Paris is the capital city of France. The city itself
has a population of just 2.1 million. However if
we include the surrounding suburbs the
population is 11.1 million people, making it the
3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe (behind
Moscow and London).
The River Seine breaks the city into 2 parts the
Right Bank (north of the river) and the Left Bank
(south of the river). The two banks were adding
to the World Heritage list in 1991.
Nicknamed The City of Lights, Paris, has been a
major tourist destination and cultural center for
centuries. The city is famous for its beautiful
architecture, urban avenues, and many
museums.
Some of the attractions of Paris include the
Eiffel Tower, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Arc
de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum, and the
Champs-Elysées.
The Eiffel Tower is one of the most famous
symbols of France. It was built for the
International Expo of Paris in 1889 and is 300
meters tall, not including the 24 meter antenna.
The Eiffel Tower was the world's tallest building
until it was beat by Chrysler Building in New York
in 1930.
The Louvre Museum is one of the largest and
most popular museums in the world. Before it
was a museum it was a royal palace. For
hundreds of years various kings had lived in the
palace, each one adding and building on to it. In
1793 part of the palace was opened as a
museum for the public to come and see.
