Arc de Triomphe
Napoleon had the Arc de Triomphe built to honour the soldiers and the victories of his Grande Armée. It was inspired by the Roman arch of Titus and the building started in 1806 and was finished in 1836. The arch stands on a square from which 12 avenues radiate. These avenues are named after victories on the battlefield (Iéna, Wagram) or generals of the empire (Kléber, Carnot, Marceau).
The Arc de Triomphe is 50 meters high and 35 m wide and the groups of sculptures represent different centuries of French history. One of the sculpture groups on the right is Le Départ des Volontaires, better known as La Marseillaise. Under the arc burns the flame of the tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. Every day at 18:30 you can watch the lighting of the flame, a ritual that has been going on for over 80 years.
The inner walls of the arch show the names of 558 generals of the empire. The names of the ones killed in battle are underlined. The museum was completely refurbished in 2008. On large screens you will find information, there is a map of all 77 triumphant arches in Europe and on the upper floor interactive images are shown of the history of the Arc de Triomphe. From the terrace on top you have a wonderful view of the city from La Défense to the Louvre. There are also binoculars to look even further.
place du Général de Gaulle
8th district
metro Charles de Gaulle-Etoile
bus 22, 30, 31, 52, 73, 92
daily 10-23 (April-September), 10-22.30 (October-March) Arc de Triomphe
Arènes de Lutèce It was only in 1869 that the remains of this Gallo-Roman amphitheater appeared when the rue Monge was constructed. It dates from the 2nd century, when theater performances and gladiator fights were held. It held 16.000 people. You can still see the cages of the animals behind the stage.
The arena is one of two remnants of the Roman past of Paris (the other are the Baths of Cluny). Now it is a playground for the neighborhood children and a jeu-de-boules court.
There are three entrances to the Arènes: via a passageway in No. 47 rue Monge, through the square Capitan and the rue des Arènes and through a passsageway and a fence in the rue de Navarre.
place E. Mâle
5th arrondissement
metro Jussieu
bus 47, 67, 89
8.30-17, in summer until 21.30 Arènes de Lutèce
Assemblée Nationale This Palais-Bourbon on the banks of the Seine houses the French Lower House. The marquise de Montespan, daughter of Louis XIV, had it built in 1722 and her father sold it in 1764 to the Prince de Condé, who embellished the building. In 1807, the current facade was built with columns designed by order of Napoleon, who felt that it should be similar to the front of the Eglise Madeleine on the other side of the Seine. Since 1827, the building is owned by the state.
Inside are a number of beautiful rooms and a huge library of 1900 works, including the report of the trial of Jeanne d'Arc and the manuscript of the Marseillaise, the national hymn. Delacroix painted the images of the history of civilization.
The adjacent hotel Lassay on the rue de l'Université 128 (at the back of the Assembly) is now the official residence of the President of the Assembly. At No. 130, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is housed in a building from 1845 in eclectic style.
33 quai d'Orsay
7th arrondissement
metro Asssemblée Nationale or Invalides
bus 24, 63, 73, 83, 84, 93, 94
visit is only possible at the invitation of a member of the Assembly www.assembleenationale.fr
Ecole nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts
Famous academy of fine arts. Painter Charles Le Brun founded the college in 1648 and in the 19th century the building was enlarged. The school is made up of a large number of buildings between the quai Malaquais and the rue Bonaparte. On either side of the entrance on the rue Bonaparte, are the heads of painters Nicolas Poussin and Pierre Paul Puget. In the Hemicycle d'Honneur a mural depicts 75 famous artists of all times, engaged in conversation.
The building is not accessible for outsiders, except during exhibitions and open days.
14 rue Bonaparte
6th arrondissement
metro Saint-Germain-des-Prés
bus 24, 27, 39, 63, 70, 86, 87, 95, 96
exhibitions: 13 quai Malaquais
Tuesday-Sunday 13-19 during exhibitions only www.ensba.fr
Collège des Bernardins
This medieval Gothic building from 1245 was an important theological study center for monks in the Quartier Latin. During the French Revolution it became a state prison and from 1845 on it housed a fire station and a police school. It was beautifully restored in 2008. Now, it is a center of religion and culture, which includes concerts, exhibitions and film shows.
Only the nave and the sacristy can be visited. The 70 m long nave has two rows of 32 pillars that support the crossbows. The old sacristy of the 14th century in the basement has been transformed into classrooms. Behind the building you can still see the wall of a church that was part of the Collège.
20 rue de Poissy
5th arrondissement
metro Cardinal Lemoine or Maubert-Mutualité
bus 24, 47, 63, 67, 86, 87, 89
Monday-Saturday 10-18, Sunday 14-18 www.collegedesbernardins.fr
Bibliothèque nationale François Mitterrand
One of the Grands Projets of François Mitterrand, designed by architect Perrault in 1996. The library consists of four colossal buildings, each in the form of an open book, whose facades are mainly made of glass. Each tower has a name: Tour des Temps, the Tour des Lois, Tour des Nombres and Tour des Lettres. In the center is a lower inner garden with 140 pine trees and aroud the buildings runs an esplanade of tropical wood.
The building met with much criticism during and after construction. Storing books in a glass building might perhaps not be very efficient. There are however wooden, vertically movable shades to lock out the sun.
The library consists of approximately 12 million books, which are not freely accessible. But you can see enough of the building by visiting one of the exhibitions. Watch your step on the wooden esplanade, it is slippery when wet.
quai François-Mauriac
13th arrondissement
metro Quai de la Gare or Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand
bus 62, 64, 89, 132
Tuesday-Saturday 10-19, Sunday 13-19 www.bnf.fr
Bibliothèque nationale Richelieu
In this library, which covers an entire block, specialized collections are kept, such as manuscripts, prints and photographs, maps, coins and medals. The collection of books that have been preserved here for centuries, moved to the François Mitterrand location in 1996.
The National Library began as a royal library of Charles V, established in the Louvre in 1368, then still a castle. Under Louis XIV, the library expanded and in 1720 it was opened to the public. In 1868 the library moved to this building in the rue de Richelieu.
The library is not open to the public, but there are two beautiful galleries (Mazarine and Mansart) that you can see if there is an exhibition.
58 rue de Richelieu
2nd arrondissement
metro Bourse or Palais Royal
bus 20, 29, 39, 67, 74, 85
Tuesday-Saturday 10-19, Sunday 12-19 (during exhibitions only) www.bnf.fr
Bourse de Paris - Palais Brongniart The Palais de Brongniart was built in 1808 to offer a permanent home to the Paris stock exchange. Napoleon I commissioned the construction and architect Brogniart built it. Around the neoclassical building is a row of 64 corinthian columns of 10 meters long.
The building housed the Euronext stock exchange until 1987. After that, the building was used for seminars and conferences only. It is now being renovated and will contain restaurants, cafés and exhibition rooms. It will reopen (also for the public) in 2012.
rue Vivienne
2nd arrondissement
metro Bourse
Cirque d'Hiver
Built in 1852 as Cirque Napoléon by architect Jacques Hittorf. He built the oval building with Corinthian columns at the angles. The Cirque was built on behalf of the director of the Cirque d'Eté that stood in the gardens near the Champs-Elysées. In 1852 the circus accommodated 4000 people, but because of security reasons now only 2000 visitors can watch the shows.
The round hall consists of a polygon with twenty angles and has a diameter of 41 meters. From 1907 till 1923 the building was a cinema, after that it became a circus. Ever since 1934 the Bouglione circus family is the owner. Before World War II world famous clowns like the Fratelli brothers and Achille Zavatta appeared in the show.
You can only visit the building during a show.
110 rue Amelot
11th arrondissement
metro Filles du Calvaire
bus 20, 65, 96 www.cirquedhiver.com
Cité Universitaire Beautiful spacious park with 38 buildings with apartments for 5600 students from all over the world. The Cité was set up in 1924 as a means to facilitate the exchange of students and to promote world peace. Every building is built by another country and in a different style between 1925 and 1969.
The architecture of some residences stand out, like the buildings of Brazil (Lucio Costa, 1954), Japan (Pierre Sardou, 1929), Switzerland (Le Corbusier, 1933) and the Netherlands (Willem Dudok, 1938).
61 boulevard Jourdan
14th arrondissement
metro Cité Universitaire
bus 21, 67, 88, tram T3
daily 7-22 www.ciup.fr
Conciergerie
Part of the former Palais de la Cité from the 14th century, originally built as a residence for French kings, later known for its prisons. At the end of the 14th century the royalty moved to the Louvre and the Château de Vincennes. The Conciergerie then became a prison, especially notorious during the French Revolution (1789-1799), when many highly placed Parisians were waiting in prison for their execution by guillotine: Marie-Antoinette, Madame du Barry, General Hoche, Robespierre. Outside on the corner stands the Tour de l'Horloge, the first public clock in Paris.
In the Middle Ages, the Sainte Chapelle and the Palais de Justice were also part of the Palais de la Cité.
2 boulevard du Palais
1st arrondissement
metro Châtelet, Cité or Saint-Michel
bus 21, 24, 27, 38, 58, 81, 85
daily 9.30-18 (March-October), 9-15 ( November-February) Conciergerie
Ecole Militaire The Ecole Militaire was built between 1751 and 1768 in classical style by architect Gabriel, commissioned by king Louis XV. The school was designed as a training school for officers from impoverished families. Napoleon I was a student here in 1784.
The building consists of a central section with eight richly decorated Corinthian columns. At the back is the chapelle Saint-Louis, which has a square cupola. In the facade on the side of the Champs de Mars, four statues can be seen symbolizing Strength, Peace, France and Victory. The Victory statue looks like Louis XV, dressed in antique robes. At the rear is the Cour d'Honneur. At the front is a statue of Maréchal Joffre. The Champs-de-Mars used to be parade ground.
1 place Joffre
7th arrondissement
metro Ecole Militaire
bus 28, 80, 82, 87, 92
not open to visitors
EiffelTower
The famous symbol of Paris is the Eiffel Tower, built by Gustave Eiffel for the World Exhibition in 1889 as a memory of the start of the French Revolution 100 years before. It is one of the the most visited attraction in Paris, although it was originally built for a few years. Many wanted to destroy it, but when the use of radio messages started, the tower proved useful for the antennas and it was decided to leave the tower as it was. The cast iron construction is breathtaking. The tower stands on concrete legs and is 300 meters high. The first floor is at 57 m, the second at 115 m and the highest at 276 m. There are 2 lifts to the 3 floors.
The only disadvantage of the Eiffel Tower is that it is so busy (nearly 7 million visitors in 2007). Waiting in line for two hours is no exception. You could skip the line by booking a table in one of the two restaurants. Besides, you don’t have to climb it. Looking at the Eiffel Tower from a distance is an wonderful experience: the view from the terrace of the Palais de Chaillot, from the Ecole Militaire, the Pont de Bir Hakeim. Also the sight from under the tower between the four legs to the top is not to be missed. Would you like a really spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower? Take the metro to Trocadéro station, walk behind the Palais de Chaillot to the Esplanade and look to the left.
Do you still want to go up, make sure you are in the right line: there is one for the elevator (to the 3rd floor) and one for the stairs (to the 2nd floor). The first floor is high enough for a magnificent view, and you can still distinguish the city below. The 3rd floor is only recommended in clear weather. Climbing the stairs is fun, you can rest wherever you want and there are information panels everywhere with tales of the history of the tower.
At night the tower is beautifully illuminated. Moreover after sunset at every hour till 2.00 pm (in winter till 1.00 pm) thousands of lights blink for 10 minutes. Two rays of light illuminate the environments up till 80 km.
Champ de Mars
7th arrondissement
metro Bir Hakeim, Trocadéro or Ecole Militaire
bus 42, 69, 72, 82, 87
daily, hours depending on the season and whether you take the lift or the stairs (see the site), pre-booking is (not yet) possible www.tour-eiffel.fr
Fondation Le Corbusier
Progressive, modern house, built in 1925 by architect Le Corbusier for art-dealer La Roche and Corbusier’s brother Albert Jeanneret. Only the Villa La Roche is on view; it houses the largest collection of Le Corbusier drawings, studies, and plans. The Foundation is established in Albert Jeanneret’s house next door.
The building and the interior are still modern, even after more than 80 years. The house is made with iron, concrete and blank, white facades setting off a curved two-story gallery space. The exterior of the villa is whitewashed, inside are walls in soft tones. Because the poles carry the ceiling, the partition walls could be put anywhere. Furthermore, the windows are wide and there are no stairs, but a rising slope leads to the library space on the second floor. The famous chaise longue by Le Corbusier (1929) stands on the landing.
Villa La Roche is closed from June 22, 2008 till September 18, 2009 due to renovation works.
8-10 square du Docteur Blanche
16th arrondissement
metro Jasmin or Michel-Ange Auteuil
bus 52
Tuesday-Friday 10-12.30 and 13.30-18, 10-17 on Saturday www.fondationlecorbusier.fr
Grand Palais
Colossal exhibition hall that was built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900 to honor the glory of French art. It was part of a project that includes the Pont Alexandre III and the Petit Palais. The classical stone façade has a riot of Art Nouveau ironwork, and a number of allegorical statue groups. Four architects have been involved with the construction: Henri Deglane, Albert Louvet, Albert Thomas and Charles Girault, who supervised construction works.
The nave (with a glass roof) is 200 m long and is built of iron and glass. The exterior is decorated with copper sculptures, friezes and mosaics that tell about important periods in history (Egypt, Rome, Greece) and include scenes from colonial Africa and Asia. Inside is 40,000 m2 exhibition space.
From 1937, the Palais de la Découverte was established in the left wing. After World War II, many major events took place in the building, including art exhibitions but also exhibitions of cars, agricultural machinery and aircraft. From 1960, the Grand Palais proved too small for such events. The building was neglected and fell into disrepair: the piles under the building were rotting and the roof threatened to collapse. In 1993 the Grand Palais closed its doors for a 12-year renovation. It reopened in 2005.
The interior is beautiful and worth a visit, but until now, there are only temporary exhibitions. The Nef in the center with its glass roof is magnificent, but it can only be viewed if you visit an exhibition that takes place in the Nef.
3 avenue du Général Eisenhower
8th district
metro Champs-Elysees-Clemenceau
bus 28, 32, 42, 72, 73, 80, 83, 93
Wednesday 10-22, Thursday-Monday 10-20 (during exhibitions only) www.grandpalais.fr
Grande Arche de la Défense Modern counterpart of the Arc de Triomphe in La Défense business district. The Arche is the final point of a historical line called ‘La Grande Axe’ that runs right through Paris from the Louvre over the Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe to La Défense. From the top of the building you can see that the Grande Arche is not exactly in line. Some say that this was the architect’s choice, others say the pillars are slightly off plumb due to the tunnels of the motorway and the metro under the Arche.
The almost square building was designed by Danish architect Otto von Spreckelsen and was opened in 1989, 200 years after the start of the French Revolution. The building is 110 m high and looks like a hollow cube. Because of the light color of the marble facade, the steel structures and the glass the building seems very light. Although it weighs 300,000 tons, it rest on only 12 pillars. From the glass elevators the views are beautiful (if you do not suffer from vertigo). Upstairs is a restaurant and a roof terrace with even more nice views. Downstairs in front of the building is a roof made of fiberglass and steel cables, that gives the idea of a cloud over your head.
The roof of the Grande Arche is closed due to repair of the elevators until August 2010
1 parvis de la Défense
metro La Défense-Grande Arche
bus 73, 141, 158, 159, tram T2
10-20 (April-August), 10-19 September-March www.grandearche.com
l'Hôtel-Dieu
This building on the Ile de la Cité north of the place du Parvis Notre-Dame is the oldest hospital in Paris. It was founded by bishop Saint Landry in the 7th century and was rebuilt in the 12th century, but at that time it stood at the south side of the square, and it was much smaller than today.
In the 17th century the hospital expanded to the left bank of the Seine on what is now the Pont au Double. The extension had a glass gallery, that served as a promenade for patients. From the beginning the hospital took every patient, rich or poor. In 1709 there were 9.000 patients, so more often than not two or three had to share a bed.
In 1772, the buildings of the old Hôtel-Dieu were destroyed by fire. It took until 1878 to build a new Hotel-Dieu in Hausmann-style, now on the north side of the square, where it still stands today. You can visit the building during regular hospital hours. If you turn right in the reception area and follow the hallway, you will find beautifully tended and quiet gardens in a courtyard.
1 place du Parvis Notre-Dame/place Jean-Paul II
4th arrondissement
metro Cité or Saint-Michel/Notre-Dame
not open to visitors, except for the courtyard
Hôtel de Ville
City Hall of Paris, built in Renaissance style. This place was in the Middle Ages a small port in the Seine. The ‘marchands de l’eau’ were merchants to whom the kings gave the right to monitor the vessels on the Seine. The center was on the place de Grève, now place de l'Hôtel de Ville, where boats moored for loading and unloading. Etienne Marcel, the supervisor of the merchants, established his administration in the first hotel de ville in 1357. In 1628, a new renaissance town hall was built by the Italian architect Le Boccador.
The square became a meeting place for the unemployed and workers on strike (grève means ‘strike’ but also ‘sandy shore’) and also a place for celebrations and numerous executions that attracted thousands of spectators. Many people were killed, burned, quartered, beheaded or hanged here. During the French Revolution, the square was an important political center. This was the spot where Robespierre, Danton and Marat held their speeches. In 1871 the building was set to fire during the Commune revolts and the current, larger town hall was built on the same site.
The exterior is adorned with turrets and statues. In front are niches with statues of famous Parisians like Voltaire, Molière, Richelieu and Delacroix, at the side are famous women like Madame de Staël, Madame de Sévigné and Georges Sand. The clock is the only part of the old building that was undamaged by the fire.
Inside are beautiful rooms and corridors in bombastic style with lots of marble, gold leaf, murals, statues and Baccarat crystal. The Salle des Fêtes has a striking interior and this room and adjoining rooms are used for parties and for receptions where the Mayor of Paris entertains his foreign guests on state visit.
Since 1982 the place de l'Hotel de Ville is car-free and now has become an assembly point for Parisians during events and demonstrations. In the winter you can skate on an ice rink.
Place de l'Hôtel de Ville
4th arrondissement
metro Hôtel de Ville
not accessible, except the Salon d'Acceuil during exhibitions, or for groups (reservations 2 months in advance)
Institut de France
The Institut de France was created in 1795. Its task is to improve the arts and sciences in line with the principle of pluridisciplinarity and to manage the donations to finance its tasks The Institut brings together five academies, including the famous Académie française. The other four are the Académie des inscriptions et des belles-lettres, the Académie des Sciences, the Académie des Beaux-Arts and the Académie des sciences morales et politiques. The building was established as Quatres Collège des Nations in 1661 at the request of Cardinal Mazarin. In 1805 it became the of the Institut de France, which until then was located in the Louvre.
The Institute is an authoritative body of science. Membership of one of the Academies is for life and it is a great honor to be appointed a member. It was only in 1980, however, that the first woman, writer Marguerite Yourcenar, was appointed. Before, many celebrities became members of the Académie. Some were refused because of their progressive ideas, including writers Honoré de Balzac and Emile Zola. Others, like Descartes, Malraux and De Gaulle kindly refused the honor. Famous members of the Académie des Beaux-Arts were Ingres, Berlioz, Gounod and Delacroix. Today, members include former president Valery Giscard-d'Estaing and writer Claude Lévi-Strauss.
The building was built in Baroque style and has a beautiful dome that houses the mausoleum of Cardinal Mazarin. Here, the members of the Academies have their meetings. There are also two large libraries.
213 quai de Conti
6th arrondissement
metro Louvre-Rivoli, Pont Neuf, Odéon or Saint-Germain-des-Prés
bus 21, 24, 25, 58, 69, 70, 72
guided tour only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays (advance reservation required) www.institut-de-france.fr
Hôtel and Dôme des Invalides This building was built between 1671 and 1676 by order of Louis XIV, who wanted to build a residence for injured war veterans. Nowadays, Napoleon is the most famous Frenchman in the crypt under the dome. His body was brought over in 1861 from Saint Helena. The marble floor was opened to make the crypt. In the floor around his grave you will see the names of French battles, like Austerlitz, Marengo and Iéna. Beside Napoleon’s grave are the graves of other famous soldiers from French history (Vauban, Foch, Duroc, Turenne and Bertrand) and his son and two brothers.
The Hôtel des Invalides has a huge gateway. In the courtyard, the residents could take a walk if the weather was bad. Around are galleries on two floors with rows of cannons. Today once again war invalids live here. There are three museums in the building: the Musée de l'Armée, the Musée des Plans-reliefs (relief maps and models of French fortresses) and the Musée de l'Ordre de la Libération.
The Eglise du Dôme, where the veterans went to church, was built by architect Hardouin-Mansart. His statue stands in the Jardin de l'Intendant behind the church. Would you like a beautiful route to the Invalides? Start at the Grand Palais on the other side of the Seine and walk over the Pont Alexandre III. From there, a beautiful esplanade of 500 m leads to the complex.
129 rue de Grenelle
7th arrondissement
metro La Tour-Maubourg, Saint-François-Xavier or Invalides
bus 28, 63, 69, 80, 82, 83, 87, 92, 93
open daily (except the 1st Monday of the month), 10-17 (October-March), 10-18 (April-September) www.invalides.org
Maison de la culture du Japon
Culture house created on the initiative of François Mitterrand to strengthen the relation between France and Japan. The building along the Seine was designed by architects Masayuki Yamanaka and Kenneth Armstrong and opened in 1997. The semicircular building has a glass facade and a metal structure and consists of 11 floors, of which 6 are visible.
The Maison de la culture du Japon organizes concerts, films, theater shows and exhibitions. Also there are courses in, for example, ikebana, calligraphy, go and the Japanese language. Every Wednesday there is a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in the tea pavilion. In the shop you can buy Japanese products.
101 bis quai Branly
15th arrondissement
metro Bir-Hakeim or Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel
bus 42, 72, 82
Tuesday-Saturday 12-19, Thursday till 20
for the tea ceremony: advance reservation required www.mcjp.asso.fr
Manufacture des Gobelins
Workshop for weaving tapestries and carpets, founded in the 17th century and still in operation. The Gobelin family dyed scarlet wool here along the river Bièvre since the 15th century. Minister Colbert purchased the business of the Gobelins in 1662 and ensured that all Parisian weaving and dyeing ateliers were brought together in the Manufacture des Gobelins as a state monopoly. Even now, the primary mission of the Gobelins is furnishing France's public buildings like ministries, embassies, government offices.
In the old days the tapestries were made for royal chambers and were designed by artists such as Le Brun, Poussin, Boucher, and later even by Braque and Picasso. They accounted for the cartons, that acted as an example for the weavers.
At present there are 35 weavers working with different techniques. The weavers are sat behind 5 m high looms and work on the same tapestry for 2-3 years.
In the building of the Mobilier National, next to the Gobelins building, carpets are knotted and old carpets and furniture are restored.
Since 1826, the Manufacture de la Savonnerie and since 1940 the Manufacture de Beauvais, specializing in furniture, belong to the Gobelins atelier. In 2007, after a extensive renovation, the Galerie des Gobelins opened. The building is used for temporary exhibitions.
42 avenue des Gobelins
13th arrondissement
metro Gobelins
bus 27, 47, 57, 67, 83, 91
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: tours in French at 14 and 15 (advance reservation at FNAC is required). Entrance fee to the Gallery is included. Make sure to be there 15 minutes in advance and indicate that you have a reservation, and they will let you in.
The Gallery is open during exhibitions. www.mobiliernational.culture.gouv.fr
Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation Memorial to all people that were deported to concentration camps from France during the Second World War, including 76,000 French Jews. The Memorial is located just behind Notre Dame along the Seine. Through a narrow staircase you get to a courtyard with a triangular structure with sharp protrusions that depicts barbed wire.
Via a corridor you reach an area where on the walls are engraved the names of the concentration camps and where an eternal flame burns. On the walls 200.000 pieces of crystal stones reflect the light and depict the people who never came back.
square de l'Ile de la Cité
4th arrondissement
metro Pont Marie or Maubert-Mutualité
bus 24, 67
dayly 10-12 and 14-19 (March-October), 10-12 and 14-17 (November-February) Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation
Observatoire de Paris
Oldest observatory in the world, built by Claude Perrault in 1667 by order of Louis XIV and the insistence of astronomer Azout. France at that time was a maritime power and the Observatoire helped by making navigation systems and other optical instruments. The building contains no wood (fire risk) and no metal (to prevent magnetic interference).
The four walls are exactly at the four winds of the compass. The first four directors were related: father, son, grandson and great-grandson Cassini. The Cassini-room on the second floor was named after them. Through this room runs the meridian of Paris, exactly at 48° 50' 11''. The Institute is world famous. The units of mass (grams) and length (meters) were determined here for instance and in 1679 a map of the moon was made. In 1863 the Observatory published the first modern weather maps. In November 1913 the Observatory exchanged radio signals with the U.S. Naval Observatory to determine the exact geographical longitude between the two institutes. They used the Eiffel Tower as an antenna.
The Observatory has a collection of astronomical instruments from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and two huge telescopes in the 19th century pavilions in the garden.
61 avenue de l'Observatoire
14th arrondissement
metro Denfert-Rochereau or Port Royal
bus 38, 83, 91
not accessible, only with a tour group on Tuesday or Thursday (advance reservation required) www.obspm.fr
Opéra Bastille Modern opera house on the site of the former Gare de la Bastille. It is the second opera house in Paris (the first one is the Opéra Garnier) and was designed by architect Carlos Ott. It opened in July 1989.
The building consists of glass and marble. On the 7th floor is a refreshment room with a panoramic view. The main can sit 2700 people, who all have an unobstructed view of the stage.
place de la Bastille
12th arrondissement
metro Bastille or Gare de Lyon
bus 20, 29, 65, 69, 76, 86, 87, 91
guided tours only (advance reservation required) www.operadeparis.fr
Opéra Garnier
The Opera of architect Charles Garnier was part of the quartier de l'Opéra, the main city project of urban planner Hausmann. It included six new major streets, the Opéra and a new railway station. The construction of the Opera House took 14 years (until 1875) and cost 33 million francs. Ninety artists contributed their skills. There are works of marble, bronze and stone in various styles from classical to baroque. Garnier used new construction technologies, but they are well hidden in the building. A lake and a source that were discovered at the beginning of the construction work, are still below the vaults.
The Grande Escalier (Great Staircase) in the hall is one of the works of art. It is made of white marble and has banisters of red and green marble. Other components are the magnificent Grand Foyer and the Salle de Spectacle, where Marc Chagall painted the ceiling in 1964. In the middle of the room is a crystal chandelier that weighs more than 8 tons. The Pavillon de l'Empereur on the side of the rue Scribe has its own driveway, made for the king who used it to go to his lodge directly from his carriage. The facade is decorated with lush sculptures.
Avenue de l'Opéra was widened in 1955, the sidewalks were narrowed and the beautiful rows of chestnut trees disappeared. From that time the magnificent view of the Opéra House from the avenue was gone.
place de l'Opera
9th arrondissement
metro Opéra, Chaussée d'Antin or Auber
bus 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 42, 52, 53, 66, 68, 81, 95
daily 10-17
guided tours (in French or English) on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday www.operadeparis.fr
Musée d'Orsay
This building stands on the former site of the Palais d'Orsay, built in 1838. During the uprising of the Commune in 1871 the palace was destroyed by fire, together with the whole area.
In 1897 construction of the Gare d'Orleans started. It had to look like the Louvre on the other side of the Seine and the Hôtel Salm next door. Architect was Victor Laloux. The station was opened in 1900 for the World Exhibition. It has served as station for a short time, because from 1939 the platforms were judged too short for the new long trains.
From 1939 till 1973 the building was used for various purposes, including a shelter for French prisoners of war after the Second World War and a film décor. The film The process by Orson Welles after Kafka’s book was shot here. Since 1986, the former railway station houses the Musée d'Orsay.
1 rue de la Légion d’Honneur (quai d'Orsay)
7th arrondissement
metro Solférino
bus 24, 63, 68, 69, 73, 83, 84, 94
Tuesday-Sunday 9.30-18, Thursday till 21.45 www.musee-orsay.fr
La Pagode Interesting movie theater in the form of a Japanese temple. The Pagoda was built in 1895 by architect Alexandre Marcel on behalf of director Morin of the department store Le Bon Marché. He wanted a nice gift for his wife and thought that this would be a nice building for her dance nights and big parties with an oriental theme.
In 1931 the building became a cinema. Now they run mostly art films, often in the original version. The ceiling and walls of the large hall are decorated in oriental style. There is a tea salon in the Japanese garden.
57 bis rue de Babylone
7th arrondissement
metro Saint-François-Xavier
bus 82, 87, 92
open at regular cinema times
Palais de Chaillot
The Palais consists of two curved neoclassical buildings in the middle of an esplanade with great views over the gardens of the Palais, the Eiffel Tower, the Champ-de-Mars and the Ecole Militaire. From the Esplanade des Droits de l'Homme stairs descend to the Jardin du Trocadéro with a large pond with spectacular fountains that are illuminated at night. They were designed for the 1937 World Exhibition.
The building was built in 1939 and was designed by architects Boileau, Carlu and Azéma. It replaced the Palais du Trocadéro from 1878, a palace in Spanish-Moorish style, built for the 1878 World Exhibition.
Napoleon wanted to build a palace for his son, the king of Rome, on this hill of Chaillot (a former village) of Rome, but it was never built as a result of the lost Waterloo battle. In 1948 the United Nations declared the Universal Human Rights in this building.
The Palais de Chaillot houses several museums: the Musée de la Marine and (since 2007) the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine. Also located under the terrace are the Théâtre National du Chaillot and the CinéAqua aquarium.
If you want to see a really spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower, take the metro to Trocadéro station, walk behind the Palais de Chaillot to the Esplanade and look to your left.
place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre
16th arrondissement
metro Trocadéro
bus 72, 82
Palais de l'Elysée
The Palais was built in 1722 in classical style by architect Mollet for the comte d'Evreux. After him several European celebrities lived or stayed in the Palais, including Madame de Pompadour, the duchesse de Bourbon, King Louis XV, Emperor Napoleon (who signed his abdication here in 1815) and Empress Josephine, King Louis-Napoleon, Tsar Alexander and Emperor Franz-Joseph of Austria. From 1874, it is the official residence of French presidents, starting with president Mac Mahon. The duchesse de Bourbon gave it the name Elysée, after the avenue des Champs-Elysees that already existed.
In the eastern wing of the Elysée are the apartments of the French President, who has his office in the Salon Doré. The Ministerial Council meets in the Salon Murat and official receptions are held in the Salle des Fêtes and the Jardin d'Hiver. In the Vestibule d'Honneur the president receives his state visit guests. In the English garden are 100 kinds of roses and 30 kinds of rhododendron. Every year 20.000 bulbs are planted that bloom from March till May. Here, the President invites guests for a reception each year on Bastille Day, July 14.
55 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
8th district
metro Champs-Elysees-Clemenceau or Concorde
bus 52, 92, 93
not open to visitors www.elysee.fr
Palais de Justice
Buildings of the French court of Justice along the Seine on the Ile de la Cité. Already in Roman times this was an administrative center. In the Middle Ages it became a royal palace and in the 13th century Louis IX (the Saint) had the Sainte Chapelle built in the courtyard. In the 14th century, the Conciergerie was added.
From 1358, the kings lived elsewhere and the palace became the seat of parliament, the Supreme Court of France at that time. During the French Revolution 2600 people were sentenced to death by guillotine and after that more famous French people were imprisoned here, including Sarah Bernardt and Emile Zola.
The different parts of the palace bear names that recall their earlier historical or legal significance. In the gallery Marchande all kinds of merchandise were offered to the lawyers. The Salle des Pas-Perdus on the first floor consists of two rooms. One of them, the Chambre Dorée, has a beautiful caisson ceiling. This would have been the room of Saint Louis (Louis IX).
The current facade of the place Dauphine and the new wing on the quai des Orfèvres were built during renovations that lasted until 1914.
Future plans indicate a new modern Palais de Justice building in Tolbiac-Halle Freyssinet in the 13th arrondissement.
The Palais de Justice is free to visit. You can also visit it in a virtual tour.
4 boulevard du Palais (entrance Cour de Mai, left of the fence)
1st arrondissement
metro Cité or Saint-Michel
bus 21, 38, 47, 85, 96 www.ca-paris.justice.fr
Palais du Luxembourg Palace built by Salomon de Brossé and commissioned by queen Maria de 'Medici (1613) after her husband, Henry IV was murdered and she no longer wanted to live in the Louvre Palace. The new palace was similar to the Palazzo Pitti in Florence where she was born and raised. In the palace the queen had 24 paintings hun on the walls that were portraits of herself, painted by Rubens in different periods of her life. She has in the palace for only 6 years.
During the French Revolution the building was used as a prison for the better positions. Approximately 800 people were imprisoned here, of whom one third was sentenced to death by the guillotine. Since 1852 the palace became the seat of the French Senate. During the Second World War the headquarters of the German Luftwaffe were located in the building.
The interior is decorated in neo-Gothic style, the ceiling in the library was painted by Delacroix.
You can visit the building in a virtual tour. Or look at the slide show of the interior.
15 rue de Vaugirard
6th arrondissement
metro Luxembourg, Odéon or Mabillon
bus 58, 84, 89
group tours onMonday, Friday and Saturday (advance reservation only) www.senat.fr
Palais Royal
Built as Palais Cardinale in the 17th century for Cardinal Richelieu and designed by architect Lemercier. Later, when Louis XIV lived there for a while, the name changed to Palais Royal. When Philippe, 5th Duc d'Orleans, took over the palace in the 18th century, he was deep in debt. Therefore he had the arcades built and rented out the shops. Gambling houses and brothels also settled here, it became a center of parties, excesses and plots. But it also was a meeting place for intellectuals such as Balzac and Diderot, with crowded theaters and cafés where discussions took place about new revolutionary ideas. In the 19th century the Palais Royal was the scene of many duels between monarchist, supporters of Bonaparte and liberals.
Today, the Palais Royal houses the Conseil d'Etat (the French Council of State), the Ministry of Culture and the Comédie Française. Under the arcades are nice shops, for example a shop with tin soldiers, a secondhand clothing store from famous couturiers and the beautiful Japanese perfume house of Shiseido.
Cardinal Richelieu had the gardens constructed, but the 5th Duc d'Orleans reduced the area. Rows of lime trees enclose the gardens in different colours and you can rest your feet on one of the benches. On the south side Daniel Buren constructed the artwork Les deux plateaux in 1985. It is a series of modern columns in white and black marble.
6 rue de Montpensier
1st arrondissement
metro Palais-Royal
bus 21, 27, 39, 48, 69, 72, 81, 95
the building is not open to visitors, the garden is open daily 7-21.30
Palais des Tuileries
Although this palace does not exist anymore, it is famous for its history. Moreover, it is not unlikely that it will be rebuilt.
The palais des Tuileries was once the west enclosure of the Louvre complex in front of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. Catherine de Medici had the palace built after the death of her husband Henry II. Even Louis XIV has lived her during the time the Versailles palace was built. When he left, the building housed no more royalty and was used as a theater. During the French Revolution, Louis XVI was forced to leave Versailles and had to stay in the Tuileries palace. After the revolution it became the residence of Emperor Napoleon. He ordered that the palace was attached to the Louvre building. Even his successors lived here for a short time.
The interior of the palace was rich and abundant. The best architects, designers and furniture makers worked on its construction. Especially the rooms of Empress Joséphine and later on Empress Marie-Louise were richly decorated and furnished. Even during the Second Empire the palace was further decorated and renovated.
During the Commune of 1870, however, it went wrong. On May 23 twelve men of the Commune set fire to the palace with petroleum, tar and turpentine. The fire covered the whole building and it took 48 hours before the fire was mastered. After the fire the building was left unused for eleven years without any plans for renovation. Finally, the government decided not to restore the palace. In 1883 the whole building was demolished, despite protests, by Hausmann and a number of prominent artists and architects.
From 2003, a committee aims to rebuild the palace and studies its reconstruction. There are a number of reasons. The first is that by the destruction of the palace, the sight line from the Champs-Elysees to the Palace disappeared. It now ended in an empty space near the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. The Louvre is actually not in the line of sight, because it is not exactly on that axis. Secondly, the Louvre, which suffers from lack of space, could extend to the palace. All the furniture and paintings from the palace have been preserved, because they had already been removed from the palace at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870. They could be placed in the new part in the Tuileries palace. Finally, the committee claims that for the historical awareness of the French people it would be an advantage if such a building, where so many kings and other heads of state have lived and played a role in French history, would re-open.
Panthéon Originally built as a church designed by architect Soufflot for king Louis XV, who had made a pledge to Sainte Geneviève, patron saint of Paris, to found a church if he would be cured from a serious illness. Construction lasted from 1758 to 1812. After the French Revolution the church became a public building. It served as a necropolis, headquarters of the Commune and a cemetery. Nowadays the remains of many famous French people who marked the history of France are buried in the crypt under the entire building. You can admire the graves of the 73 'grands hommes' of French history, including writers Voltaire, Rousseau and Victor Hugo, physicists Pierre and Marie Curie, socialist Jean Jaurès and resistance fighter Jean Moulin.
The neoclassical building stands on the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève and has the form of a Greek cross surmounted by a dome that is reinforced with iron. Soufflots examples were St. Paul's Cathedral in London and St. Peter's in Rome. The beautiful peristyle was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. Around the dome (guided visit only) is a gallery from which you have a nice view of Paris. In the Panthéon you can see the pendulum of Foucault, which shows rotation of the earth in a completely enclosed space, without view of the sun and the stars.
place du Panthéon
5th arrondissement
metro Maubert-Mutualité or Cardinal Lemoine
bus 21, 27, 38, 82, 84, 85, 89
dayly 10-18, visits to the Dôme by guided tour only from April-October
Petit Palais
Built in 1900 as musée des Beaux Arts by Charles Girault, reopened in 2006 after extensive renovations inside and outside (front and garden). The collection includes works of art and decoration from ancient times until today, with an emphasis on the 19th and 20th century.
The museum was built for the World Exhibition of 1900 and was part of a complex that included the Grand Palais and the Pont Alexandre III. It has a neoclassical façade of 240 meter long, ionic columns 20 meters high and wrought ironwork in art-nouveau style.
avenue Winston Churchill
8th district
metro Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau or Concorde
bus 42, 72, 73, 80, 93
Tuesday-Sunday 10-18, Thursday till 20 during exhibitions only www.paris.fr
La Salpêtrière
The building was constructed by Louis XIII as a gunpowder factory (for which you need saltpetre). From 1656 the building was used as an institution for poor women, tramps, beggars and mentally ill parisians that were brought here from the streets. They lived here in dreadful conditions, especially when in 1680 a prison for arrested prostitutes was added. Everyone fought with each other, no one was treated for health problems and hygiene was appalling. The mentally ill were locked to the wall of their cells and rats had free play. In the 18th century La Salpêtrière was used as a waiting place for people that were deported to Canada and the United States.
In the early 19th century the situation changed because from that time psychiatric patients were treated for their diseases. Especially when neurologist Charcot worked here conditions improved and at the end of the 19th century the La Salpêtrière psychiatric hospital was world famous. Charcot is now regarded as the founder of modern neurology.
Architect Le Vau designed a geometrically shaped building around a square courtyard. The chapel of Saint-Denis has a decorative entrance with ionic arcades, a portal with beautiful carvings and a dome. The facade of the building resembles that of the Hôtel des Invalides. Today, the hospital has merged with the Pitié hospital.
47 boulevard de l'Hôpital
13th arrondissement
metro Austerlitz
bus 57, 91 La Salpêtrière
La Sorbonne
Building of the internationally renowned University of Paris, founded in 1221 for 16 poor boys who wanted to study theology. In the beginning the students took their courses in theology in the Saint-Julien-le-pauvre, the monastery on the rue Saint-Jacques, or even outside on the Place Maubert. Even in that time students already caused riots on political or religious issues, streets had to be closed by chains to stop the protests. But the education they got was first class, because many famous theologians and philosophers were teaching there.
In 1253 the first permanent building (now on the rue Sommerand) was founded by Robert de Sorbon. It was christened La Sorbonne after the birthplace of the founder.
In 1529 François I founded a counterpart of the theological faculty, the Collège de France, where the humanist ideas of the Renaissance were taught. The languages spoken were Latin, Hebrew and Greek, but also for the first time French. The Collège is still independent of the Sorbonne.
In 1625 Lemercier (by order of Richelieu) built the chapel, which later during the Revolution was heavily damaged. You can visit the tomb of Richelieu if the chapel is open for an exhibition.
At the end of the 19th century, the Sorbonne was completely updated and expanded by architect Nenot, including the faculties of science and literature. The students played a major role in the riots of 1968. As a result of the democratization process that followed the 5 faculties were converted in 13 inter-disciplinary universities. In 2006 a department of the Sorbonne opened in Abu Dabi.
47 rue des Ecoles
5th arrondissement
metro Cluny-la-Sorbonne, Odéon or Luxembourg
bus 38, 63, 66, 82, 87
not open for the public, only the chapel during exhibitions www.sorbonne.fr
Tour Jean sans Peur A tower of 23 m, built in 1409 by Jean sans Peur (John without Fear), Duke of Burgundy. He built it beside his house as a defense tower, because he was engaged in a struggle between the Armagnacs (the Orléans family) and the Bourguignon (supporters of Jean sans Peur), about who had power over France. That battle began in 1407 when he had his cousin Louis d'Orléans murdered, the brother of King Charles VI. Jean sans Peur ruled France from 1409 till 1413, when he was killed himself.
The tower is the last remnant of the Hôtel de Bourgogne, which also included a house. The tower has a stone spiral staircase with a vault that is decorated with plant motifs. On the upper floor you can still see the openings through which the missiles to the enemies were thrown. The building has a private toilet, at the time one of the first toilets of Paris.
20 rue Etienne Marcel
2nd arrondissement
metro Etienne Marcel or Les Halles
bus 29
Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday 13.30-18 (November-March), Wednesday-Sunday 13.30-18 (April-October) www.tourjeansanspeur.com
Tour Montparnasse
The Tour Montparnasse in the 15th district is 209 meters high and has 60 floors. It was designed by architects Roger Saubot, Eugène Beaudouin, Urbain Cassan and Louis Hoym de Marien.
The lift brings you to the 56th floor in 38 seconds. From there, you have a wonderful panoramic view of Paris. On a clear day you can see for 40 km through huge windows. Much information is available through photo galleries, interactive poles, a quiz and a video clip of Paris. Three floors up (by the stairs) is another view point. Especially at sunset and in the evening when the city is illuminated it is a beautiful sight. There is a café Belvedère.
The tower was built in 1973 on the site of the old Gare Montparnasse and was at the time the first skyscraper in Paris. It was criticized severely because it would not fit the environment because of its height and form.
33 avenue du Maine
15th arrondissement
metro Montparnasse-Bienvenuë
dayly 9.30-23.30 (April-September), 9.30-22.30 (October-March), Friday and Saturday until 23 www.tourmontparnasse56.com
Tour Saint-Jacques Renaissance tower of 62 m, built between 1505 and 1525 and the only remnant of the church Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie from the 12th century, to which the tower was added. The church was a resting place on the road to Santiago de Compostela, but it was demolished in 1802. In 1836 the city of Paris bought the tower and restored the many statues that in the course of time had disappeared. The tower now serves as a weather station.
The square where the tower stands was until the 19th century a maze of dark alleys. Now it is a square with a garden that Hausmann constructed in the mid-19th century, for which many of the old streets had to be destroyed.
Because the tower was damaged considerably by the influence of the weather it was thoroughly renovated between 2006 and 2009.
square de la Tour Saint-Jacques
1st arrondissement
metro Châtelet or Hôtel de Ville
not open to visitors Tour Saint Jacques
Maison de l'Unesco
The UNESCO Secretariat is located in this building on 72 poles and in the form of a Y. The territory was donated by the Ecole Militaire after the Second World War. The architects were Marcel Breuer, Pietro Nervi and Bernard Zehrfuss and the building was opened in 1958..
Many internationally famous artists participated in the construction: Le Corbusier, Calder, Miró and Henry Moore decorated the outside, Appel, Picasso, Lurçat, Matta and Arp took care of the interior. Some artists worked free of charge, but others (including Picasso) were paid. A beautiful mosaic from the 2nd century BC was donated by Tunisia.
The beautiful Japanese garden (Jardin de la Paix) was designed by the Japanese Nogushi. The Nagasaki Angel, part of a sculpture from a church in Nagasaki that survived the atom bomb in 1945, can be seen here. Around the building are works by Alexander Calder, Eric Reitzel and Vassilakis Takis.
7 place de Fontenoy
7th arrondissement
metro Ségur, Ecole Militaire or Cambronne
bus 28, 80
Monday 15.00 (film and guided tour in French), Wednesday 15.00 (film and guided tour in English), advance booking at http://portal.unesco.org.fr
Château de Versailles
Magnificent castle that was originally built as a hunting lodge for Louis XIII and was transformed and extended by his son Louis XIV. He made it into an official royal residence, housing even the Court and the Government from 1682 to 1789. The best architects, painters, sculptors, gardeners, musicians and writers gathered here to create a center of both politics and the arts.
After the French Revolution Louis-Philippe in the 19th century started restorating and refurnishing the castle, which lasted until the 20th century. The whole estate includes a park, two gardens, a palace, the two châteaux of Marie-Antoinette, an opera house and two museums.
Top attractions are the private chambers of the king and queen, the Mirror Hall, the Government offices, the Trianon palaces and the gardens. It is wise to buy tickets in advance on the internet to avoid the queues. Wear walking shoes.
place d'Armes, Versailles
metro RER-C Versailles Rive-Gauche
Tuesday-Sunday 9-18.30, gardens 8-20.30 www.chateauversailles.fr
Château de Vincennes Castle from the 14th century that was built as a residence for king Charles V, but later became a prison and an arms depot. Around it are a moat and a defensive wall. In the castle historical archives are kept in the pavilions of the King and Queen.
The donjon of six floors (which you can climb), has recently been beautifully restored. He is 50 meters high and is the highest donjon in Europe. Inside, in the Royal Council, you can watch a film about the 14th century. Remains of the prison cells can also be viewed. In 2009 the Sainte Chapelle was reopend after renovations.
avenue de Paris
94300 Vincennes
12th arrondissement
metro Château de Vincennes
bus 46, 56
10-18 (May-August), 10-17 (September-April) www.chateau-vincennes.fr
The Arc de Triomphe is 50 meters high and 35 m wide and the groups of sculptures represent different centuries of French history. One of the sculpture groups on the right is Le Départ des Volontaires, better known as La Marseillaise. Under the arc burns the flame of the tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. Every day at 18:30 you can watch the lighting of the flame, a ritual that has been going on for over 80 years. 
amphitheater appeared when the rue Monge was constructed. It dates from the 2nd century, when theater performances and gladiator fights were held. It held 16.000 people. You can still see the cages of the animals behind the stage. 
This Palais-Bourbon on the banks of the Seine houses the French Lower House. The marquise de Montespan, daughter of Louis XIV, had it built in 1722 and her father sold it in 1764 to the Prince de Condé, who embellished the building. In 1807, the current facade was built with columns designed by order of Napoleon, who felt that it should be similar to the front of the Eglise Madeleine on the other side of the Seine. Since 1827, the building is owned by the state. 
exhibitions and open days. 
The library consists of four colossal buildings, each in the form of an open book, whose facades are mainly made of glass. Each tower has a name: Tour des Temps, the Tour des Lois, Tour des Nombres and Tour des Lettres. In the center is a lower inner garden with 140 pine trees and aroud the buildings runs an esplanade of tropical wood. 
The National Library began as a royal library of Charles V, established in the Louvre in 1368, then still a castle. Under Louis XIV, the library expanded and in 1720 it was opened to the public. In 1868 the library moved to this building in the rue de Richelieu. 
The round hall consists of a polygon with twenty angles and has a diameter of 41 meters. From 1907 till 1923 the building was a cinema, after that it became a circus. Ever since 1934 the Bouglione circus family is the owner. Before World War II world famous clowns like the Fratelli brothers and Achille Zavatta appeared in the show. 
Beautiful spacious park with 38 buildings with apartments for 5600 students from all over the world. The Cité was set up in 1924 as a means to facilitate the exchange of students and to promote world peace. Every building is built by another country and in a different style between 1925 and 1969. 
The Ecole Militaire was built between 1751 and 1768 in classical style by architect Gabriel, commissioned by king Louis XV. The school was designed as a training school for officers from impoverished families. Napoleon I was a student here in 1784. 
The only disadvantage of the Eiffel Tower is that it is so busy (nearly 7 million visitors in 2007). Waiting in line for two hours is no exception. You could skip the line by booking a table in one of the two restaurants. Besides, you don’t have to climb it. Looking at the Eiffel Tower from a distance is an wonderful experience: the view from the terrace of the Palais de Chaillot, from the Ecole Militaire, the Pont de Bir Hakeim. Also the sight from under the tower between the four legs to the top is not to be missed. Would you like a really spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower? Take the metro to Trocadéro station, walk behind the Palais de Chaillot to the Esplanade and look to the left. 
At night the tower is beautifully illuminated. Moreover after sunset at every hour till 2.00 pm (in winter till 1.00 pm) thousands of lights blink for 10 minutes. Two rays of light illuminate the environments up till 80 km. 
The building and the interior are still modern, even after more than 80 years. The house is made with iron, concrete and blank, white facades setting off a curved two-story gallery space. The exterior of the villa is whitewashed, inside are walls in soft tones. Because the poles carry the ceiling, the partition walls could be put anywhere. Furthermore, the windows are wide and there are no stairs, but a rising slope leads to the library space on the second floor. The famous chaise longue by Le Corbusier (1929) stands on the landing. 
decorated with copper sculptures, friezes and mosaics that tell about important periods in history (Egypt, Rome, Greece) and include scenes from colonial Africa and Asia. Inside is 40,000 m2 exhibition space. 
The almost square building was designed by Danish architect Otto von Spreckelsen and was opened in 1989, 200 years after the start of the French Revolution. The building is 110 m high and looks like a hollow cube. Because of the light color of the marble facade, the steel structures and the glass the building seems very light. Although it weighs 300,000 tons, it rest on only 12 pillars. From the glass elevators the views are beautiful (if you do not suffer from vertigo). Upstairs is a restaurant and a roof terrace with even more nice views. Downstairs in front of the building is a roof made of fiberglass and steel cables, that gives the idea of a cloud over your head. 
The square became a meeting place for the unemployed and workers on strike (grève means ‘strike’ but also ‘sandy shore’) and also a place for celebrations and numerous executions that attracted thousands of spectators. Many people were killed, burned, quartered, beheaded or hanged here. During the French Revolution, the square was an important political center. This was the spot where Robespierre, Danton and Marat held their speeches. In 1871 the building was set to fire during the Commune revolts and the current, larger town hall was built on the same site. 
The Institute is an authoritative body of science. Membership of one of the Academies is for life and it is a great honor to be appointed a member. It was only in 1980, however, that the first woman, writer Marguerite Yourcenar, was appointed. Before, many celebrities became members of the Académie. Some were refused because of their progressive ideas, including writers Honoré de Balzac and Emile Zola. Others, like Descartes, Malraux and De Gaulle kindly refused the honor. Famous members of the Académie des Beaux-Arts were Ingres, Berlioz, Gounod and Delacroix. Today, members include former president Valery Giscard-d'Estaing and writer Claude Lévi-Strauss. 
This building was built between 1671 and 1676 by order of Louis XIV, who wanted to build a residence for injured war veterans. Nowadays, Napoleon is the most famous Frenchman in the crypt under the dome. His body was brought over in 1861 from Saint Helena. The marble floor was opened to make the crypt. In the floor around his grave you will see the names of French battles, like Austerlitz, Marengo and Iéna. Beside Napoleon’s grave are the graves of other famous soldiers from French history (Vauban, Foch, Duroc, Turenne and Bertrand) and his son and two brothers. 
Masayuki Yamanaka and Kenneth Armstrong and opened in 1997. The semicircular building has a glass facade and a metal structure and consists of 11 floors, of which 6 are visible. 
In the old days the tapestries were made for royal chambers and were designed by artists such as Le Brun, Poussin, Boucher, and later even by Braque and Picasso. They accounted for the cartons, that acted as an example for the weavers. 
Memorial to all people that were deported to concentration camps from France during the Second World War, including 76,000 French Jews. The Memorial is located just behind Notre Dame along the Seine. Through a narrow staircase you get to a courtyard with a triangular structure with sharp protrusions that depicts barbed wire. 
The four walls are exactly at the four winds of the compass. The first four directors were related: father, son, grandson and great-grandson Cassini. The Cassini-room on the second floor was named after them. Through this room runs the meridian of Paris, exactly at 48° 50' 11''. The Institute is world famous. The units of mass (grams) and length (meters) were determined here for instance and in 1679 a map of the moon was made. In 1863 the Observatory published the first modern weather maps. In November 1913 the Observatory exchanged radio signals with the U.S. Naval Observatory to determine the exact geographical longitude between the two institutes. They used the Eiffel Tower as an antenna. 
Modern opera house on the site of the former Gare de la Bastille. It is the second opera house in Paris (the first one is the Opéra Garnier) and was designed by architect Carlos Ott. It opened in July 1989. 
The Grande Escalier (Great Staircase) in the hall is one of the works of art. It is made of white marble and has banisters of red and green marble. Other components are the magnificent Grand Foyer and the Salle de Spectacle, where Marc Chagall painted the ceiling in 1964. In the middle of the room is a crystal chandelier that weighs more than 8 tons. The Pavillon de l'Empereur on the side of the rue Scribe has its own driveway, made for the king who used it to go to his lodge directly from his carriage. The facade is decorated with lush sculptures. 
In 1897 construction of the Gare d'Orleans started. It had to look like the Louvre on the other side of the Seine and the Hôtel Salm next door. Architect was Victor Laloux. The station was opened in 1900 for the World Exhibition. It has served as station for a short time, because from 1939 the platforms were judged too short for the new long trains. 
Interesting movie theater in the form of a Japanese temple. The Pagoda was built in 1895 by architect Alexandre Marcel on behalf of director Morin of the department store Le Bon Marché. He wanted a nice gift for his wife and thought that this would be a nice building for her dance nights and big parties with an oriental theme. 
The building was built in 1939 and was designed by architects Boileau, Carlu and Azéma. It replaced the Palais du Trocadéro from 1878, a palace in Spanish-Moorish style, built for the 1878 World Exhibition. 
In the eastern wing of the Elysée are the apartments of the French President, who has his office in the Salon Doré. The Ministerial Council meets in the Salon Murat and official receptions are held in the Salle des Fêtes and the Jardin d'Hiver. In the Vestibule d'Honneur the president receives his state visit guests. In the English garden are 100 kinds of roses and 30 kinds of rhododendron. Every year 20.000 bulbs are planted that bloom from March till May. Here, the President invites guests for a reception each year on Bastille Day, July 14. 
From 1358, the kings lived elsewhere and the palace became the seat of parliament, the Supreme Court of France at that time. During the French Revolution 2600 people were sentenced to death by guillotine and after that more famous French people were imprisoned here, including Sarah Bernardt and Emile Zola. 
Palace built by Salomon de Brossé and commissioned by queen Maria de 'Medici (1613) after her husband, Henry IV was murdered and she no longer wanted to live in the Louvre Palace. The new palace was similar to the Palazzo Pitti in Florence where she was born and raised. In the palace the queen had 24 paintings hun on the walls that were portraits of herself, painted by Rubens in different periods of her life. She has in the palace for only 6 years. 
The palais des Tuileries was once the west enclosure of the Louvre complex in front of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. Catherine de Medici had the palace built after the death of her husband Henry II. Even Louis XIV has lived her during the time the Versailles palace was built. When he left, the building housed no more royalty and was used as a theater. During the French Revolution, Louis XVI was forced to leave Versailles and had to stay in the Tuileries palace. After the revolution it became the residence of Emperor Napoleon. He ordered that the palace was attached to the Louvre building. Even his successors lived here for a short time. 
From 2003, a committee aims to rebuild the palace and studies its reconstruction. There are a number of reasons. The first is that by the destruction of the palace, the sight line from the Champs-Elysees to the Palace disappeared. It now ended in an empty space near the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. The Louvre is actually not in the line of sight, because it is not exactly on that axis. Secondly, the Louvre, which suffers from lack of space, could extend to the palace. All the furniture and paintings from the palace have been preserved, because they had already been removed from the palace at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870. They could be placed in the new part in the Tuileries palace. Finally, the committee claims that for the historical awareness of the French people it would be an advantage if such a building, where so many kings and other heads of state have lived and played a role in French history, would re-open. 
Originally built as a church designed by architect Soufflot for king Louis XV, who had made a pledge to Sainte Geneviève, patron saint of Paris, to found a church if he would be cured from a serious illness. Construction lasted from 1758 to 1812. After the French Revolution the church became a public building. It served as a necropolis, headquarters of the Commune and a cemetery. Nowadays the remains of many famous French people who marked the history of France are buried in the crypt under the entire building. You can admire the graves of the 73 'grands hommes' of French history, including writers Voltaire, Rousseau and Victor Hugo, physicists Pierre and Marie Curie, socialist Jean Jaurès and resistance fighter Jean Moulin. 
The museum was built for the World Exhibition of 1900 and was part of a complex that included the Grand Palais and the Pont Alexandre III. It has a neoclassical façade of 240 meter long, ionic columns 20 meters high and wrought ironwork in art-nouveau style. 
In the early 19th century the situation changed because from that time psychiatric patients were treated for their diseases. Especially when neurologist Charcot worked here conditions improved and at the end of the 19th century the La Salpêtrière psychiatric hospital was world famous. Charcot is now regarded as the founder of modern neurology. 
In 1253 the first permanent building (now on the rue Sommerand) was founded by Robert de Sorbon. It was christened La Sorbonne after the birthplace of the founder. 
The lift brings you to the 56th floor in 38 seconds. From there, you have a wonderful panoramic view of Paris. On a clear day you can see for 40 km through huge windows. Much information is available through photo galleries, interactive poles, a quiz and a video clip of Paris. Three floors up (by the stairs) is another view point. Especially at sunset and in the evening when the city is illuminated it is a beautiful sight. There is a café Belvedère. 
Many internationally famous artists participated in the construction: Le Corbusier, Calder, Miró and Henry Moore decorated the outside, Appel, Picasso, Lurçat, Matta and Arp took care of the interior. Some artists worked free of charge, but others (including Picasso) were paid. A beautiful mosaic from the 2nd century BC was donated by Tunisia. 
After the French Revolution Louis-Philippe in the 19th century started restorating and refurnishing the castle, which lasted until the 20th century. The whole estate includes a park, two gardens, a palace, the two châteaux of Marie-Antoinette, an opera house and two museums.
Castle from the 14th century that was built as a residence for king Charles V, but later became a prison and an arms depot. Around it are a moat and a defensive wall. In the castle historical archives are kept in the pavilions of the King and Queen.