Central Western Europe French Republic France Ile-de-France Paris Paris Ile-de-France 1991 Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Ile-de-France region. Paris is one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in Europe. The city and region contain numerous iconic landmarks — particularly the Eiffel Tower — as well as world-famous institutions and popular parks. Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influences in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. Three of the most famous Parisian landmarks are the 12th-century cathedral Notre Dame de Paris on the Ile de la Cite, the Napoleonic Arc de Triomphe and the 19th-century Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower was a "temporary" construction by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 Universal Exposition, but the tower was never dismantled and is now an enduring symbol of Paris. Notre Dame de Paris is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in Europe, and the naturalism of its sculptures and stained glass are in contrast with earlier Romanesque architecture. In 1991, the banks of the Seine in Paris—the Rive Gauche and Rive Droite—were added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in Europe. PIC: Me with a friend, 1991. There are 37 bridges within Paris and dozens more spanning the river outside the city. Examples in Paris include the Pont Louis-Philippe and Pont Neuf, the latter of which dates back to 1607. Pere Lachaise is often referenced in French culture and has been included in various films, literary works, video games and songs. A number of English-language works also make reference to the cemetery. Pere Lachaise Cemetery is the largest cemetery in Paris, With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. It is located in the 20th arrondissement and was the first garden cemetery. PIC: Me with friends at Jim Morrison's Grave. The Galeries Lafayette is a department store at n. 38, 40 et 42 Boulevard Haussmann. The glass and steel dome, and Art Nouveau staircases were built in 1912. The Palais Garnier, known also as the Opera de Paris or Opera Garnier, is a opera house on the Place de l'Opera. It was the primary home of the Paris Opera from 1875 until 1989. Designed by Charles Garnier in the Neo-Baroque (or "Baroque Revival") style (it is also said to be of the related Second Empire style), it is regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its time. During 1896, the falling of one of the counterweights for the grand chandelier resulted in the death of one person. This incident, as well as the underground lake, cellars, along with the other elements of the Opera House even the building itself were the inspirations of Gaston Leroux for his classic 1910 Gothic novel, The Phantom of the Opera Place de la Concorde is at the foot of the Champs-Elysees, built as the "Place Louis XV", site of the infamous guillotine. The Egyptian obelisk is Paris' "oldest monument". Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris 1991 Montmartre is primarily known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacre Cœur on its summit and as a nightclub district. It has always had a history with artists and has many studios and cafes of many great artists in that area. Many artists had studios or worked around the community of Montmartre such as Salvador Dali, Amedeo Modigliani, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh. Montmartre is a hill (the butte Montmartre) which is 130 metres high, giving its name to the surrounding district, in the north of Paris in the 18th arrondissement, a part of the Right Bank. The Place Pigalle is a public square, between the Boulevard de Clichy and the Boulevard de Rochechouart, near Sacre-Cœur, at the foot of the Montmartre hill. Moulin Rouge is a cabaret built in 1889 by Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Olympia. Close to Montmartre in the Paris red-light district of Pigalle. The Moulin Rouge is best known as the spiritual birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance. Originally introduced as a seductive dance by the courtesans who operated from the site, the can-can dance revue evolved into a form of entertainment of its own and led to the introduction of cabarets across Europe. PIC: Me, ready for my first night at Moulin Rouge, 1991. Paris Ile-de-France The Louvre Museum or officially Grand Louvre — in English simply the Louvre — is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. During the French Revolution it was transformed into a public museum. In May 1791, the Assembly declared that the Louvre would be "a place for bringing together monuments of all the sciences and arts. The Louvre Pyramid (Pyramide du Louvre) is a large glass and metal pyramid designed by Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei, surrounded by three smaller pyramids, in the main courtyard (Cour Napoleon) of the Louvre Palace in Paris. The large pyramid serves as the main entrance to the Louvre Museum. Completed in 1988 L'Opera Bastille is a modern opera house. It is the home base of the Opera National de Paris and was designed to replace the Palais Garnier, which is nowadays mainly used for ballet performances. La Grande Arche de la Defense (also La Grande Arche de la Fraternite) is a monument and building in the business district of La Defense and in the commune of Puteaux, to the west of Paris. La Defense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. The district is at the westernmost extremity of Paris's 10 km long Historical Axis, which starts at the Louvre in Central Paris and continues along the Champs-Elysees, well beyond the Arc de Triomphe before culminating at La Defense. PIC: Me with all my school friends, Defense district, Paris Ile-de-France 1991. PIC: Me with friend, Defense district, Paris Ile-de-France 1991.