region became a new state of the Roman Empire and was called Lutetia, which was Latin for swampland.
Roman Occupation
The Romans were able to build the city in the likes of their civilizations with state of the art structures such as aqueducts. By the 3rd century, Christianity was introduced to the city by Saint Denis who was beheaded by the Roman soldiers for his new beliefs. The site of his beheading became known as Mountain of Martyrs which today is the iconic hill in Paris known as Montmarte. By 305 AD the city name was changed from Lutetia to Civitas Parisorium as a homage to the cities founders, it was known as the City of the Parisii. And by the 5th century it became simply known as Paris.
Clovis and the Frank Kingdom
For a brief period it became the center city of the Roman Empire as it began to decline due to Germanic invasions. By the year 481, the young leader of a Frank tribe named Clovis defeated the Roman armies and took control of the Gaul region. In the year 508 he made Paris the capital city of his newly established Frank Kingdom. Clovis ushered in a new era of religious leadership in the region known as the Merovingian Dynasty. Many churches, basilicas, and cathedrals were built in the area.
By 751 the Carolingian Dynasty moved the center of the Frank Kingdom from Paris and to the city of Aachen. During this period Paris lost some of it's glamour and was attacked frequently by Viking tribes. Nonetheless it hung on to become a significant fortress for the land of Francia. By the middle ages Paris began to emerge as a site of wonder with the new constructions of Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris University, and the Louvre fortress. By the 13th century more iconic buildings were added to Paris such as the Saint-Chapelle and the Bastille fortress to house prisoners.
The Hundred Years War
During the 1300s the city of Paris was infected with the Bubonic Plague which killed thousands of Parisians for over 30 years. To add to this death toll was the start of the Hundred Years War pinning the Kingdom of France in a territorial dispute with the Kingdom of England. In 1418 the city of Paris was invaded and occupied by the English army for nearly 20 years. A female warrior named Joan of Arc attempted to liberate Paris from English occupation claiming she had been called forth by God. While she was unsuccessful in her attempt she served as a rallying cry for the French armies to fend off the English occupation. By 1436 the English left the city of Paris in ruins.
By the end of the Hundred Years War in 1453, Paris was once again the capital of Francia. By the 1500s the city began to flourish once again at the height of the renaissance. New buildings, bridges, fountains, and landmarks were added to restore the city's glamorous appeal. However in the midst of this cultural boom was growing tensions among Catholics and Protestants located in Paris. The city was a stronghold for Catholics, who began a campaign of persecutions and public massacres of Protestants during the French Wars of Religion.
By the 1600s many Protestants fled the city of Paris due to the Wars of Religion. In an attempt to lift the moral of Paris, King Henry IV commissioned new buildings and an expansion of the Louvre fortress which had become the house of the royalty. By 1671, King Louis XIV relocated the Royal residence from Paris to Versailles located in the outskirts. Despite this relocation of the royal residence the city of Paris continued to grow and prosper. Buildings such as the College of Four Nations, the Les Invalides hospital, and the Comedie Francaise theater
The French Revolution and Napoleon Bonaparte
By the mid 1700s during the Enlightenment Age, Paris had become the financial center of France and Europe. Cafes began to sprout all over the populated city which attracted new intellectual writers such as Voltaire and Jean-Jaques Rousseau. This rush of enlightenment perhaps gave way to the French Revolution of 1789 in which Paris was at it's center stage. Workers and impoverished stormed the Invalides to acquire weapons and later stormed the Bastille. A few weeks later the mob had organized into a full pledged revolution and they marched to Versailles to capture the royal family. The city thus became independent of royal authority.
However the conflict that followed the dismantling of the monarchy became known as the Reign of Terror, a political purge that swept thru the city of Paris. The guillotine became the new deadly symbol of the French Revolution and those opposed against it had their heads chopped off in the public squares of Paris. During this time many of the iconic buildings and cathedrals such as Notre Dame were damaged since they were symbols of the monarchy. By 1799 the young general Napoleon Bonaparte was able to replace the Directory government with a French Empire. In 1804 he declared himself emperor and intended to make Paris the capital of his empire, in the likes of Rome.
During this transition of power, the buildings in Paris continued to emerge with new purpose. New bridges such as the Ponte de Artes were constructed. The Louvre was transformed into a museum, while the Pantheon was transformed into a mausoleum. The Palais-Burbon became the home of the national assembly. In 1806 the famous Arc de Triumphe was commissioned by Napoleon to commemorate his French Army. A smaller arc was also built known as the Arc du Carrousel which has a quadriga at it's top similar to the Bradenburg Gate. Napoleon also commissioned a monumental elephant statue to be built at the site of the Bastille, however this project was never completed.
The Restoration of the Monarchy
Following Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, the city of Paris was occupied once again by the English army until Louis XVIII restored the French monarchy. The ruined buildings and cathedrals were renovated and the city quickly returned to it's extravagance. The Louvre was expanded and a new transit system was constructed. However frustrations among the general population and the lower classes grew inspired by the writings of Victor Hugo.
By 1830 a new constitutional monarchy was established led by King Louis-Phillipe who intended to calm the growing tension among the streets of Paris. He construed a new plaza known as the Place de le Concorde however this did not solve the problem of sickness and poverty. There were numerous riots and uprisings throughout the 1830s, one of which inspired Victor Hugo's famous Les Miserables novel. By 1848 the working class had finally reached it's tipping point and were once again able to topple the monarchy.
Napoleon III
In 1848 Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, the nephew of Napoleon, became the 1st elected president in the newly established republic. However he was not able to acheive much due to division among monarchists and republicans and in 1851 he dismantled the parliament and formed the Second French Empire declaring himself emperor. His top priority was to clean the streets and get the unemployed back to work. He did this by expanding the city, destroying old buildings and replacing them with new ones. He also pushed for new parks to be constructed throughout the city. By this point the industrial revolution had taken full flight and the economy of Paris was booming.
However by 1870 Napoleon's rule came to an abrupt end at the hands of the Franco-Prussian. In January of 1871 the Prussians besieged the city and occupied it briefly until the French Empire was dissolved and the Third Republic was established. However shortly after the establishment of this republic, resistance came among the Parisian working class who were able to establish their own government within the city known as the Paris Commune. They controlled the city for about two months until they were defeated by the French army during the Bloody Week.
The Bella Epoque
In 1873 the government commissioned a new basilica to honor the Paris Commune and those who had suffered during the Franco-Prussian War. The Basilica of Sacre-Coeur was built at the top of Montmarte and completed in 1919. Other buildings were rebuilt and remodeled such as the Gare d'Orsay train station. In 1885 the entire city of Paris gathered to mourn for the funeral of their favorite writer, Victor Hugo, whose tomb was placed in the Pantheon.
Throughout this booming period of culture and innovation, Paris hosted five international expositions to welcome tourists. The first two were hosted by Napoleon III in 1855 and 1867 to demonstrate French culture and their industry. The third was in 1878 which had historical significance. It was at this exposition that Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated his telephone, Thomas Edison demonstrated his phonograph, and the head of the statue of liberty was presented before being sent to the United States.
However the exposition of 1889 was all the more magnificent as it unveiled the construction of the world's tallest structure, the Eiffel Tower. The tower was to be a temporary gateway to the exposition and was unpopular to many at first however soon became the most iconic landmark in the city. At the 1900 exposition the city presented the world's largest Ferris wheel as well as the modern architectural designs of the Pont Alexandre III, Grand Palais, and the Petit Palais. This exposition also introduced new fashions, manufacturing designs, as well as the modern art nouveau style. The exposition coincided with the 1900 Paris Olympics (the second games of the modern Olympics, and the first city to host besides Athens). After these 5 expositions, at the turn of the century Paris had become one of the most glamorous cities in the world.
World War I, the 1920s, World War II
At the outbreak of World War I the Parisians felt a sense of French patriotism to fend off the German armies. Along with the help of the British and American armies they were able to defend their city from being occupied. After the war Paris partook in an economic cultural boom of the 1920s that had swept throughout the world. The Annees Folles saw Paris become a center for art, attracting artists such as Ernest Hemingway, Igor Stravinsky, Scott Fitzgerald, Salvador Dali, and James Joyce. New movements also began to emerge during the 1920s such as Jazz and Surrealism.
Paris suffered during the Great Depression the same as the rest of the world, however still managed to host another World Fair in 1937. Few years later at the outbreak of WWII, the French were unable to defend the Nazi blitz and Paris was occupied in June 1940. Many Parisians fled the city and evacuated their major works of art from the Louvre museum. For nearly four years the Germans occupied the city raising their flags on all the iconic buildings and initiating a curfew at night.
By 1944 as the American allies had landed in Normandy the French resistance forces began an uprising in the city of Paris. As the chaos ensued, Hitler ordered that the Eiffel Tower and other monuments be destroyed however the commanding German officer ignored the order. General de Gaulle arrived with his French army on August 26th 1944, and the town of Paris had been liberated. The Fourth Republic was established in 1946.
Paris Today
Problems and poverty continued in Paris following the aftermath of WWII and the Fourth Republic was very divided. In 1958 Charles de Gaulle was elected president and established a new constitution, the Fifth Republic, which is the present government of France. Continued renovations on old buildings and new constructions of modern art were commissioned throughout the city to maintain the lure of Paris. The iconic glass pyramid entrance of the Louvre was built in 1984.
Today Paris has remained one of the most glamorous and top tourist destinations in the world. It's government is now a member of the European Union in which it usually takes a diplomatic approach. The city has suffered numerous terrorist attacks in the past decade a problem that has spread thru much of the western world. However the city of lights continues to stand tall and shine bright throughout the world.
Architecture- Key Landmarks of the City
In this post I want to give a general outline of the city's history, which could also serve an outline of French history. I'd also like to reference the most iconic landmarks of Paris and the history behind them. After visiting the city of lights and seeing it with my own eyes, I can confidently say that it lived up to the hype. It's a city that everyone should see at some point in their lives.
History of the City- The Celtic Tribe of Parisii
The most basic question I have about the city of Paris, is how did it become such a wonderful center of art. I suppose it's a question that can only be answered by studying the people's history. Just like any other major civilization it most likely began as a significant point of geography and resources. In the case of Paris, it sits in the mainland of France separated by the Seine River. This major river that leads to the English Channel, was no doubt an early source of economy.
The earliest record of a settlement in Paris, was in 250 BC consisting of a sub-tribe of Celtics who became known as the Parisii. This tribe developed golden coins, bridges, and fortresses along the river way. The area quickly grew into a booming center of trade which caught the attention of the Roman empire. In 52 BC Julius Caesar took possession of the region and was able to squash any resistance. The region became a new state of the Roman Empire and was called Lutetia, which was Latin for swampland.Roman Occupation
The Romans were able to build the city in the likes of their civilizations with state of the art structures such as aqueducts. By the 3rd century, Christianity was introduced to the city by Saint Denis who was beheaded by the Roman soldiers for his new beliefs. The site of his beheading became known as Mountain of Martyrs which today is the iconic hill in Paris known as Montmarte. By 305 AD the city name was changed from Lutetia to Civitas Parisorium as a homage to the cities founders, it was known as the City of the Parisii. And by the 5th century it became simply known as Paris.
Clovis and the Frank Kingdom
For a brief period it became the center city of the Roman Empire as it began to decline due to Germanic invasions. By the year 481, the young leader of a Frank tribe named Clovis defeated the Roman armies and took control of the Gaul region. In the year 508 he made Paris the capital city of his newly established Frank Kingdom. Clovis ushered in a new era of religious leadership in the region known as the Merovingian Dynasty. Many churches, basilicas, and cathedrals were built in the area.By 751 the Carolingian Dynasty moved the center of the Frank Kingdom from Paris and to the city of Aachen. During this period Paris lost some of it's glamour and was attacked frequently by Viking tribes. Nonetheless it hung on to become a significant fortress for the land of Francia. By the middle ages Paris began to emerge as a site of wonder with the new constructions of Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris University, and the Louvre fortress. By the 13th century more iconic buildings were added to Paris such as the Saint-Chapelle and the Bastille fortress to house prisoners.
The Hundred Years War
During the 1300s the city of Paris was infected with the Bubonic Plague which killed thousands of Parisians for over 30 years. To add to this death toll was the start of the Hundred Years War pinning the Kingdom of France in a territorial dispute with the Kingdom of England. In 1418 the city of Paris was invaded and occupied by the English army for nearly 20 years. A female warrior named Joan of Arc attempted to liberate Paris from English occupation claiming she had been called forth by God. While she was unsuccessful in her attempt she served as a rallying cry for the French armies to fend off the English occupation. By 1436 the English left the city of Paris in ruins.By the end of the Hundred Years War in 1453, Paris was once again the capital of Francia. By the 1500s the city began to flourish once again at the height of the renaissance. New buildings, bridges, fountains, and landmarks were added to restore the city's glamorous appeal. However in the midst of this cultural boom was growing tensions among Catholics and Protestants located in Paris. The city was a stronghold for Catholics, who began a campaign of persecutions and public massacres of Protestants during the French Wars of Religion.
By the 1600s many Protestants fled the city of Paris due to the Wars of Religion. In an attempt to lift the moral of Paris, King Henry IV commissioned new buildings and an expansion of the Louvre fortress which had become the house of the royalty. By 1671, King Louis XIV relocated the Royal residence from Paris to Versailles located in the outskirts. Despite this relocation of the royal residence the city of Paris continued to grow and prosper. Buildings such as the College of Four Nations, the Les Invalides hospital, and the Comedie Francaise theater
The French Revolution and Napoleon Bonaparte
By the mid 1700s during the Enlightenment Age, Paris had become the financial center of France and Europe. Cafes began to sprout all over the populated city which attracted new intellectual writers such as Voltaire and Jean-Jaques Rousseau. This rush of enlightenment perhaps gave way to the French Revolution of 1789 in which Paris was at it's center stage. Workers and impoverished stormed the Invalides to acquire weapons and later stormed the Bastille. A few weeks later the mob had organized into a full pledged revolution and they marched to Versailles to capture the royal family. The city thus became independent of royal authority.However the conflict that followed the dismantling of the monarchy became known as the Reign of Terror, a political purge that swept thru the city of Paris. The guillotine became the new deadly symbol of the French Revolution and those opposed against it had their heads chopped off in the public squares of Paris. During this time many of the iconic buildings and cathedrals such as Notre Dame were damaged since they were symbols of the monarchy. By 1799 the young general Napoleon Bonaparte was able to replace the Directory government with a French Empire. In 1804 he declared himself emperor and intended to make Paris the capital of his empire, in the likes of Rome.
During this transition of power, the buildings in Paris continued to emerge with new purpose. New bridges such as the Ponte de Artes were constructed. The Louvre was transformed into a museum, while the Pantheon was transformed into a mausoleum. The Palais-Burbon became the home of the national assembly. In 1806 the famous Arc de Triumphe was commissioned by Napoleon to commemorate his French Army. A smaller arc was also built known as the Arc du Carrousel which has a quadriga at it's top similar to the Bradenburg Gate. Napoleon also commissioned a monumental elephant statue to be built at the site of the Bastille, however this project was never completed.The Restoration of the Monarchy
Following Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, the city of Paris was occupied once again by the English army until Louis XVIII restored the French monarchy. The ruined buildings and cathedrals were renovated and the city quickly returned to it's extravagance. The Louvre was expanded and a new transit system was constructed. However frustrations among the general population and the lower classes grew inspired by the writings of Victor Hugo.By 1830 a new constitutional monarchy was established led by King Louis-Phillipe who intended to calm the growing tension among the streets of Paris. He construed a new plaza known as the Place de le Concorde however this did not solve the problem of sickness and poverty. There were numerous riots and uprisings throughout the 1830s, one of which inspired Victor Hugo's famous Les Miserables novel. By 1848 the working class had finally reached it's tipping point and were once again able to topple the monarchy.
Napoleon III
In 1848 Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, the nephew of Napoleon, became the 1st elected president in the newly established republic. However he was not able to acheive much due to division among monarchists and republicans and in 1851 he dismantled the parliament and formed the Second French Empire declaring himself emperor. His top priority was to clean the streets and get the unemployed back to work. He did this by expanding the city, destroying old buildings and replacing them with new ones. He also pushed for new parks to be constructed throughout the city. By this point the industrial revolution had taken full flight and the economy of Paris was booming.
The Bella Epoque
In 1873 the government commissioned a new basilica to honor the Paris Commune and those who had suffered during the Franco-Prussian War. The Basilica of Sacre-Coeur was built at the top of Montmarte and completed in 1919. Other buildings were rebuilt and remodeled such as the Gare d'Orsay train station. In 1885 the entire city of Paris gathered to mourn for the funeral of their favorite writer, Victor Hugo, whose tomb was placed in the Pantheon.
Throughout this booming period of culture and innovation, Paris hosted five international expositions to welcome tourists. The first two were hosted by Napoleon III in 1855 and 1867 to demonstrate French culture and their industry. The third was in 1878 which had historical significance. It was at this exposition that Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated his telephone, Thomas Edison demonstrated his phonograph, and the head of the statue of liberty was presented before being sent to the United States.However the exposition of 1889 was all the more magnificent as it unveiled the construction of the world's tallest structure, the Eiffel Tower. The tower was to be a temporary gateway to the exposition and was unpopular to many at first however soon became the most iconic landmark in the city. At the 1900 exposition the city presented the world's largest Ferris wheel as well as the modern architectural designs of the Pont Alexandre III, Grand Palais, and the Petit Palais. This exposition also introduced new fashions, manufacturing designs, as well as the modern art nouveau style. The exposition coincided with the 1900 Paris Olympics (the second games of the modern Olympics, and the first city to host besides Athens). After these 5 expositions, at the turn of the century Paris had become one of the most glamorous cities in the world.
World War I, the 1920s, World War II
At the outbreak of World War I the Parisians felt a sense of French patriotism to fend off the German armies. Along with the help of the British and American armies they were able to defend their city from being occupied. After the war Paris partook in an economic cultural boom of the 1920s that had swept throughout the world. The Annees Folles saw Paris become a center for art, attracting artists such as Ernest Hemingway, Igor Stravinsky, Scott Fitzgerald, Salvador Dali, and James Joyce. New movements also began to emerge during the 1920s such as Jazz and Surrealism.
Paris suffered during the Great Depression the same as the rest of the world, however still managed to host another World Fair in 1937. Few years later at the outbreak of WWII, the French were unable to defend the Nazi blitz and Paris was occupied in June 1940. Many Parisians fled the city and evacuated their major works of art from the Louvre museum. For nearly four years the Germans occupied the city raising their flags on all the iconic buildings and initiating a curfew at night.By 1944 as the American allies had landed in Normandy the French resistance forces began an uprising in the city of Paris. As the chaos ensued, Hitler ordered that the Eiffel Tower and other monuments be destroyed however the commanding German officer ignored the order. General de Gaulle arrived with his French army on August 26th 1944, and the town of Paris had been liberated. The Fourth Republic was established in 1946.
Paris Today
Problems and poverty continued in Paris following the aftermath of WWII and the Fourth Republic was very divided. In 1958 Charles de Gaulle was elected president and established a new constitution, the Fifth Republic, which is the present government of France. Continued renovations on old buildings and new constructions of modern art were commissioned throughout the city to maintain the lure of Paris. The iconic glass pyramid entrance of the Louvre was built in 1984.
Today Paris has remained one of the most glamorous and top tourist destinations in the world. It's government is now a member of the European Union in which it usually takes a diplomatic approach. The city has suffered numerous terrorist attacks in the past decade a problem that has spread thru much of the western world. However the city of lights continues to stand tall and shine bright throughout the world.
Architecture- Key Landmarks of the City
- Notre Dame Cathedral
- Construction: 1165-1345
- Purpose: Roman Catholic Church
- Significance: It is one of the most iconic buildings in the city of Paris and also one of it's oldest. It's architecture is true beauty as it incorporates details sculptures and a flying buttress format. The cathedral has also been the site of tumultous history and was desecrated during the French Revolution who favored a practice of reason rather than the Catholic religion. It was restored after the revolution and remains one of the most visited cathedrals in the world.
- The Louvre
- Construction: 1202-1546 (Continuios expansions)
- Purpose: Fortification for the Monarchy
- Significance: It was once the house of the Royal Monarchy and later became the largest exhibition of art in the world. Along with it's iconic glass pyramid it houses some of the most famous art and is one of the most visited museums in the world.
- Sainte Chapelle
- Construction: 1242-1248
- Purpose: Roman Catholic Church
- Significance: It is one of the oldest chapels in the city of Paris, a fine example of medieval Gothic architecture. It is best known for it's extensive collection of stained glass windows.
- The Sorbonne
- Constructed: 1257
- Purpose: Part of the University of Paris
- Significance: This site was once the house of the University of Paris and today is a center for higher education and research in Paris.
- The Conciergerie
- Construction: 1284-1314
- Purpose: Royal Palace, Prison, Museum, Law Courts
- Significance: It was first built as a palace of the medieval Frank kings. During the Reign of Terror it became a prison and housed very important prisoners such as Marie Antoniette and Napoleon III. After the restoration of the monarchy the building became used mostly for a court of law
- Saint Eustache
- Construction: 1532-1633
- Purpose: Roman Catholic Church
- Significance: It is a fine example of Gothic architecture incorporating Renaissance themes in it's chapel and stained glass windows. It was desecrated during the French Revolution yet later restored.
- Tuileres Garden
- Constructed: 1564-1860 (Palace Demolished in 1871)
- Purpose: Royal Residance
- Significance: It was once the center of the grand royal palace until it was burnt by the Paris Commune in 1871. It now is a public plaza of gardens loacted across from the Louvre museum.
- Acadamie Francaise (French Academy)
- Construction: 1635
- Purpose: Academy
- Significance: It was established by the Cardinal Richelieu as a council on the French language. Today there are 40 members who meet to discus matters relating to the French language. The council members are elected for life and are known as immortals.
- Les Invalides
- Constructed: 1671-1678
- Purpose: Military complex
- Significance: It was comissioned as a hospital and barracks for soldiers yet later became a museum and monument for soldiers of war. Today it houses the tomb of Napoleon.
- The Pantheon
- Constructed: 1758-1790
- Purpose: Church and Mausoleum
- Significance: It was comissioned by King Louis XV as monumental church in the likes of the Roman Pantheon. The classical structure has ever since been a mausoleum hosting the tombs of many notable Parisians such as Victor Hugo, Voltaire, Rouusseau, and Emile Zola to name a few
- Place de la Bastille
- Constructed: 1792
- Purpose: Monument of the Storming of the Bastille
- Significance: It is now a plaza with a column at it's center which was once the site where the Bastille prison stood. The storming of the Bastille was one of the most iconic images of the French Revolution.
- National Museum of Natural History
- Construction: 1793
- Purpose: National Natural history Museum
- Signficance: It was officially established in 1793, however the royal botanical gardens were created in 1635 by King Louis XIII.
- The Arc de Triumphe
- Constructed: 1806-1836
- Purpose: To Commemorate Napoleon's Army
- Significance: It is one of the most iconic landmarks in Paris, built as a commemoration for Napoleon's Army. The site has overseen many historical events such as the occupation of Nazi Germany.
- The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
- Constructed: 1806-1808
- Purpose: To Commerorate Napoleon's Army
- Significance: It is half the size of the Ar de Triumphe, once located at the front of the Tuileres Palace. It has a quadriga at the top of the monument very similiar to the Bradenburg Gate of Berlin.
- La Madeleine
- Constructed: 1807-1828
- Purpose: Roman Catholic Church
- Significance: Neo-classical structure built as a Romanesque temple to honor the glory of Napoleon's Army
- Musee d'Orsay
- Construction: 1810-1840
- Purpose: Museum
- Signficance: It was first built as a major railway station along the Seine River; By 1986 it was transformed into a museum gallery hosting soming of the most famous impressionist paintings.
- The Palais Garnier
- Constructed: 1861-1875
- Purpose: Opera House
- Significane: It is the primary home of the Paris Opera often considered one of the most famous opera houses in the world much thanks to the musical, The Phantom of the Opera.
- Basilica of Sacre Coeur
- Constructed: 1875-1914
- Purpose: Roman Catholic Church/ Monument for Lives lost during Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune
- Significance: The basilica was built on top the famous Montmarte hill which has now become a booming district of art and culture
- The Grand Palais
- Construction: 1900
- Purpose: Museum
- Significance: It was built with a modern design in the likes of a greenhouse to be presented for the 1900 World Fair Exposition. To this day it is used as a museum and exhibit hall.
- The Eiffel Tower
- Construction: 1887-1889
- Purpose: Monumental Entrance to the World Fair
- Significance: It is the most iconic structure in Paris, a simple yet monumental lattice tower of iron. It was once the tallest structure in the world for nearly 40 years. The design was meant to be a temporary display for the World Fair, however it proved to be useful for communications. It stands tall to this day, attracting millions of visitors each year.
- Musee Rodin
- Constructed: 1919
- Purpose: Museum
- Significance: It hosts most of Rodin's scultpures including his most famous The Thinker, the Kiss, and the Gates of Hell which are displayed outside among the gardens of the museum.
- Centre Georges Pompidou
- Constructed: 1971-1977
- Purpose: Museum
- Significance: It is a demonstration of modern architecture; with it's unique inside-out structure. The building was commissioned by president Georges Pompidou as a modern landmark. It has often been received with mixed reactions.
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