Paris is the most romantic city in the world, synonymous with haute couture and fine dining. It is also a traveler’s paradise and offers some fabulous architectural marvels.
Notre Dame: A world renowned and truly impressive Cathedral, it is an architectural delight. Built in the 14th century after 170 years of toil, it was almost destroyed during the revolution. This Gothic masterpiece was restored in the 19th century to its present glory. It is imposing at 130m length and has looming ceilings and spectacular stained glass windows.
Eiffel Tower: Eiffel Tower is almost synonymous with Paris — a symbol of elegance and love. It is over 300m high and is much appreciated for its elegant symmetry. It glitters in the evenings in a spectacular sight to behold when it is lit up. Do not miss seeing it.
Louvre: This is among the most amazing museums in the world. It has 35,000 renowned artifacts. Do take your time in exploring its renowned art collection including the much famed Mona Lisa. It has been opened to the public since the late 18th century.
Palace of Versailles: A royal palace, this is as lavish and decadent as they come. The lawns adjoining the palace will take your breath away. Get your peek in the opulence of the royalty by visiting this spellbinding monument.
Arc de Triomphe: This is a focal point for many public events in Paris. It was built in the memory of Napoleon. The famous Arch is a great symbol for the French. To its east is the famed Champs Elysees and to the west is the Grande Arche of La Defense. Both are not to be missed. Climbing to the top of the Arc gives you a great view of Paris skyline.
The Pantheon: It is a beautiful building in Paris, a fabulous piece of architecture. It was initially a Church, but today is the final resting place for France’s heroes. It was modeled after The Pantheon in Rome but looks more like St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.
Sacre-Coeur: This white building seems to be watching over Paris from a high point. It is elegant and white and is perhaps among the most photographed landmarks in Paris. The basilica was built to honour the memory of over 50,000 soldiers that were killed in the Franco-Prussian War. It took almost 50 years to build and was completed in 1923.
Boat down the Seine: Relax on a boat journey down the pleasant Seine as you witness the beautiful sights of Paris pass you by. You can tour Paris’s waterways and canals. There are many boating companies that offer you an hour long tour at a fixed price.
Musee D’Orsay: This is a really fantastic museum that takes you through a mind boggling collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. Its setting in an old railway station is very impressive. The railway station was built in 1900 and was in use till 1939 when it shut down. In 1977, it was converted into a museum to save its heritage structure.
The Sorbonne: This is one of Europe oldest Universities. It has hosted some of the great thinkers in the world. It was established in the 13th century. Admire its architecture and take a walk through the quaint Latin quarter just behind it.
Reference Links and Picture courtesy:
http://www.readersdigest.ca/travel/world/10-must-see-sites-paris
http://goparis.about.com/od/sightsattractions/tp/ParisTopTen.htm
Wikipedia.org
