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Paris
History |
Paris Sightseeing (Part 2 of 2)(Continued from part one.)Père LachaisePère Lachaise is the most famous of Paris' twenty cemeteries. At 44 acres and with over 5300 trees, it also qualifies as Paris' largest park. Opened in 1804, and holding some 70,000 plots, it is host to more than two million visitors a year.Some of the most famous and infamous Parisians or transplanted residents found their final resting place here, including Jim Morrison, Frederick Chopin, and Oscar Wilde. The most famous monuments in Paris would have to be the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. Arc de TriompheThe very impressive Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoléon in 1806 but was not completed until long after he was deposed as Emperor.At the base of each of the four pillars, there is a huge sculpture. These depict The Triumph of 1810, The Departure of the Volunteers, Peace, and Resistance. Names of major victories in the Napoleonic and Revolutionary wars are engraved around the top of the monument. Less important victories, along with the names of 558 generals are engraved on the inside walls. Underneath the arch you'll find the tomb of the unknown soldier, with an eternal flame commemorating the dead of two World Wars. Eiffel TowerThe Eiffel Tower is not a sight you can miss, in any sense of the word. At 300 metres tall, it was the world's highest manmade structure until 1930.It weights 7,000 tons, required 40 tons of paint, has 1652 steps to the top, and was built over two years by 300 workmen to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, in 1889. If your sightseeing tastes run to more variety, or something that is different, you can try some of the unadvertised attractions off the beaten track.
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For Beginners Copyright © 2004 M. Feenstra, Den Haag. All rights reserved. | ||||||||