1.3 Paris

Paris is the capital city of France. It is one of western Europe’s major centers of culture and business. Many great artists, writers, scholars, fashion designers, and chefs have lived in Paris. The city is also famous for its beauty. The River Seine flows through the city center.

Paris has many famous landmarks. The famous Eiffel Tower, which can be seen from far away, has become a symbol of the city. Another famous monument is the Arc de Triomphe, which is a large arch honoring Napoleon’s victories. The cathedral of Notre-Dame, which is a church built in 1100s is famous for its windows of colored glass and for its tall stone arches. The cathedral was heavily damaged by a massive fire in 2019, but the city is rebuilding it.

The most important of Paris’ museums is the Louvre which used to be a royal palace. It has a huge collection of art, including Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, Mona Lisa.

The history of Paris begins when a people called the Parisii founded a town on an island on the River Seine more than 2,000 years ago. The Romans captured that town in 52 BC. and later on it spread onto the riverbanks.

In 987 AC Paris became the capital of France. The city and its economy grew, however, in the 1300s, a terrible disease called “the plague” killed many of its people.

Paris began to grow again in the late 1500s. The major events of the French Revolution took place in the city in 1789 and Paris was then the site of great violence and killing. In the 1800s many construction projects made Paris one of the most modern and beautiful cities of the world.

During World War II, in the late 1940’s, the German troops invaded Paris. Nevertheless, after the war, the city flourished again. In the 1900s many beautiful buildings, such as the Grand Palais, the Pont Alexandre III and the Eiffel Tower, were constructed in Paris. Nowadays 2,187,526 people live in this beautiful city.