L'Arc de Triomphe ~ The most monumental of all triumphal arches, was built between 1806 and 1836. Even though there were many modifications from the original plans, reflecting political changes and power struggles, the Arch still retains the essence of the original concept which was a powerful, unified ensemble.
The Arc de Triomphe stands at the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, also known as the "Place de l'Étoile". It’s located at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. The arches whole decorative style is entirely of the tradition of sculpture from the first half of the nineteenth century.
The triumphal arch is in honor of those who fought for France, in particular, those who fought during the Napoleonic Wars. Engraved on the inside and at the top of the arch are all of the names of the generals and wars fought. There are inscriptions in the ground underneath the vault of the arch which include the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I where the Memorial Flame burns and have made the Arc de Triomphe Paris a revered patriotic site. French Baroque Architecture
The Eiffel Tower ~ When Gustave Eiffel’s company built Paris’ most recognizable monument for the 1889 World’s Fair, many regarded the massive iron structure with skepticism. Today, the Eiffel Tower, which continues to serve an important role in television and radio broadcasts, is considered an architectural wonder and attracts more visitors than any other paid tourist attraction in the world.
One of the most notable monuments in Paris (and in all of Europe for that matter) is the Notre Dame Cathedral. This Catholic treasure is over 800 years old. It is located on a small island called the Ile de la Cite in the middle of river Seine. The building of the cathedral was completed over the course of 200 years; it was started in 1163 during the reign of King Louis VII and was completed in 1345.The decision to build the Georges Pompidou National Art and Culture Centre was made in December of 1969 by Georges Pompidou himself, then President of the French Republic. The international competition was held by the French Ministry of Culture in 1971. The project required the creation of an interdisciplinary cultural institution, which would combine both modern and contemporary art, as well as literature, design, music and film. For this reason, the Centre includes the Public Information Library, the National Museum of Modern Art and IRCAM, the Institute for music/acoustic research and coordination. The building also houses the Centre for industrial design. During an interview with le Monde on October 17th, 1972, Georges Pompidou declared: “I want Paris to have a cultural centre (…) that serves as a museum and a centre of creation, in which the visual arts go hand in hand with music, film, literature, audio-visual research, and so on. Since we already have the Louvre, the museum will naturally be one of modern art. The library will attract thousands of readers who, in turn, will also be in touch with the arts.”
Situated on the Left Bank of the Seine River in Paris' 7th arrondissement, the Musée d'Orsay is a fabulous turn-of-the-century building – formerly a railroad station – which was converted into a spacious venue dedicated to art. For many years, Paris' collections of 19th-century art were distributed among the Louvre, the Musée d'Art Moderne, and the very crowded rooms of the small Musée du Jeu de Paume, with its unsurpassed impressionist masterpieces. In 1986, these collections were transferred to the Orsay. Thousands of paintings, sculptures, objets d'art, items of furniture, architectural displays, even photographs and movies, illustrate the diversity and richness of 19th-century art, including not only impressionism but also realism, post-impressionism, and art nouveau.
The Palais Garnier was commissioned during the reconstruction of central Paris by Napoleon III, and the civic planner Baron Haussmann was given the task to clear enough land to build the opera house in 1858. The design, by architect Charles Garnier, was chosen from a competition held in 1861.
The building was always designed to be an extravagant experience, with a lush, richly decorated space incorporating excessive elements such as a six-ton central chandelier, bronze busts of composers, and multiple columns, friezes and statues. The enormous stage could accommodate up to 450 people at one time, and even the building’s corridors and stairwells are cavernous.
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