The Hôtel de Ville in Paris is often considered one of the city’s most beautiful buildings. Its elaborate architecture, white stone façade, and soaring towers catch the eye, especially as the sunlight shifts at dusk. The magic of the building can sometimes go unnoticed from the busy square in front, but it comes alive in the evening light.
Watching the colors change on the Hôtel de Ville’s rooftops and spires is a favorite activity for many. Some choose to admire this view from a café on the Ile de St. Louis, such as the Lutece, where the sunset transforms the cityscape into a painting. Others head to the Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville (BHV) department store on Rue de Rivoli. From the store’s roof terrace, just a short climb by stairs, visitors are rewarded with sweeping views of the Hôtel de Ville’s dramatic roof, the surrounding neighborhoods, and the Seine River below.
The current Hôtel de Ville is not the original. The first building, dating from the 16th century, was destroyed by fire in 1871 during the Paris Commune. The present structure, completed mainly by 1882, is a grand reconstruction designed by architects Ballu and Deperthes, chosen after a competition. Larger than its predecessor, the building features lavish decorations inside and out. The use of brilliant white stone links it visually with other Paris landmarks, such as the Sacré-Cœur Basilica.
A statue along the south garden wall honors Etienne Marcel, a historical figure who served as "provost of merchants," an early version of the city’s mayor. His story ended tragically in 1358 when he was lynched by an angry crowd for attempting to increase the city’s power. Over the years, the Hôtel de Ville has played host to major figures and events. It was famously the power base for Jacques Chirac, former mayor of Paris and later president of France, whose tenure brought both political success and scandal. The building was also the scene where General de Gaulle greeted joyful Parisians after the city’s liberation in 1944 and where Robespierre was seized in 1794 during the French Revolution.
Those who admire the grand style of the Hôtel de Ville may be interested to know that Théodore Ballu, one of its architects, also designed the Church of La Trinité in the 9th arrondissement. Ballu’s hand can also be seen in the belfry of the town hall of the 1st arrondissement, located across from the Louvre’s eastern façade. He is also responsible for the restoration of the Tour St Jacques, a medieval tower that was uncovered after many years of careful work.
Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B4tel_de_Ville,_Paris
Numerous artists paint portraits of tourists and also sell their paintings.
Part gallery - part restaurant - part nightclub, La Cite (Les Docks) is a modern building that is instantly recognisable due to being draped on one side with a large neon green shell covering the stairwells and roof the building. Roughly translated in English as The City of Fashion and Design, this is a trendy spot at the weekends and is used for event like Paris Design Week. The restaurant in the building is open all year round.
For an interesting take on Paris, check out the underground sewers of Paris. See swords found in the sewers over the years and get an appreciation for what it takes to keep Paris running.
An indoor sports arena that seats around 17,000 for sports and slightly over 20,000 for major concerts; formerly known as Palais des Omnisports de Paris-Bercy and Bercy Arena. Home to numerous concerts and major sporting events, most notably the Paris Masters tournament on the ATP World Tour in men's tennis.
There are many beautiful footpaths, a Buddhist Temple, and a lake with rowboats available for rental (about €10 as of 2009). The lake has many different kinds of birds, and islands accessible by footbridge.
Built in 1625, the Hotel de Sully is an interesting house with some sculptures in a beautiful courtyard. The house features special exhibitions, so check listings when in Paris.
An industrial design museum in Paris that houses the collection of the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (National Conservatory of Arts and Industry), which was founded in 1794 as a repository for the preservation of scientific instruments and inventions.
Mainly used as a concert hall and venue for fashion shows today, the Cirque d'Hiver was built in 1852, as the name would suggest, as a winter venue for circuses.
Its exhibits come from such diverse origins as ancient Egypt, classical Greece and the Roman Empire, medieval Europe, and Napoleonic France, but controversially including many items that were looted from their places of origin. Its most famous exhibit, of course, is Leonardo da Vinci's painting of the Mona Lisa (French: La Joconde, Italian: La Gioconda), generally to be found surrounded by hordes of camera-flashing tourists. The Louvre poses many of the same challenges to the visitor as Paris itself; overwhelming in size, crowded in high seasons, and much information available only in French. If you want to see everything in the Louvre, plan at least two full days. However, it is better to pick and choose, as the collection was assembled with an eye to completeness rather than quality. As of July 2019, due to intense crowding and reports of ticket fraud, entry now almost always requires a pre-booked timed ticket, even for holders of the Paris Museum Pass.
A sculpture by Auguste Rodin in memory of the French novelist Honoré Balzac. The artwork is sometimes considered the first truly modern sculpture.
The house of the symbolist painter has now become a museum to his life and work.
This street is named in honor for Nicolas Appert, a French businessman who invented airtight food preservation. On January 7th, 2015, it was the site of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack, which resulted in the deaths of 12 people. A plaque in front of a former office building memorializes the victims of the satirical magazine's staff.
A little district within the district. Very charming little streets on a hill on the west end of the 13 district. Nice for lunching/dining activities. This is the place where the band "Mano Negra" was hanging around.
A Gothic church tower in a square 150m to the west of the Hôtel de Ville was restored by Ballu, is all that remains of Eglise Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie, which was the meeting place in Paris for pilgrims heading to Santiago de Compestela. As such it is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.
Housed in an amazing Art Deco building, purpose-built for the 1931 Colonial Exhibition, featuring an elaborate frieze across the front facade that depicts the achievement of French overseas territories. It houses an Aquarium and an Immigration Museum. The aquarium can be seen in about an hour and is popular with families with small children.
This wedding cake-white church rises visibly above the north part of Paris. The striking building, with its towers and white onion dome (83 m high), was built between 1875-1914 on the birthplace of La Commune, officially as an act of penitence for the sins committed during the civil war in which thousands of Communards were executed, as well as for the previous bloodshed of the 1870 Franco-Prussian war. A number of prominent businessmen put up the money, and a dizzying combination of architects worked to put together the mock Romano-Byzantine extravaganza. Consecration followed in 1919. The view over Paris from the dome and from the square before it (200 m above sea level) is unsurpassed, apart from that enjoyed at the Eiffel Tower (50 km on a clear day). For the athletic traveller there are stairs from several directions to the top of the hill; otherwise there is also a funicular which runs every few minutes during the daytime from Place St. Pierre. Follow the signs that say "Funiculaire De Montmartre". Beware that the guards don't like it if they catch you taking pictures inside and will even yell "No photo!" and chase you down if they see you with a camera. Be warned: along the lower steps leading up to church, groups of mostly young African men gather and reach toward you with a small string, offering to loop it round your finger. In case it happens, pull back your hand, brush them off and move on. They might claim that "This is for the church." In case your feel that things go sideways, raise your voice to get people's attention and ask them call the police.
One of the largest collections outside Asia of Southeast Asian, Indian, Afghan, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean art.
Built in 1717, the windmill is now part of a restaurant of the same name, and is easily visible from the street.
A museum dedicated to the life and work of the great sculptor. The house contains an extensive collection, which is unusually well presented in a spacious building with big windows that are open in nice weather, which makes this museum double pleasant.
Paris's international exhibition centre (the 4th largest in Europe) has millions of visitors annually.