France

Arc de Triomphe
Famous Napoleon’s imperial landmark the "Arc de Triomphe" gives an impressive perspective over Paris and onto its twelve avenues all converging in a star shape. The main one being the famous Champs-Elysées Avenue.
Visiting hours is from 10.00 to 5.30 and 9.30 to 6.30 in the summer. Closed on public holidays.

La Madeleine
Napoleon I ordered its building in the style of a Greek and Roman temple. The works started in 1764 and were completed after the French Revolution. Its bronze doors are covered with engraved scenes showing the Ten Commandments. The illustrated frontispiece shows the Last Judgment. The inside is richly decorated with marble and gold and includes superb statues.
Opening hours is : 7.00 to 7.00 p.m. except Sundays 7.00 to 1.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.

Notre-Dame De Paris Cathedral
It is the starting point for most visits in Paris. The cathedral is situated between the two river banks. It was built in the middle-ages. Its construction started in 1163 to end in 1334. Its choir was consecrated in 1182.
History : All religious and political events were celebrated in its walls; the first Te Deum after Philippe August victories, the Crown of Thorns which King Louis had brought back, the opening of the first Etats Généraux by Philippe Le Bel.
The Cathedral history will now be from there on, become one of France. From the 17th and 18th Centuries, Notre-Dame welcomed all important events to celebrate his Royal Highness’s victories and funeral services.
In order to accomplish Louis XIII’s wish, Louis XIV replaced the gothic choir with a baroque style choir.
The Bastille assault was celebrated with a Te Deum, then the revolutionaries beheaded the famous portrait statues and also the ones from the King Gallery. When Napoleon was crowned on
December 2nd 1804, Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was almost falling into decay, hidden behind gilding and hangings sheltered, however, the Emperor Coronation.
It was saved from demolition after Victor Hugo’s campaign in favor of its restoration. Viollet-Leduc (architect) was in charge of supervising its restoration which took 23 years between 1841 and 1864. The cathedral houses the largest French organ.

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. The Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the tower. Of the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition, Gustave Eiffel’s was unanimously chosen.
It was not, at first, accepted by all and a petition of 300 names –including those of Maupassant, Emile Zola, Charles Garnier (architect of the Opera Garnier) and Dumas the Younger- protested against its construction.
At 320,75 m (including antenna) and 7000 tons, it was the world’s tallest building until 1930.
It has 1652 steps to the top. It was almost torn down in 1909, but was saved because of its antenna used for telegraphy at that time. At the beginning in 1910 it became part of the International Time Service. French radio, since 1918 and French television, since 1957 have also made use of its stature.
If its birth was difficult, however, it is now completely accepted and must be listed as one of the symbols of Paris itself.
The tower has three platforms. A restaurant (very expensive), the Jules Verne is on the second platform. The top platform has a bar, souvenir shop and the recently restored office of Gustave Eiffel. From its platforms -especially the topmost- the view upon Paris is superb. It is generally agreed that one hour before sunset, the panorama is at its best.
The “Metal Lady” is lit up with 352 projectors of 1000 watts and twinkle for ten minutes on the hour everyday after dawn with its 20,000 bulbs and fairy lights.
The Eiffel Tower twinkling was at first made to celebrate the New 2000 Year arrival. But, Parisians, in spite of electricity excess costs, could not be deprived of this marvel. The Company in charge of the Eiffel Tower had to rethink of a new way to keep the tower sparkling like a star. After more than a year of no functioning the Eiffel Tower got its sparkling back with an inaugural celebration at 11.20 p.m. on June 21, 2003.
The new sparkling like a star is even more impressive than the previous one. The current lighting system, by reducing immensely the electric power consumption, offers the tower to sparkle another ten years.
The night celebration welcoming this brand-newly decorated “Metal Lady” filled the public with emotion. The event was greeted by famous national and international artists. This special happening was also greeted with fireworks. There were around 200,000 people to welcome this very special happening. Everyone was stunned by such a splendid show.
To bring back life and elegance to the Tower at night, four continuous light beams swivel constantly around in the sky.

Louvre Museum

The library of Charles V – installed in one of the towers of the original fortress of Philippe August – was eventually dispersed. François I began a new collection of art with 12 paintings from Italy. These included works by Titian, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci, the most famous being the Joconde – or Mona Lisa. The royal collection grew and by the reign of Louis XIII, numbered roughly 200 pieces.
Henri II and Catherine de Medicis continued to enlarge the collection as did others. When Louis XIV died in 1715, there were 2,500 pieces of art and objects. Until the Revolution, this collection was strictly for the private pleasure of the Court. Finally, the idea of a museum (originating with Louis XVI) was realized on 10 August 1793, when the Musée de la République opened to the public.
Napoleon greatly increased the collections by exacting tribute from the countries he conquered, but most of these were returned in 1815 after his defeat at Waterloo. Under Louis XVIII the Venus de Milo was acquired (for 6000F) shortly after it was rediscovered on the Island of Melos in 1820.
In 1848 the Museum became the property of the State. The collections continued to grow with private donations which augmented the Museum’s holdings.
In 1947 the impressionist paintings were moved to the Jeu de Paume and l’Orangerie (In 1986 these were transferred to Musée d’Orsay).
Today the catalogue lists nearly 300,000 works. The Grand Louvre begun in 1981 is transforming the museum once again enlarging it substantially. The Richelieu wing was opened in 1993.

Trocadero Palace

Napoleon III had planned to build a Palace for his son on the Chaillot hill.
After the Empire decline the Chaillot Palace was even though built in the 1978 for the International Exhibition. Then of romantico-byzantino-islamic style it was demolished in 1939 to leave room for a new construction.
Its structure dating 1878 was swept away by new building works in 1935. The actual bulding replaced in 1937 the old one. It is of neo-classic style, protruding its two white stone wings into the Trocadero gardens. Its terrace lies down towards the Seine River. The two main buildings house three museums, the Museum of Mankind, the Maritime Museum, and the Architecture and Inheritance Museum.
On the other side, the Trocadero Square was designed in 1858 and was then called the King of Rome Square. It was the name of Napoleon I’ son. In the center stands the statue of Marshal Foch.

Orsay Museum
The Musée d'Orsay is a museum in Paris, situated on the left bank of the River Seine. It holds mainly French art from 1848 to 1914: paintings, sculptures, furniture, objets d'art and photography.
The building was originally a railway station, built in 1900 by Victor Laloux, and served as a terminus for the Paris-Orléans railway. It was known as Gare d'Orsay. It closed in 1939, was classed as a historical monument in 1978, and re-opened as a museum in December 1986, bringing together collections from the Louvre, the Musée du Jeu de Paume and the Musée National d'Art Moderne at the Centre Georges Pompidou.
Artists whose works are on display on the Musee d'Orsay include:
• Edouard Manet
• Claude Monet
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir
• Antonio de La Gandara
• Jean-François Millet

Pompidou Center
The "Centre Georges Pompidou", or "Pompidou Center", formerly "Centre Beaubourg". Massive structural expressionist cast exoskeleton, "exterior" escalators enclosed in transparent tube. Designed by the collaboration of Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano.

France

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Historical Buildings In Paris

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