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City guide · Paris
Paris
From an island in the Seine to the 'City of Light': Notre-Dame, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower
Paris's history begins on the Île de la Cité in the Seine, where Notre-Dame stands; to the west is the Louvre, which went from fortress to royal palace to museum, and across the river is the Eiffel Tower, built for a World's Fair. A stretch of both banks of the Seine is a World Heritage Site, and a riverside walk is the best introduction.
History
How the city came to be
From the 3rd century BC the Parisii lived in this area. In 52 BC Julius Caesar conquered the Paris basin, and the Romans built the town of Lutetia on the Left Bank. In 508 the Frankish king Clovis made it his capital; by the late 12th century Paris was the political, economic, religious and cultural centre of France, and work began on Notre-Dame in 1163. On 14 July 1789 crowds stormed the Bastille, and Paris became the centre of the French Revolution. In the mid-19th century Napoleon III and Baron Haussmann, prefect of the Seine, remodelled the city on a grand scale, building boulevards, parks and sewers. The Enlightenment of the 18th century earned Paris the name 'City of Light'; the 1889 World's Fair, marking the centenary of the Revolution, gave it the Eiffel Tower. Paris was liberated from German occupation on 25 August 1944.
- 52 BCCaesar conquered the Paris basin and the Romans built Lutetia
- 508The Frankish king Clovis made Paris his capital
- 1163Work began on Notre-Dame de Paris
- 1789The storming of the Bastille on 14 July began the French Revolution
- 1793The Louvre opened as a museum
- 1889A World's Fair marked the Revolution's centenary and the Eiffel Tower was built
- 1944Paris was liberated on 25 August
Stories
Stories of the city
History · Eiffel Tower
A tower built for a World's Fair
The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 Paris World's Fair and designed by Eiffel's company, the original concept coming from the company's engineers Maurice Koechlin and Émile Nouguier. In a speech Eiffel said the tower symbolised not only the art of the modern engineer but also a century of industry and science. Many cultural figures of the day publicly opposed it, including Charles Garnier, architect of the Paris Opéra.
History · Louvre
From fortress to the Republic's museum
The Louvre began as a fortress built by Philip II at the end of the 12th century to defend against attacks from the west — Normandy was then still in English hands — and its remains are still beneath the museum. As the city grew the fortress lost its defensive role, and in 1546 Francis I turned it into the king's main residence. During the Revolution, the museum opened on 10 August 1793, the first anniversary of the fall of the monarchy, with an initial display of 537 paintings, mostly from the royal collection and confiscated church property. In 1989 the new entrance hall beneath I. M. Pei's glass pyramid opened.
History · Louvre
1911: the Mona Lisa is stolen
In 1911 the 'Mona Lisa' was not yet especially famous among the general public. On 21 August it disappeared from the Louvre; the real thief was Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian Louvre employee who had helped make the painting's glass case and believed it should return to Italy. He hid it in his lodgings for two years and was arrested when he tried to sell it to the director of the Uffizi in Florence. News of the theft and recovery spread around the world, greatly increasing the painting's fame.
History · Notre-Dame de Paris
A novel that saved a cathedral
During the French Revolution Notre-Dame was badly desecrated, with many religious statues destroyed. In 1831 Victor Hugo published his novel 'Notre-Dame de Paris', drawing public attention to the dilapidated cathedral and prompting the major restoration led by the architect Viollet-le-Duc from 1844 to 1864.
1 more stories on the individual pages.
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Must see
Places you shouldn’t miss
Eiffel Tower
The 'Iron Lady' on the Seine, Paris's irreplaceable city totem
Louvre
A medieval palace turned into the world's largest temple of art, where 'the Mona Lisa's smile' awaits you
Notre-Dame de Paris
The epitome of French Gothic: flying buttresses, rose windows and a nave reopened after the fire of 2019.
Local life
Food and local daily life
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Before you go
Rules to know in Paris
France: carry your ID
- Carry your passport or official photo ID
- Leaving all your documents at the hotel
You must show ID on the spot when police ask, or at a police station within 4 hours.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: France travel advice
France: face coverings are banned in public places
- Showing your face in public places
- Covering your face in streets, shops and other public places
It is illegal, with a fine of up to €150; the law also applies to tourists.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: France travel advice