In 1987, I spent three days in Paris with my parents, my sister and my cousin. I loved the city. I was just 14 back then, but Paris had been one of the highest names on my list of places to visit. I was very familiar with some of the iconic sites of Paris that I was seeing for the first time, because they were among the world's most recognizable sites and I had grown up seeing their images. In 2001, when I began my international travels with all seriousness, I spent over a month in Europe, and I spent six days in Paris. In 2005, I again went back to Paris and spent five days there - on my previous visit, there had been a museum strike and I hadn't been able to see any of the museums, so on this visit, I focused on the city's remarkable museums. In 2007, I again got a chance to spend three days in Paris, when my company sent me to INSEAD in the Paris suburb of Fontainebleu for a management development programme. So I've spent a total of well over two weeks in Paris, and along with New York and London, it is on the list of of my Top 3 cities in the world to visit, because there is such a staggering amount to see, do and experience!
Paris, the capital of France, is a
city having a population of 2.2 million (as of 2019), though Greater Paris has
over 12.5 million residents. Paris is one of the world’s most visited cities,
and it is known for its spectacular museums, its grand palaces, its splendid
churches, its beautiful architecture, its high sense of fashion, its
fascinating city squares and its world famous cabaret shows. The historical
district along the River Seine in the heart of the city has been classified as
a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Paris is also one of the most expensive cities in
the world.
The Romans moved into the Paris
region in 52 BC and called the town Lutetia. Saint Denis introduced
Christianity to Paris in the 3rd century AD. The Capetian Dynasty began in 987 under Hugh
Capet, and Paris became the most important city in France. The Capetian
Dynasty, or the House of France, ruled from 987 to 1792, and then again from
1814 to 1848. In 1682, Louis XIII moved his capital from Paris to the suburb of
Versailles. In 1789, Paris was at the centre of the French Revolution. On July
14, 1789, a mob seized weapons from the Invalides,
and stormed the Bastille. Louis XVI was brought from Versailles and made
prisoner within the Tuileries Palace. In 1793, Louis XVI, his
queen Marie Antoinette, and many others were guillotined. Property belonging to
the aristocracy was seized and nationalized. Several revolutionary factions
ruled Paris until Napoleon Bonaparte took over in 1799.
Napoleon erected several monuments in
Paris to glorify his military prowess. Napoleon was defeated in 1814, and the
monarchy was restored. A revolution in 1830 brought Louis Philippe I to power
as a constitutional monarch. He was overthrown in 1848, and his successor was
Napoleon III, the nephew of Napoleon I. He was the first President of France
from 1848 to 1852, and the last monarch from 1852 to 1870, when France lost the
Franco-Prussian War. In 1889 and in 1900, Paris played host to the Universal Expositions.
For both these events, the city saw several new landmarks constructed. In 1940,
the Germans marched into Paris during World War II. Paris was liberated from
the Germans in 1944. General Charles de Gaul led France during that phase of
history. He later came out of retirement and served as President of France from
1959 to 1969.
The long and rich history of the city have resulted in many important landmarks and architectural gems scattered all over Paris. Musee du Louvre, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur and the Eiffel Tower are all among the most recognized structures in the world, but the more time one spends in Paris, the more one realizes there is just so much more to see in this amazing city.
Eiffel
Tower was built for the
Universal Exhibition of 1889 and was meant to be a temporary structure, before
it went on to become the symbol of
Paris. It was designed by Gustave
Eiffel, and many people were initially very critical of it. Standing at a
height of 324 meters, it was the world’s tallest structure till New York’s
Empire State Building was completed in 1931. There are three observation levels, at 57 meters, 115 meters and 276
meters, and lift take visitors up the wrought iron lattice tower.
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| Eiffel Tower |
Notre
Dame is located on Isle de
la Cite, cradle of the city. The first stone was laid by Pope Alexander III in
1163. The large Gothic cathedral has two 69 meter tall bell towers, beautiful
rose windows, a series of gargoyles between the towers, a treasury, sculptures
including those of the Pieta and King Louis XIII, and the beautiful Portal of
the Virgin.
The cathedral was damaged in a fire in 2019.
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| Notre Dame |
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| Portal at Notre Dame |
Charlemagne was crowned emperor in 800 and he united Christian
people in the west. His equestrian statue stands outside Notre Dame.
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| Charlemagne Statue outside Notre Dame |
Pantheon was built by Loius XV to honour Sainte
Genevieve, after the king recovered from a deadly illness in 1744. The church
was completed in 1790. It was turned into a Pantheon for the tombs of France’s
greatest citizens. The structure has a dome that stands at a height of 83 meters.
There are monuments to Victor Hugo, Madame Curie, Diderot and other prominent
citizens.
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| Pantheon |
St
Etienne du Monde is a church dedicated
to Sainte Genevieve. It also has the remains of the famous literary figures,
Racine and Pascal. The church has beautiful stained glass windows.
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| St Etienne du Monde |
Dom
Church is situated in the Invalides complex, and was
built in the 17th century by Louis XIV. The church is a French military
memorial, with tombs of Napoleon, Vauban, Foch and other prominent leaders. The
dome ceiling has a painting of Glory of Paradise.
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| Dom Church |
La
Madeleine is a Roman Catholic
church close to Place de la Concorde, and was built as a temple to the glory of
Napoleon’s army. The church, built in Neo Classical style, was completed in
1842. The high altar has a statue of Mary Magdalene.
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| La Madeleine |
American
Cathedral was consecrated in
1864. It has an 85 meter tall tower. The cathedral has some notable stained
glass windows.
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| American Cathedral |
Sacre Coeur was
built by two Frenchmen as a religious vow after Paris was saved from an
invasion during the Prussian onslaught in 1870. The basilica was completed in
1914. It has a white exterior, a large dome, an 83 meter tall bell tower , a
famous mosaic of Christ, equestrian statues of Joan of Arc and Saint Louis, and
a crypt.
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| Sacre Coeur |
Arc
de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon after his success in the
Battle of Austerlitz in 1805. The structure was only completed in 1836. The
arch has a height of 50 meters, and is the starting point for victory
celebrations and parades. Below the arch
lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where an anonymous French soldier from
World War I is buried. Along the sides of Arc de Triomphe,
there are bas reliefs including the Triumph of Napoleon and Departure of the
Volunteers in 1792. Twelve avenues radiate from the Arc, including the famous
Champs Elysees.
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| Arc de Triomphe |
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| Triumph of Napoleon Relief, Arc de Triomphe |
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| Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arc de Triomphe |
Arc
de Triomphe de Carousel was
built by Napoleon in 1808 at the entrance to the Tuileries. The arch is topped by statues of soldiers of the Grand Armee.
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| Arc de Triomphe de Carousel |
Hotel
de Ville is a 19th century building built at the site where the 17th century Hotel de
Ville burned down in 1871. The building’s exterior has beautiful turrets and
statues. Inside, there is an impressive ballroom and a grand staircase.
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| Hotel de Ville |
The Assemble National was built in 1722 for
the Duchess of Bourbon. It was
confiscated during the French Revolution and became the National Assembly in
1830.
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| Assemble National |
Grand
Palais was built in 1900 for the Universal Exhibition. The
palace has a glass roof, bronze statues of flying horses and chariots and a
classical stone facade. Temporary exhibitions are held inside.
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| Grand Palais |
Petit Palais was built in 1900 for
the Grand Exhibition, to display French art. It now houses the Musee dea
Beaux Arts de la Ville de Paris.
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| Petit Palais |
Place
de la Corcorde is a large square
built in the middle of the 18th century. Many of the executions during the French Revolution
took place at this historic square, including those of Louis XVI, Marie
Antoinette, Danton and Robespierre. In the 19th century, a 3,200
year old obelisk from Luxor, Egypt, was placed in the square, along with two
fountains and eight statues personifying French cities. Another famous city square is Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris, completed in 1612, and known for its fashionable residences. Place Vendome is yet another of the city's well known squares. It has the Vendome Column at the centre, which was erected by Napoleon to celebrate his victory at Austerlitz. It was modeled after Trajan's Column. Napoleon's statue stands at the summit of the column.
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| Obelisk, Place de la Concorde |
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| Fountain, Place de la Concorde |
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| Fountain Detail, Place de la Concorde |
Place
du Chatalet is a square that has
the Fontaine du Palmier, to celebrate French
battle victories. It has a 20 meter tall column, topped by a gilded figure of
the goddess Victory. The square has the identical looking Theatre du Chatalet and Theatre de la
Ville.
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| Fontaine du Palmier, Place du Chatalet |
Moulin
Rouge was built in 1885
and was turned into a dance hall in 1900.
Moulin Rouge, with its landmark red coloured windmill, is famous for its
wild, topless and colourful dance shows with their high kicking routines. Lido and Crazy Horse are other famous cabarets show with spectacular topless shows.
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| Moulin Rouge |
Musee du Louvre is possibly the world’s best known art museum. The building was
first constructed as a fortress in 1190. It was expanded over the next few
centuries by various emperors of France. The museums collection of paintings
includes Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa,
and paintings by masters like Vermeer, Carvaggio,
El Greco, Van Dyck, Durer and Rubens, to name just
a few. Sculptures on display include Venus de Milo, the Winged Victor of
Samothrace, Milo of Creton , the Marly Horses and
Michelangelo’s Dying Slave. There is a fine collection of work from ancient Egypy, Greece, Rome and
Assyria, as well as objets d’art. The glass
pyramid of the Louvre was a recent addition and allows light down into the
underground visitor’s reception area.
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| Venus de Milo, Musee du Louve |
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| The Winged Victor of Samothrace, Musee du Louvre |
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| Milo of Creton, Musee du Louvre |
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Ruben's The Queen's Arrival at Marseilles,
Musee du Louvre |
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| Watteau's Pierrot, Musee du Louvre |
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Ingres' The Bather, Musee du Louvre
Public Domain, Credit: Google Art |
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Vermeer's The Astronomer, Musee du Louvre
Public Domain, Credit: Google Art |
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Leonardo da Vinci's Virgin of the Rocks, Musee du Louvre
Public Domain, Credit: Google Art |
Musee d’Orsay is housed inside an old
railway station built at the end of the 19th century. It stopped
being used as a railway station in 1939, and in 1986, it was reopened as the Musee d’Orsay. The museum
houses art from the period 1848 to 1914, and has one of the best impressionist
art collections in the world. Artists featured include Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Renoir,
Rodin, Seurat, Gauguin and Delacroix.
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| Manet's Olympia, Musee d'Orsay |
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| Monet's Haystacks, Musee d'Orsay |
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| Renoir's The Village Dance, Musee d'Orsay |
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Renoir's Dance at the Moilin de la Galette, Musee d'Orsay
Public Domain, Credit: Google Art |
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| Seurat's The Circus, Musee d'Orsay |
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| Van Gogh's Afternoon Siesta, Musee d'Orsay |
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| Van Gogh's Self Portrait, Musee d'Orsay |
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Van Gogh's Bedroom at Arles, Musee d'Orsay
Public Domain, Credit: Google Art |
Musee Rodin has
works by the famous French sculptor August Rodin. The building is an elegant,
grand mansion, Hotel Biron, which Rodin used as
his workshop from 1908 onwards. He donated his works to the French State on the
condition that the building be made into a permanent museum of his works. The works on display in
the garden include The Burghers of Calais, The Thinker, The Gates of Hell and
Balzac. Inside, exhibits include The Kiss and Eve.
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| Musee Rodin |
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| The Thinker, Musee Rodin |
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| Balzac, Musee Rodin |
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| The Three Graces, Musee Rodin |
Versailles
Palace is situated a little
outside Paris. Work started in the 1660s under the reign of Louis IV. The
palace saw further construction and expansion over the next many years. The
palace’s highlights include the stunning gardens with the Fountain of Neptune,
the Hall of Mirrors, the Chapel, the Opera House, the Marble Courtyard, the
King’s Bedroom (where Louis XIV died in 1715) and the Queen’s Bedroom (where
the queens of France gave birth to the royal children).
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| Hall Of Mirrors, Versailles Palace |
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| Chapel, Versailles Palace |
For shopping, it's tough to beat Paris. Champs Elysees, the city's best known avenue, is full of plush boutique and designer stores. Galeries Lafayette is a high end department store in Paris, which now has branches across France and in other countries. The department store caters to different budgets, ranging from affordable ready-to-wear clothes to haute couture. Paris has a strong culture of eating out, and the city has over a hundred Michelin star restaurants. French cuisines are popular the world over, and known for fine dining.
Paris is a city I am happy visiting over and over again, and I have been mesmerized by its beauty each time. I'm willing to overlook the litter that sometimes lies around, and the huge crowds in the metros and in the tourist spots. For a first time visitor, try and spend at least a week if you wish to do justice and cover the city's main sites. For those having more time, a lifetime is probably not enough to cover all the landmarks that this historic city has!!
