Art And Architecture- Best Reasons To Visit Paris

Tuesday, September 1, 2009 ·

By V J Jose

In Paris France, the earliest sign of civilization dates back to 4,200 BC. This was when the Parisii of Gaul, which was a Celtic tribe of boaters and traders, dwelled there. The Romans brought their culture to the Left Bank, bringing palaces, baths, temples and theaters. Once the empire collapsed, rule of the city passed from Germans to the Franks to Burgundians and to the English. Finally, French kings assumed the throne again in 1436. Paris survived a number of upheavals, power struggles, revolutions, wars and disease outbreaks over the centuries. Today visitors staying in Paris hotels can see bits of history all around them, if they know where to look.

Architecture buffs have a number of places to see when they visit Paris France. You'll see palaces like the Palace of Versailles, which was built in the French Renaissance tradition circa 1678; Chateau de Villette, another 17th-century palace, crafted in French Baroque style for Louis XIV's ambassador, Jean Dyel; or the Palais de Chaillot, a stripped classical structure designed for the 1937 World Exposition. Other French Baroque palaces include the Chteau de Maisons, Chteau de Vaux-le-Vicomte, the Jardins des Tuileries, Palais du Luxembourg and Palais Royal-Muse du Louvre. In addition to palaces, there are churches in Paris that date back to the 12th and 13th Centuries, such as the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral (1163), La Sainte-Chapelle (1238), Basilique Saint-Denis (1136) and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres (1140). Mont Martre, St. Louis des Invalides, the Church of Saint-Sulpice and the Paris Pantheon are other beautiful, historic churches.

Anyone who professes to be a lover of art simply must visit Paris France to see the Louvre, the second-largest art collection in the world (next to Moscow's Hermitage). The Louvre was originally a fortress for Philip II in the 12th-century and it later housed kings like Charles V and Francis I. In 1791, during the French Revolution, the structure became a museum, which today holds more than 380,000 pieces of art. Visitors will see over 50,000 pieces of Egyptian art dating back to 4,000 BC, Near Eastern antiquities, Greek and Roman sculptures, Islamic art, ancient architecture, decorative arts from the Middle Ages and famous paintings by Michelangelo, Raphael, Da Vinci, Monet, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Cezanne. People staying in Louvre Paris hotels may also wish to visit tremendous libraries like the National Library of France and the St. Genevieve Library, as well as smaller art museums like Muse d'Orsay (which showcases French furniture, photography, paintings and sculptures) and the underground Musee de l'Orangerie, which houses original Monets.

Paris France, the "City of Lights," is blessed with breathtaking architecture, the natural beauty of the Seine River, many centuries of history, a vibrant art scene and thriving industry. It's a far cry from the Eiffel Tower Paris Las Vegas, that's for sure! To really understand how much Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway or Thomas Jefferson loved France, you really must come and see for yourself.

If you are passionate about food, then you can come to Paris and request a food tour from www.edible-paris.com, www.viator.com/paris-food-tours, www.poshnosh.com/tbkaf/foodlover-paris.html, www.meetingthefrench.com or circatours.com/tours-wine-cuisine/paris-food-fairs.htm.

Whether you stay for a romantic weekend at hotels in Paris or you spend several weeks soaking it all in, you'll find Paris outweighing most European cities in what it can offer you.

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