Reasons to visit the city of Light
Paris, famous for its numerous museums,beautiful streets and ancient buildings, attracts annually the largest number of tourists from all over the world. Wherever you go, in this city every district and even an avenue will become a real adventure, full of pleasant meetings and new emotions. Paris, known to all as the capital of France, is also the capital of the Ile de France region. The number of residents in the city and the suburbs is more than 11 million people. All this gives the right to the city to be called the second largest metropolis in Europe. The first place was shared by Moscow and London. Paris includes the largest number of business organizations, including this is where the largest business district is concentrated among European countries. Paris is attractive for tourists also because it is small in size, compared to the capitals of other countries. Distances between the main sights here can really be crossed on foot. If you do not have much time to visit the city, but want to see everything, then you can use the Paris Metro, for which you need only a map of the city and a map of the underground. The River Seine will become for you a kind of guidebook, because it divides the city into two parts: the left and right banks of Paris. Walking along the banks of the Seine will undoubtedly remain in your memory for life. Particularly charming it will be in the evening and at night, when you can feel and see why Paris is a city of Light. 
Attractions in Paris
Going to France, it is impossible not to visit herthe capital. And it's natural that everyone should see the most important of his characters, which attract crowds of travelers, including the Eiffel Tower, and other traditional attractions of France. But recently a large number of modern cultural monuments appeared in Paris. Therefore, they should not be ignored. But all in order.
Traditional places to visit
The Eiffel Tower - a temporary structure? So, there is no other symbol that by its single name could accurately describe not only the city in which it is located, but the whole country and the people living in it. Only after hearing the name "Eiffel Tower", we immediately imagine Paris, the French and everything else that is associated with this magnificent country. However, the tower could not survive until today. The reason for this was the ambiguous emotions that she evoked both among the citizens of Paris and among his guests. The fact is that A. Eifel was a very famous and skilful builder of iron bridges, and the tower was built to one of the world's exhibitions, which took place in 1889 in Paris. Some visitors of the exhibition were extremely delighted with what they saw, others were indignant and even blamed the creation. So, at the end of this event, the tower was threatened with demolition. But just in time is the invention of radio. The Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in Europe at that time, and so it was equipped with a radio antenna. Thus, she began to perform useful functions for her people. Currently, it has a television antenna and three observation platforms are located at different heights. 
The Great Gothic Notre Dame Cathedralless interesting is the story of yet another legendary monument of Paris - Notre Dame Cathedral. It is located in the heart of Paris and is the center of the whole country. It is at the end of the Papeert Square that you can find a bronze tablet on which the inscription "Zero kilometer" flaunts. Hence the distance to every city in France is measured. The cathedral was built in the 12th century. Archbishop Maurice de Sully. Over time, it changed, increased in size, and now from the original cathedral little remains in its original form. Many say that the cathedral is better viewed from the outside than from the inside. And indeed, this is so. The facade of the building is truly impressive, it abounds with all sorts of original stone processing solutions. The Cathedral of the Notre Dame is best seen from the left bank of the Seine. Several decades ago, around the Cathedral, many private houses were located, which did not correspond to the creation of an integral and stylistically correct ensemble. Therefore, these houses were demolished. And now the most beautiful view opens from Papert Square. From there you can see the colorful stained-glass windows of Notre Dame Cathedral, as well as see three portals dating from the 13th century. Here the artists of those times captured the scenes of the Last Judgment, Holy Anna and the Mother of God. The interior space is also amazing. In the halls of the Cathedral can accommodate up to 6000 people at the same time. And under the Cathedral itself is a crypt, it contains the finds of archaeologists, which are attributed to the times of the Roman Empire. Despite the fact that the Cathedral performed the most important functions, he was tried several times to demolish it. But his popularity, thanks to the novel by V. Hugo, was so great that a whole movement gathered, which carried out several arrangements for the restoration of the Cathedral in its original, Gothic style. History of the Arc de Triomphe As one of the most peaceful undertakings of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Arch was conceived by him as a reflection of his own military achievements and conquests. In addition, Napoleon was so impressed with the arch of Titus, located in Rome, that he decided that in France it should be exactly the same. Napoleon, by the way, liked to rank himself among the descendants of the Roman emperors, and this building was a kind of talisman in his future battles. However, being an excellent commander and general, Napoleon could not properly organize the work on the construction of the arch. The opening of this monument of architecture was planned back in 1810. However, the construction was so disorganized that it ended in the distant 1836, when nothing remained of Napoleon's empire. Such a rapid pace of construction was due to the fact that Napoleon planned to hold its opening in honor of his bride Maria-Louise. But the height of the arch was then only a few meters, and the celebration took place only because a fictitious arch was built on which the canvas was pulled. On the facades of the Arc de Triomphe there are several bas-reliefs, among which there is a performance of volunteers, known as the Marseillaise. Added to them are the carved names of the generals who fought on the side of France. Those who are stressed, fell in battle on the battlefield. Now inside it is the Museum of the History of the Arch, but at the end of the 20th century. Serious damage was observed on its surface. In 1989 the arch was completely restored. You can visit this monument at any time, but in order to see all its charm, it is better to arrive at this place by half past seven in the evening. It is at this time that the eternal fire is lit. Under the arch itself is the grave of the Unknown Soldier. If you do not like too crowded places, then come here in the morning. 
Montmartre - Bohemian Quarter of Paris Originally it iswas the suburb of the capital of France, which led a completely independent and independent economy. Only in 1859 this village was included in the composition of Paris. Here is located an unusually beautiful structure - the basilica of Sacré-Coeur with snow-white domes, from where a stunning view of the whole city opens. The settlement on the hill dates back to the Neolithic period. A little later, at the time of the Gauls and Romans, pagan temples were built on it in honor of the gods of Mercury and Mars. The advantage of this particular settlement was that it was rich in deposits of gypsum. The first Christians found shelter in the local quarries, including St. Dionysius - the first bishop of Paris, who was beheaded for Christian preaching. According to the legend, after the execution, he took his head, washed it and walked along with it for another 6 kilometers, after which he died. The place of his death was called Saint-Denis, now the town is located on it. Gypsum deposits for a long time helped the region to ensure the welfare of its citizens. With the help of windmills, quarry workers grinded gypsum, which was sold all over Paris. This was the basis of the expression "Part of Montmartre is anywhere in Paris." Nevertheless, it was culture that became a true symbol and embodiment of Montmartre. It was connected with very low and therefore affordable housing prices. Artists who never had high incomes, happily settled in multi-storey houses. And this despite the fact that they often had neither gas nor light. And the water was used by the one that supplied only one tap (and this is for 5 floors). But it was here that a great number of years had been spent by such great creators as Picasso, van Gogh, Modigliani, Renoir and many others. And although all this has almost faded into oblivion, Parisian artists still organize exhibitions of their works in Montmartre. The Louvre is a fortress-keeper of the city. The creation of the Louvre dates back to the 13th century, when the French King Philip Augustus decided to build an impregnable fortress in order to defend the city. As planned, it was built along the river Seine. In those days, the Louvre did not become the residence of the royal family, as the monarch preferred a settlement on the island of Cité. Therefore, the main purpose of the fortress was the protection of the royal treasury and archival documents. A century later, King Charles V still moved the residence to the Louvre, which was preceded by a change in his internal situation, which has now become more habitable. At the same time, the King ordered the Library. It was this gesture that became the occasion for the title of King Charles the Wise. However, after his reign, the Louvre was again ignored as a royal house. But since 1546 the French rulers still appreciated the opportunities that were opened before them when settling in the Louvre and began to take measures to "ennoble" it. The first to do so was Francis I, who instructed P. Lesco to change the palace in connection with the requirements of the Renaissance. That is why the old fortress was demolished, and a new palace was built on its foundation. But in the late 17 century. The royal court was moved to Versailles, and the Louvre was gradually abandoned. As a result, he was brought to such a deplorable state that in the 18th century, they even wanted to take him down.
