http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks Explore the many landmarks and monuments of Paris, from the Louvre to Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower. en Copyright 2013, History.com Sat, 25 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT History.com 2013-05-25T04:00:00Z en Copyright 2013, History.com http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo1 Located on the Seine River in northern France, Paris is the most visited city on the planet, with more than 42 million tourists a year thronging its streets alongside its 12 million inhabitants. Nicknamed the City of Lights, it is known for its architecture, culture, fine cuisine and rich history. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo1 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo2 First settled around 4200 B.C., Paris was conquered in 52 B.C. by the Romans, who called the city Lutetia. Germanic Franks later took control of the region, founding the Merovingian dynasty in the fifth century. Evidence of Paris' Roman past remains in the Latin Quarter and Ile de la Cite. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo2 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo3 One of Paris' most popular attractions, Notre Dame de Paris is a Gothic cathedral built in the 12th and 13th centuries. It was the site of Joan of Arc's canonization and the coronation of Napoleon I. It is perched on the Ile de la Cite, Paris' military and political center during the Middle Ages. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo3 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo4 The oldest major Gothic structure, the Basilica of Saint Denis was built in the 12th century. With only three exceptions, every French monarch from Clovis I onward was interred there. During the French Revolution, the tombs were emptied of their remains, which are now in the basilica's crypt. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo4 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo5 Built in the 14th century, Hotel de Ville houses Paris' mayoral and other administrative offices. Badly burned during the French Revolution, it was reconstructed in the 1870s in its original French Renaissance style. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo5 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo6 When Paris hosted a World's Fair in 1889, some 100 artists submitted plans for a monument to serve as the entrance. Organizers chose Gustave Eiffel's tower, which reached 1,000 feet above Paris. First greeted with skepticism, it is now seen as an architectural wonder. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo6 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo7 Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to honor those who died during the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, the Arc de Triomphe stands in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the famous Champs-Elysees. Visitors may ascend to the top to enjoy views of Paris. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo7 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo8 The seat of French kings from the 10th to 14th centuries, the Conciergerie was later converted into a dungeon. It was here that Marie Antoinette and other prisoners awaited the guillotine during the French Revolution. Located on the Ile de la Cite, the Conciergerie is part of the Palais de Justice. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo8 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo9 One of Paris' largest and loveliest public parks, the Jardin du Luxembourg is located next to the Luxembourg Palace, which was built by Marie de Medicis in the early 1600s and now houses the French Senate. Its most iconic features include an octagonal pool, the Medici Fountain and numerous statues. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo9 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo10 Also known as the Paris Opera, the Palais Garnier was built in the second half of the 18th century to house the city's opera and ballet companies. Famous for its ornate facade, central staircase and opulent decor, it is considered an extraordinary example of the Beaux-Arts architectural style. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo10 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo11 The Luxor Obelisk in the center of the public square known as the Place the la Concorde is Paris' oldest monument, dating back 3,300 years. Given to the city by Muhammad Ali of Egypt in 1829, it once stood at the entrance to the Luxor Temple on the east bank of the Nile. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo11 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo12 Paris' largest cemetery, Pere Lachaise was established in 1804 by Napoleon, who transferred the remains of La Fontaine, Moliere and other luminaries there. Since then, many famous people have been buried there, and as a result the grounds are visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists a year. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo12 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo13 Perched atop the Montmartre hill at the highest point in the city, Sacre-Coeur was built in the late 19th century in the Romanesque-Byzantine style. A climb to the top of its dome offers spectacular views of Paris. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo13 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo14 Filled with the remains of millions of people, Paris' eerie ossuary was converted from former Roman limestone quarries into a mass tomb in the late 18th century. This allowed officials to relocate bones from the city's overcrowded and disease-ridden central burial grounds. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo14 http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo15 A Gothic chapel located in the courtyard of the Conciergerie on the Ile de la Cite, Sainte-Chapelle was built and consecrated during the 13th century. A prime example of the Rayonnant Gothic style, it is known for its magnificent stained-glass windows and vaulted ceilings. http://www.history.com/photos/paris-landmarks/photo15