Who does not dream to visit Paris, to see the beautiful places of the French capital? Only there are realities of life when the desire does not match the possibilities ... Therefore, let's take a virtual trip to the most interesting places in the capital of France, go through boulevards and squares, look at restaurants and climb the Eiffel Tower to see Paris from a bird's eye view, the description of which is presented below.
Historical reference
Paris is the capital of France, located on the banks of the Seine in the northern part of the country. Traditionally, the left bank of the river was considered bohemian. Its inhabitants were professors, students, artists, musicians. And no wonder, because it is here that the Sorbonne and the Latin Quarter are located. But the right bank of Paris is an administrative and business center. Here is the royal palace of the Louvre, and more recently, the skyscrapers of the business district of Défense.
Two pearls of Paris adorn the island, which lies in the fork of the Seine. This is Notre Dame and the royal chapel of Saint-Chapelle.
The city is central to the rich agricultural region known as the Paris Basin, and is one of eight departments in the administrative district of le-de-France. This is by far the most important center of trade and culture in the country. The area of the city is 41 square meters. mile (105 sq. km). The population as of 2012 was 2.2 million people.
Paris tourist
Paris has been and remains one of the most important and attractive cities in the world. It is valued for the opportunities that it offers for business and commerce, for study, culture and entertainment; It is the capital of gastronomy, haute couture, painting, literature. His nickname La Ville Lumière - "City of Light", earned during the Enlightenment, is still appropriate, as Paris has retained its importance as a center of education and intellectual studies.
Paris is one of the three most visited cities in the world. About 28 million tourists from all over the world receive the hospitable capital of France annually. Most visited places: Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Montmatre, Louvre Museum, Champs Elysees.
The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower in Paris towers over the city for many years. Undoubtedly, it is the most symbolic monument of the French capital, from where you can get a magnificent panoramic view of the whole city.
This massive iron structure 312 meters high (today 324 meters) was built at the end of the 19th century on the occasion of the 1889 World Exhibition and was the entrance to it. The tower erection time is a record for such a structure - 2 years, 2 months and 5 days. The monument was unveiled on March 31, 1889. On this day, engineer Gustave Eiffel climbed to the top of the tower to hoist the three-colored flag of the country above it. The Eiffel Tower in Paris was the tallest building in the world until 1929, when the Chrysler Building (319 m) was built in New York.
Day and night, the flow of tourists who want to visit it does not dry out. Even in cloudy weather, tourists seek to climb to the observation deck located on the 3rd floor of the Eiffel Tower. They talk about the indescribable feeling of a "transcendental world", where they fall, rising above the clouds. Those interested in goods and souvenirs can purchase them on the ground floor in stores located around the perimeter. On the second floor, located above the ground at an altitude of 125 meters, you can afford to be tempted by food in the famous Paris restaurant Jules Verne.
Triumphal Arch
Another symbolic monument of Paris is the Arc de Triomphe, which connects to Place de la Concorde with the famous Champs Elysees. A brief description of the sights of Paris mentions that it is the largest arch in the world. Its construction dates back to 1806. It was built at the request of Napoleon, in honor of the victory of the emperor in Austerlitz.
Under the arch is the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. National authorities and associations organized a cult of memory of fallen soldiers in France to perpetuate an example of their patriotism through symbolic places. At the top of the monument, visitors enjoy panoramic views of Paris. The museum, recreating the history of the Arc de Triomphe, is located inside the building.
On the east side , the Tuileries Gardens, created at the initiative of Maria Medici , adjoin Place de la Concorde. They occupy an area of 25 hectares, including luxurious French and English gardens. In the same direction is the famous Louvre Museum, in which the French royal family lived for many centuries.
Louvre Palace
What is the Louvre for tourists? In the guides describing Paris, it is noted that this is the most visited museum in Europe. Every year in its halls there are about 9 million guests. It combines everything that is interesting to visitors: a fortress, a palace, a museum.
During the reign of Philip II Augustus (1165-1223), the medieval fortress of the Louvre defended the city from external enemies. In the second half of the 14th century, King Charles V made it the royal residence, the Louvre Palace. After the fall of the French monarchy, the Louvre became a museum for thousands of art collections in Paris. In the description of museum avenues more than 460,000 works from around the world. The largest European museum invites its visitors to admire such masterpieces of world heritage as the sculpture Venus de Milo, the legendary Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1503-1505, or the painting by Eugene Delacroix - La liberté guidant le peuple (Freedom leading people"). There are many works on almost 60 thousand square meters of galleries in the Louvre: paintings, sculptures, sketches, ceramics and archaeological artifacts. According to the guides, to get acquainted with all this, you need to spend at least three days.
Notre Dame Cathedral
In Paris there really are places and monuments filled with history. These include one of the most visited monuments in France, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture - Cathédrale Notre Dame, which is located on an island in the historical center of Paris. Sen, bifurcating, as if enveloping the island. The construction of the cathedral was begun in the XIII century, and completed in the XV. During the French Revolution, the cathedral was damaged, restored in the XIX century. Visitors admire stained glass windows and sockets, towers, spire and gargoyles (winged devils, like huge bats).
At Notre Dame Cathedral on the eastern facade (rear) of the building, flying buttresses are made, which are clearly visible in the photo above. These 15-meter arched pillars resemble long, spindle-shaped legs of a spider, bent at the knee, surrounding the building like forests. Climbing 387 steps, visitors can closely view the statues and sculptures that adorn the exterior walls of the cathedral.
And below you can admire the masterpieces of architects and architects who created biblical figures in portals above doorways. Above the right door is the story of the parents of the Virgin, the Nativity of Christ, and the good news to the shepherds. Above the central doorway is an illustration of Christ the Judge and the Archangel Michael, directing the righteous to heaven and damned to hell. Above the left door is a scene of the completion of the life path (assumption) of the Virgin Mary and the Ark of the Covenant.
Behind the cathedral is the square of John XXIII, named after one of the most popular popes of the 20th century. First there was a dump on this place, then the residence of the archbishop, later destroyed and plundered by revolutionaries. The square of Paris was created in 1844 by the Paris prefect, Count Rambuto, who set up a wonderful garden on the site of the wasteland.
Champs Elysees and recreation areas
The venue for the marches until the 16th century was the most monumental boulevard in Paris, called the Champs Elysees. The lower part of the fields is decorated with Champs Elysees. The upper part extends to the Arc de Triomphe. This is a place where both tourists and locals like to relax. Here are hundreds of luxury shops, hotels, cafes and restaurants in Paris.
If you want to visit legendary cafes like Café de Flore, you should head to Saint-Germain Boulevard. In this cafe Picasso, Hemingway and other outstanding personalities liked to spend their leisure time. Gorgeous coffee houses and restaurants on Montparnasse Boulevard serve French cuisine and gourmet seafood specialties.
Great Arch of Défense
After passing through the historical places of the center, we leave for the new administrative district in the west of Paris. In the description of this part of the city in tourist guides, emphasis is placed on the complexes of high-rise buildings created in the 1960s at the end of Charles de Gaulle Avenue.
The quarter is called La Défense. All the most modern attractions of the city are concentrated in this area, including the second triumphal arch of Défense, covered with white marble. It was opened in 1989 on the anniversary of the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution.