Every day, the compelling, almost magnetic appeal of Paris, the city of love and fashion on the banks of the Seine river, draws visitors from all over the world. #haveyoubeenhere
I've gone to Paris twice and can assure you that I will return there again and again. The images you'll see were taken in years 2012 and 2018.
I hope you can sense at least a smidgeon of charm in my photographs, though I strongly advise you to visit Paris at least once if the opportunity arises.
I choose this photo as the first one, because this was first time that I actually saw the Eiffel Tower in 2012.
Every state and city has a symbol that indicates where you are or which city you are watching on TV or the Internet. For example, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Big Ben in London, and the center of Catalonia will all be instantly recognizable. Barcelona, thanks to the Sagrada Familia, and Paris, thanks to the Louvre, Notre Dame, and other local emblems, including the massive steel structure that was once the world's tallest building, the Eiffel Tower. On March 31, 1889, the tower was opened to the public, and on May 6, 1889, first World Fare was held there, and the Eiffel tower was it's main exposition.
What comes to mind immediately when someone discusses Paris? The Eiffel Tower would be the most common response. The iron giant, which stands 312-meters tall, was created for the 1889 World's Fair. It has become a symbol of Paris, and the vista from its high point can sometimes span several tens of kilometers. The Eiffel Tower can be seen from almost every part of Paris, and as a tourist attraction it is almost unsurpassed. On one of the floors, there is an exhibition about the tower's history, and for the romantics, there is a café where they may refresh themselves.
However, not everything went smoothly, because the symbol that the residents of the French capital are proud of today was once regarded as a mockery, and the famous writer Guy de Maupassant went to eat at a restaurant in the tower with the explanation that it is the only place in the city where a huge steel structure can be seen. However, as time passes, the tower has become the main symbol of the country.
Imagine how this majestic structure was once regarded as a mockery of its homeland. I recall seeing it for the first time. It was surreal and left me gasping for air. Under the building art, you are so small and insignificant. Perfect in every way.
In fact, as I write this, I'm struggling to find the perfect words to express how I truly feel; it's impossible.
Fun fact: The tower decreases in the winter.
The tower's peak is 324 meters high, but it's less well known that throughout the winter, it shrinks by a few centimeters before returning to its normal height when temperatures rise.
The view of Paris from all parts of the tower is breathtaking.
The Louvre Museum is the next item on this wonderful city's itinerary.
The construction of the Louvre Palace began in 1204, and it was rebuilt and expanded over the ages. The current architectural complex, which consists of a vast enclosed quadrangle with elongated northern and southern portions, was built in the Renaissance style for Francis I. (architect P. Lescot and sculptor J. Goujon). J. Lemercier, L. Le Vau, and Claude Perrault continue the construction in the Baroque-Classicist style. The Louvre, which was built in the shape of a horseshoe and spanned more than three Eiffel Towers in a row, was Europe's longest building.
In the 1980s, Ming Pei, an American architect of Chinese heritage, created an aluminum-glass pyramid in the courtyard, which was commissioned by the late French President Francois Mitterrand.
The pyramid is made up of 673 glass plates and stands at a height of exactly 21.64 meters. The Louvre Museum's new entrance has become almost as popular as the museum itself.
Three of the seven departments that make up the Paris Museum Complex, which is one of the world's largest and wealthiest museums, are dedicated wholly to the Old World: Oriental Antiquity and Islamic Art, Ancient Egypt and Greece, Roman and Etruscan Art.
It also has a significant gallery of paintings from all European peoples and periods up to the end of the nineteenth century, as well as a collection of art artifacts and stylish furniture. The Mona Lisa, a painting by Leonardo da Vinci, is the most famous piece of art on display at the Louvre.
Until 1911, the picture was virtually unknown. The Mona Lisa's "fresh beginning" occurred in that year. Three men, specifically, stole the Mona Lisa on August 21, 1911. It wasn't until 28 hours later that someone realized the painting had vanished completely. The quest then begins, and people become intrigued by this painting.
The Mona Lisa had vanished, according to almost all of the world's media. According to the New York Times, up to 60 detectives are seeking for a photo of the perpetrator. The robbers were unable to "get rid" of the painting because of the widespread media coverage of the robbery. As you can expect, conspiracy theories arose regarding who stole the painting, where it last appeared, everyone became interested in the relatively unknown work. Vincenzo Peruggia, a master who worked at the Louvre, was at the center of it all. He chose to sell the picture after nearly two years and was arrested as a result. He stated that he took the Mona Lisa in order to return it to Italy, where she belongs (according to him).
When the Mona Lisa was finally returned to the Louvre, the question of who the woman in the painting was and why the great Da Vinci painted only her became a worldwide preoccupation. It has earned a reputation as a symbol with numerous hidden meanings, secrets, and mysteries. People began to investigate this work, ensuring its popularity (which continues to this day).
Montmarte is a neighborhood where you can get the most out of Parisian artistic vitality. Famous painters lived here during the end of the 19th century, and tourists now stay in cafes among street artists. In honor of Saint Denis, who was beheaded by the Romans, it is known as the "Hill of Martyrs" (le mont du martyre). The Basilica of the Sacre-Coeur, which has a view of Paris, is also located on the hill. Built in commemoration of slain French soldiers, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Sacre - Coeur) takes your breath away with its appearance and position.
The church was built with donations from believers all over France, following a design by Paul Abadie, whose work was afterwards continued by several architects. It is easily recognized today because to Abadie's choice of the Romanesque-Byzantine style of building, which features fairy-tale domes and sparkling white travertine, giving the appearance that the Basilica was recently completed.
The massive dome provides a spectacular perspective of Paris. The dome is accessible via the Basilica's left-hand entrance, which is surrounded by roughly 300 pillars that must be navigated without the use of an elevator; there are no modern-day technological improvements.
The Sinking House of Montmartre is a popular postcard photo that is based on an illusion.
The Montmartre Sinking House is located directly to the right of the iconic Sacré-Coeur.
You'll notice the cream and beige structure rising tall in the background if you stand at the bottom of the steps and turn to your right. It's essentially a photographic illusion that gives the impression that the great old tower of flats is collapsing. However, it's simply a simple camera tilt, and we're actually holding ourselves back from rolling down the slope!
The Notre-Dame Cathedral, with its beautiful entryway, portals, and 69-meter-high bell towers, is another symbol of Paris. Rosettes and stained glass depicting the Virgin Mary and Old Testament figures, as well as supporting pillars, statues, and aqueducts, embellish the structure.
The cathedral is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as its name suggests. It is situated on the Seine's island of Île de la Cité in the heart of Paris.
Bishop Maurice de Sully requested that the church be built in 1163, and it was completed in 1250. It was repaired and altered several time, particularly following the French Revolution, when it was severely damaged. The cathedral is thought to have been erected on the site of an ancient Jupiter temple and an early Christian basilica dedicated to St. Stephen.
Many significant events in French history have taken place in the cathedral. On December 2, 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor and King Henry V of France was baptized there.
The cathedral also serves as the central backdrop of Victor Hugo's renowned novel "The Bell Ringer of Notre-Dame." Hugo is said to have set the plot of his novel in this cathedral in order to boost the audience's admiration for its exquisite architecture.
On April 15, 2019, the whole world watched in horror as a flaming torch engulfed Notre-Dame Cathedral, a pearl of medieval architecture and a symbol of the French capital. What was being built for almost two centuries burned down in less than fifteen hours. Notre-Dame had a length of 128 meters and a width of 48 meters. Two 69-meter-high towers towered over the cathedral, leading to 387 steps. Although firefighters were able to keep the structure from falling, the flames consumed the wooden roof structure, which spanned more than a hundred meters and a large portion of the interior, as well as the 92-meter-high bell tower. Fortunately, it was spared.
I vividly remember sitting on the couch, watching the news, and seeing something so sacred on fire. It was, without a doubt, a really sad day for all of us and for global culture.
The Moulin Rouge, located at the foot of the Montmartre hill in Paris, first opened its doors on October 6, 1889. It gets its name from a red mill that dates back to King Louis XIV's reign, when the area was dotted with similar windmills. The opening of the Moulin Rouge alone drew a large crowd of people.
The major features of this new sort of entertainment were an unusual architectural style, lavish decorations, a big dance floor, a multitude of mirrors, open galleries where customers can converse with attractive dancers, and providing alcoholic beverages during performances. Its founders, Joseph Oller and Charles Zidler, were confident that the entertainment they provided would draw a big crowd of Parisians, and they were correct. Because the Moulin Rouge immediately became a favorite gathering place for women of loose morals and men seeking debauched entertainment, it was dubbed the First Palace of Women (Le premier palais des femmes).
Rue Cremieux, a charming cobblestone street in Paris's 12th arrondissement, has long been a "hidden location" that few people knew about. However, the arrival of the social media platform Instagram "celebrated" this street.
The magnificent monument to the Arc de Triomphe is a must-see for anybody visiting Paris. It may not be as well-known or as large as the Eiffel Tower, but it is a beautiful city adornment on the famed Champs Élysées.
It was commissioned by Napoleon, a national hero, to pay a spectacular tribute to the French troops. On his birthday, August 15, 1806, the first stone was laid. In 1836, 15 years after Napoleon's death, the Arc de Triomphe was inaugurated. Despite his lack of sight, he was given a smaller, wooden duplicate for his wedding, and following his death and the opening of the monument, the French led his body through the triumphal arch before burying him.
A spot beneath the monument has been set aside for an unknown soldier whose name has not been revealed. His body was placed to rest here in the early twentieth century, and it serves as a symbol of French reverence for all of his men, both famous warriors whose biographies have been written down in history books and unknown soldiers whose names and stories have never been spoken.
Literaly, the first cafe in the world and Paris's oldest cafe, which is now the famed Procope restaurant and is still open and operating in the same location.
This fascinating city has a lot more to give, but I believe we should stop here and save the rest for another time. Paris has a lot to offer, and the streets are particularly lovely for walking and taking in the sights that only Paris can provide.
It might be that I'm just a woman smitten with the city of lights, but if you could see it with your eyes, you'd be as well.
My dear Hivers, stay safe and happy. Till next time xoxo
“There are only two places in the world where we can live happy: at home and in Paris.”
- Ernest Hemingway