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This is the oldest part of the university’s buildings; erected between 1635 and 1642 by Lemercier, it has a typically Baroque facade with two orders, surmounted and dominated by its elegant cupola. Volutes link the lower order to the upper. The columns at ground level become flatter pilaster strips higher up, thus creating a gradual…

The origin of the Louvre goes back to the end of the 12th century, when Philippe Auguste, before leaving for the Third Crusade, had a fortress built near the river to defend Paris from the incursions of the Saxons ( in fact the name Louvre seems to derive from the Saxon word “leovar”, meaning “fortified…

This is a huge complex of buildings, including the Palais de Justice itself, the Sainte-Chapelle, and the Conciergerie. On this same site, the Roman rulers had their administrative and military headquarters; the kings of the Merovingian dynasty followed their example, and later the Capetians erected a chapel and a keep here. In the 13th century,…

The Opera is the largest theater for lyric opera in the world ( it covers an area of 120,000 square feet and can accommodate an audience of 2000 and 450 performers on the stage ). Designed by Garnier and built between 1862 and 1875, it is the most typical monument of the era of Napoleon…

The cathedral of Notre Dame stands on the site of a Christian basilica which had in turn been built on the site of a temple from the Roman era. Its construction was begun in 1163, under Bishop Maurice de Sully: first, the chancel was built, followed over the years by the nave and aisles and the…

This was initially a vast swampy region; after its reclamation, Le Notre in 1667 designed the broad avenue which was first called the Grand Cours ( its current name dates from 1709 ): it goes from the Tuileries to Place de I’Etoile, now today called Place de Gaulle. At the start of the avenue are…