Paris Guide - Sights and Interesting Places to Visit in Paris
Paris has always been one of the major tourist destinations in Europe. The city is situated on the banks of the Seine River and is one of the largest European capitals. The metropolitan area of the city is one of the most populated in Europe, about 11.5 million people live in it. Paris is a leading political, business and cultural centre with a global influence on the arts and fashion. Many international organizations and large companies have their offices in the city. Paris is world-known with its neo-classical architecture and is a home to many museums, art galleries, historical monuments and recreation places.
The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris. It is an iron structure erected on the Champ de Mars beside the Seine River. It is 324 m. high and stands out against the skyline of the city. The tower was built for the celebration of the French Revolution centenary and was inaugurated on March 31, 1889. The builder and architect of the tower, Gustave Eiffel is also famous for designing the iron backbone of the Statue of Liberty. The Eiffel Tower is the most visited building in the world. The annual flow of visitors is about 6 million a year, more than the Empire State Building with 3.6 million and the Tokyo Tower with 3 million. The tower was the tallest structure in the world for its times and replaced the Washington Monument. It remained so until 1930. The tower was struck by lightening in 1902 and 300 feet of the top were reconstructed. Today, the tower has 1660 steps to the top and elevators. It is made on several levels and is a host of several venues. The twinkling lights of the tower were at first made for the arrival of the year 2000. They did not function for about a year and were brought back in 2003. Today, the Eiffel Tower looks elegant and alive with 4 floodlights rotating on the top, which make it visible miles away from the city.
At the end of Champes-Elysees is the Arc de Triomphe. It is situated in the middle of the large circular square Place Charles De Gaulle, from which about 12 streets named after French military leaders emanate. Built between 1806 and 1808, it followed the model of the Arc of Constantine in Rome. It commemorated the victories of Napoleon and the grand army who had won them. The Arc de Tromphe is lavishly decorated in rose marble in the columns and the front paneling. The bronze horses on the top of the monument were taken from Sr. Marc in Venice. There are the names of generals who were in charge of the French troops during the regime of Napoleon engraved on the Arc. It is adorned with many bas-reliefs commemorating the battles of the emperor. The most famous one is the Departure of the Volunteers in 1972, also known as the Marseillaise. At the top of the monument there are 30 shields, each of them bearing the name of one of the successful battles of Napoleon. The Arc includes as well the Grave of the Unknown Soldiers from WWI. The Arc is a home of an observatory with glorious views of Paris and places in the city.
Notre Dame de Paris is a Holy place of worship, a premier tourist attraction and one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the city. It is located on the banks of the Seine River and in the eastern part of the Ile de la Cite. It is the place of residence of the archbishop of Paris for the Roman Catholic Church. It is a supreme example of the Rayonnant style. It has two massive towers from the Early Gothic period, which crown the western façade divided in three stories and doors adorned with carvings and surmounted by figures of the Old Testament kings. The western façade of the cathedral is the most famous sight for tourists. Stained glass is its major feature. A ‘Rose Window’ is an intricate and massive window located in the centre of the front. The southern tower houses Emmanuel bell cast in 1631. The connection between the two towers is the Grand Gallery, which holds the famous gargoyles of the cathedral.
Monmartre is a historic hill at an altitude of 130 meters in Paris and is crowned by the Sacre Coeur Basilica. It has always been connected with culture and trends and has many cafes and studios of many great artists. Sacre Coeur is a Byzantine basilica and is crowned by white elongated domes. The white stone whitens with age and gets more beautiful as time passes by. It has a bell weighing 19 tons, which can be heard from the distance. The remarkable statues on the façade are made of bronze and depict Joan of Arc, St. Luis and Christ with his hands raised in blessing. The interior of the basilica is adorned with mosaics and a figure of the Virgin and Child. Sacre Coeur was erected in 1914. It is an important place for pilgrimages of worshippers from all over the world. It is an imposing building and a landmark of Paris.
The Louvre is one of the largest museums in the world and one of the most famous. It began as a fortress, later it was a royal residence and in 1793 it became a museum. It has an enormous and varied collection of 300 000 works of artists from all over the world. The art of works spans over 3000 years. The collections on display are: Western art from the Middle ages to 1848 and civilization, which have influenced it. There are the Oriental, Egyptian, Etruscan and Greek departments with art objects and graphic art. There is a section devoted to the history of the Louvre as well as divisions dedicated to Asian, African, Oceanic and American art. The latest addition to the museum was the Glass Pyramid, which is a combination of modern art and historic architecture. It allows light to penetrate to the underground floor.
Admission fees given below are for full price adult tickets.
Cathédrale de Notre Dame
Description: The Cathédrale de Notre Dame is a magnificent Gothic cathedral in l’île de la Cité, the oldest part of Paris. It was completed in 1345 after two centuries of construction work. In the crypt are foundations from the earliest part of the buildings and from previous Roman buildings on the site. There are wonderful views all over Paris from the top of its two towers.
Location: place du Parvis Notre Dame, l’île de la Cité
Métro: Cité
Opening hours: 07.45 to 18.45 Monday to Saturday (towers open 09.00 to 17.15)
Admission: donation only
Website: www.cathedraledeparis.com
La Tour Eiffel
Description: The Eiffel Tower is the most famous symbol of Paris. When it was built at the end of the 19th century for the Paris Exposition it was the tallest building in the world. Take the lift and/or stairs up to the top for fabulous views of the city.
Location: Champ de Mars
Métro: Bir Hakeim, Trocadéro, École Militaire
Opening hours: open daily throughout year - January to June and September to December 09.30 to 23.45 (last admission to top 22:30), July and August 09.00 to 00.45 (last admission to top 23.00)
Admission: 11€ to the top
Website: www.tour-eiffel.fr
L’Arc de Triomphe
Description: This grand triumphal arch in the centre of Place d’Étoile was built by Napoléon to honour the French Army. It’s a war memorial commemorating those who have died in various battles and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its eternal flame lies underneath it.
Location: place de l’étoile
Métro: Charles de Gaulle Étoile
Opening hours: open daily throughout year - April to September 10.00 to 23.00, October to March 10.00 to 22.30 (last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Admission: 8€
Website: www.monum.fr/prehome/prehome.dml
Musée du Louvre
Description: The Louvre Palace is a spectacular Renaissance building and the famous museum within it contains one of the most important collections of fine art in the world. Collections: Egyptian, Roman and Oriental antiquities, European painting from 12th to 19th century, Leonardo’s Mona Lisa.
Location: rue de rivoli
Métro: Palais Royal Musée du Louvre
Opening hours: 09.00 to 18.00 every day except Tuesday
Admission: 8.50€, admission free on the first Sunday of every month
Website: www.louvre.fr
Musée d’Orsay
Description: This art gallery is an impressive collection of art from 1850-1950. Collections: impressionism (Renoir, Monet, Degas), post-impressionism (Van Gogh, Gaugin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Cézanne.
Location: 1 rue de bellechasse
Métro: Solférino
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09.30 to 18.00, Thursday 09.30 to 21.45, closed on Mondays
Admission: 7.50€, admission free on the first Sunday of every month
Website: www.musee-orsay.fr
Musée National d’art Moderne
Description: France’s national collection of modern art. It’s located in the Pompidou Centre. Notable artists: Yves Klein, Matisse, Picasso, Miró and Warhol.
Location: place Georges Pompidou
Métro: Hôtel de Ville, Châtelet, Rambuteau
Opening hours: daily except Tuesdays 11.00 to 21.00 (last admission 20.00)
Admission: 10€ (ticket includes entry to all museums and exhibitions within the Centre Pompidou)
Website: www.centrepompidou.fr
Musée Carnavalet
Description: This history museum traces the development of the city of Paris from Roman times to the present day. The displays are fascinating and captivating and the Renaissance palace in which it is housed is also impressive.
Location: 23 rue de Sevigné
Métro: St Paul
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10.00 to 17.30, closed on Mondays
Admission: 8€
Website: www.carnavalet.paris.fr
Hôtel des Invalides
Description: this splendid building was commissioned by Louis XIV as a hospital for injured soldiers. It’s now a military history museum, Musée de l’Armée. Collections: armour, swords, guns, uniforms, canons, standards and flags. Napoleon’s tomb is located within the complex and there’s a section in the museum containing artefacts that belonged to him. The section on World War Two is also very interesting.
Location: place des invalides
Métro: Varenne, Latour-Maubourg, St François-Xavier, Invalides
Opening hours: open daily except on the first Monday of every month, 10.00 to 17.00 October to March, 10.00 to 18.00 April to September
Admission: 7.50€
Website: www.invalides.org
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