TOUR EIFFEL
Tour Eiffel |
The Eiffel Tower was built for the International Exhibition of Paris
of 1889 commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. The
Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, opened the tower.
Of the 700 proposals submitted in a design competition, Gustave
Eiffel's was unanimously chosen (he’s the architect who projected
the Statue of Liberty). However it was not accepted by all at first,
and a petition of 300 names - inclu ding those of Maupassant, Emile
Zola, Charles Garnier , and Dumas the Younger - protested its construction.
At 300 metres and 7000 tons, it was the world's tallest building
until 1930. It was almost torn down in 1909, but was saved because
of its antenna - used for telegraphy at that time. Beginning in
1910 it became part of the International Time Service. French radio
(since 1918), and French television (since 1957) have also made
use of its stature. During its lifetime,
View of the Tour Eiffel |
the Eiffel Tower has also witnessed a few strange scenes, including
being scaled by a mountaineer in 1954, and parachuted off of in
1984 by two Englishmen. In 1923 a journalist rode a bicycle down
from the first level. Some accounts say he rode down the stairs,
other accounts suggest the exterior of one of the tower's four legs
which slope outward. However, if its birth was difficult, it is
now completely accepted and it must be listed as one of the symbols
of Paris itself. From its platforms - especially the topmost - the
view upon Paris is superb. It is generally agreed that one hour
before sunset, the panorama is at its best. |
CHAMPS DE MARS
Champs de Mars |
The Champs de Mars (Fiels of Mars), is a three-lined expanse that
stretches from the Ecole Militaire to the Eiffel Tower. The name
of the Champs de Mars derives from the days of Napoleon’s
Empire, when the field was used as a drill ground for the adjacent
Ecole Militaire. In 1780, Charles Montgolfier launched the first
hydrogen ballon from this site. During the Revolution, the park
witnessed civilian massacres and political demonstrations. Today,
the god of war would be ashamed to see his park turned into a series
of daisy-strewn lawns filled with tourists and children, where playgrounds
and carousels encourage fun and games. At the end of the Champs
Mars, was erected in 2000 a monument to International Peace. |
MUSÉE D'ORSAY
Musée d'Orsay |
The collection housed in the Musée d’Orsay is made
up mostly from the late works of the Louvre and the Impressionist
paintings from the nearby museum Jeu de Paume. You can also find
works from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth, chronologically
bridging the Louvre and the Pompidou. Displayed on the ground floor,
are earlier works devoted to sculpture with Dance. The hall has
two rows of smaller rooms which are filled with works by Daumier,
Millet, Rousseau, Corot and peasant paintings. In the last room,
you can find such works by Courbet. And if you like Monet, there
is a room dedicated to him. Other artists are present such as Bazille,
Delacroix, Puvis de Chavanne, Degas and Gustave Moreau. And if you
are a fan of Oriental Art, you will enjoy the ingeniously designed
gallery. |
U.N.E.S.C.O.
Specialized Agency of the United Nations, UNESCO aims at a world
peace based on dignity and solidarity. Its founding Member States
created the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization in 1946 for the purpose of advancing, through the educational
and scientific, cultural and communication relations of the peoples
of the world, the objective of international peace and of the common
welfare of mankind.
Inaugurated in 1958, the headquarters international of UNESCO
is the most international building in Paris, both in terms of
the membership of the Organization it houses (currently standing
at 186 States) and in terms of its construction, for it is the
combined work of the American Breuer, the Italian Nervi and the
Frenchman Zehrfuss.
The works of art on display reflect international artistic co-operation
and include the General Conference Hall and works of Bazaine,
Calder, Giacometti, Le Corbusier, Miro and Artigas, Moore, Picasso,
Takis, Tapies, Tsereteli, the Noguchi garden of peace and the
Nagasaki angel, the Meditation Area by Tadao Ando, the Square
of Tolerance by Dani Karavan and the Symbolic Globe by Erik Reitzel. |
INVALIDES MUSEUM
Les Invalides |
Chef d'oeuvre de l'architecture du XVIIe siècle, l'hôtel
occupe un important quadrilatère.Construit par Libéral
Bruant de 1671 à 1676, puis par Mansart, il est l'un des
monuments les plusprestigieux de Paris. Il abrite 4 musées:
le musée de l'Armée, le musée d'Histoire Contemporaine,le
musée de l'Ordre de la Libération, le musée
des Plans et Reliefs.Pour plus de détails, se reporter aux
différents musées mentionnés.
A masterpiece of seventeenth century architecture, the hotel occupies
a large quadrilateral. Built by Libéral Bruant from 1671
to 1676, then by Mansart, it is one of the most prestigious buildings
in Paris.It houses 4 museums: the Musée de l'Armée,
the Musée d'Histoire Contemporaine, the Musée de
l'Ordre de la Libération, the Musée des Plans et
Reliefs . |
HÔTEL DES INVALIDES AND ST-LOUIS DES INVALIDES
Les Invalides |
The complex known as the Hôtel des Invalides was founded in
1671 by Louis XIV, the Sun King. He wanted to provide accommodation
for disabled and impoverished war veterans. Originally only a number
of barracks were planned, but king Louis XIV chose a design by the
architect Liberal Bruant which consisted of a large impressive building
with a royal courtyard and church.
The front facade facing the Seine river is 196 meter long. The
whole complex features 15 courtyards, the largest being the cour
d'honneur (court of honour). This courtyard was used for military
parades.
The building was completed in 1676 and housed up to 4,000 war
veterans. Starting in 1676 on request of the Sun King's war minister,
the church Saint-Louis was built as an annex to the complex. It
was built by Jules Hardouin Mansart after the design by Libéral
Bruant, the architect of the Hôtel des Invalides. The church,
then known as the pensioners' Choir but later referred to as the
Soldiers' church was opened for the soldiers in 1679. They were
required to attend the daily mass here.
The church is connected directly with the Royal chapel, better
known as the Dôme des Invalides. This church, with a 107
meters high dome was for exclusive use of the royal family. Construction
of the dome was completed in 1708. Plans to bury the remains of
the Royal Family were set aside after the death of king Louis
XIV,
and in 1840 Louis-Philippe repatriated the remains of the Emperor
Napoleon from st. Helena, where he was buried after his death
19 years earlier. |
MUSÉE RODIN
Musée Rodin |
Formerly the Hôtel Biron, today, this is now the home for
the Rodin Museum. Inside, many of the rooms have preserved their
original woodwork. And with the large windows and doors, you will
see that the rooms are well lit and offer vistas of the surrounding
garden. It was not until 1916, when Auguste Rodin suffered a stroke,
that he gave his work to the nation on the condition that it remains
in the Hôtel Biron. For over 10 years, the Hôtel Biron
which was state owned as of 1901 was rented by Rodin from 1908 until
his death in 1917. Rodin used the two rooms on the ground floor
as his studio and the rooms above for his living quarters. Between
I908 and I909 they were also those of the poet Rilke who was, for
a period, Rodin's secretary. The Collection of the museum houses
the world's greatest collection of Rodin's sculpture and drawings
like Les Bourgeois de Calais, Le Penseur, Balzac, La Porte de l'Enfer,
Ugolini et fils are exhibited in the garden. Indoors are works in
marble like Le Baiser, La Main de Dieu, La Cathédrale - those
two perfectly poised. There is something particularly fascinating
about those works, such as Romeo and Juliet and La Centauresse,
which are only, as it were, half-created, not totally liberated
from the raw block of stone. There are also paintings by Renoir,
Monet and Van Gogh. |
ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE (PALAIS BOURBON)
The National Assembly or Congress known as the Bourbon Palace, was
built by 4 different architects. Ordered by the Duchess of Bourbon
daughter of Louis the XIVth and Madame de Montespan the first work
began in 1722, by Giraldini, and was completed in 1728 by Lassurance,
Gabriel and Aubert. Bought by Louis the XVth to ornate the Place
de la Concorde it will later be joined by the Hotel de Lassay next
door. Confiscated under the revolution it will be used as the meeting
place of the Council of the Five Hundreds then to host the brand
new Ecole Polytechnique from 1794 to 1804.
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