Immediately west of the end of Tuileries Garden lies the Place de la Concorde.
Originally designed by Loui XV as an octagonal connection between the Tuileries and the Champs-Elysees, the name was changed to Place de la Revolution after the revolution. The obelisk in the center of the plaza is a gift from the Egyptian government and once stood at the entrance to Luxor.
A large stone statue of Louis XVon horseback was torn down (as were all statues of all the kings of France) during the Revolution. The revolutionary government put up the guillotine here, and many thousands of people died here in the aftermath of the revolution. Once order was restored, the name was change to Concorde to signify the return of harmony in France.
The plaza is ringed with several ornate lampposts.
The Place del al Concorde is ringed with government buildings dating to the reign of Louis XV>
And of course there is a fancy fountain to complete the decoration.
The Champs-Elysees (Elysian Fields) stretches from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc d'Triomphe, about 2 km, and is considered the most beautiful boulevard in the world.
From the late 19th century until World War I, during the Bell Epoque which was the golden age of France, many wealthy Parisians built great mansions along the Champs, and in that time, it was THE place to see and be seen in Paris. The best of Paris society put on their fanciest clothes to stroll and ride in their carriages up and down the street. This was before reality TV.
Post World War I, the area declined until the city brought about a commercial revitalization changing the Champs from an upscale neighborhood to an upscale shopping area.
Once the gate to a majestic private home, this now the entrance to Abercrombie and Fitch.
Still an avenue of beautiful architecture, the Champs now boasts a Mercedes dealership and a huge Virgin Megastore where private homes once stood. One unusual note: there are no trash receptacles anywhere in sight along the Champs, as opposed to the rest of Paris where there are two per block on each side of the street.
And, voila! At the far end of the Champs-Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe--Napoleon Bonaparte's massive erection to his own ego.
Built after the victorious Battle of Austerlitz to honor those who died in the French Revolution and in the Napoleonic wars, this is the largest arched gate in the world.
The stone carving is magnificent.
Beneath the arch lies France's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
From the top of the Arc, the Champs-Elysees stretches back toward the Louvre in the distance. BTW there are 284 steps to the top and we are proud to say we made it all the way without a rest stop. We were huffing and puffing, but we went the distance. And then 284 steps back down. When was the elevator invented?
No comments:
Post a Comment