When in Paris there is a countless amount of historical and artistic landmarks that are a must see. The architecture of some of the buildings is so well planned out such as the Notre-Dame de Paris, also known as the Notre-Dame cathedral or just Notre-Dame. While researching it a little bit more I found out that the cathedral is over 800 years old and it took 200 years to complete it.
The outside of the Notre-Dame Cathedral
The most beautiful part of the cathedral was the outside of it where there were the statues of the gargoyles on the side of the building. These were originally there for when it rained, for water run off. However, it definitely just adds something to the building and wouldn't be as beautiful without all the sculptures on the side of the building.
The inside of Notre-Dame
Not only is the outside of the building beautiful, but the inside is just as beautiful if not more. The ceilings are very high which makes it seem huge inside. There are a bunch of archways going down the aisle leading up to the front of the cathedral, as pictured above.
Another landmark which is located on one of the most famous streets in Paris is the Arc De Triomphe. In March 1806, the architect Jean-Francois-Therese Chalgrin was in charge of finding the perfect location for the Arc, and he chose Place de I'Etoile, now known as Place Charles de Gaulle. On August 15th, 1806 the first stone was laid, on Napolean's birthday. It took over two years just to lay the foundation, and after followed some unfortunate events that halted the construction of the Arc. It wasn't completely finished until 1836. The walls inside the arc display names of people who died in a battle.
The Arc de Triomphe from afar, the names inside and the fire burning
Last but not least is a landmark that is an absolute must while in Paris, which you were probably already planning to go to because who goes to Paris and doesn't go to the Eiffel Tower?
The Eiffel Tower
You might think that the tower is just a beautiful sight to see, but it does in fact have history behind it, which I knew before going but I didn't know nearly as much as I do now. The tower was originally built for a fair in 1889 to mark the 100 year anniversary of The French Revolution. They planned on tearing down the tower in 1909, but the city decided to keep it because it could be used as a radiotelegraph station. Originally only the second floor was open to the public to visit, but now you're able to go all the way to the top. Not only is the architecture of the building incredible, but the view when you get to the top is like nothing you have ever seen, it's truly amazing to be able to see the entire city.
the view from the top of the tower
The Eiffel Tower at night
