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The Orsay Museum (Musée
d'Orsay) is locatedon the
left bank of the River Seine near the Musée d'Orsay RER line C station; it was originally a railway station. Paintings
including the works of Manet, Monet and Renoir,
sculptures, architecture, decorative arts and photography
collections are housed here dating from 1848 to
1914.
The Palais du Luxembourg and gardens are located on the
Left Bank in Paris. It was built for Marie de Medicis from 1615 to 1627. Rubens
paintings decorate the walls of the large gallery and the library contains the masterpieces of Eugene Delacroix. The use of the palace has
changed many times. For instance, it was a prison during the Revolution, now it houses the French Senate. The garden of Luxembourg enclose the palace and covers some 60 acres, it has extensive
lawns and glorious flowers, with pleasant paths. There are several statues of the Queens of France, which include a statue of Saint
Genevieve, the patron Saint of Paris. The original life size version of the Statue of
Liberty is located on the western side of the park.
The Flame of Liberty (Flamme de la Liberté) is
located near the northern end of the Pont De l’Alma Bridge on the Place de l'Alma. It is a full-scale, gold leaf covered, copy of the
flame that is carried in the hand of the Statue of Liberty in New York City. For a number of years, messages of condolence for
Diana, Princess of Wales were placed around its base by members of the public, since the memorial is very close to the tunnel where the
Princess was involved in a tragic accident and died a short while after in hospital. The messages have now been removed.
Les Invalides (hopital des Invalides) is located
in the 7th arrondissement in Paris and is a hospital and a retirement home for War
Veterans. The ashes of Napoleon Bonaparte are laid to rest under the dome of Les Invalides and Napoleon's uniforms, personal arms, and
death bed are exhibited in the Musée de l'Armée. The Musée de l'Armée and Musée des Plans-Reliefs, Musée de l'Ordre de la Libération and
L'Eglise de St Louis are also sited in the complex. The Invalides can be accessed from the Champs-Elysées by crossing the
Alexandre III Bridge and crossing the esplanade des
Invalides.
The Moulin Rouge is located in Montmartre at 82 boulevard de Clichy and is renowned for the French Cancan show. It has a fascinating history behind it; Celeste
Mogador who was a principal dancer at the Bal Mabille in 1850- which later became the Mabille Orchestra of the Moulin Rouge - created a new
dance named the Quadrille. Clearly enthused by the Quadrille, in 1861 Charles Morton, a great master of the music hall in
London, he went on to create the French Cancan.
The Jardin des Plantes is located on Rue Cuvier in the 5th arrondissement in
Paris (on the left bank of the River Seine). The Muséum National
d'Histoire Naturelle is positioned inside the garden. It comprises of four galleries: the Grande Galerie de l'Evolution, the
Mineralogy Museum, the Paleontology Museum and the Entomology Museum. Also, there is a botanical school, an aquarium and a small
zoo.
The Place de la Concorde is located in the 8th arrondissement
of Paris, alongside the River Seine and separates the
Tuilerie Gardens from the start of the Champs Elysées. It was originally
constructed for Louis XV and named after him, and also to situate an equestrian statue of Louis XV that the City of Paris had specially made in 1748 from Bouchardon to present to the
King. It became the Place de la Revolution and the guillotine sited in the centre was used to execute Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and Marie
Anne Charlotte de Corday d’Armont and many others. The statue of Louis XV was removed during the Revolution and replaced by the Luxor
Obelisk- a gift from the Viceroy of Egypt, Mehemet Ali, to King Louis Phillipe. The red granite column is 23m tall, counting the base, and
weighs over 250 tonnes. Fountains flank both sides of the obelisk; they were constructed at the time of its assembly on the
Place.
The Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation – a National
Monument is located on the Square de l'Ile de la Cité, situated underground and is located in a small gated area at the rear
the Notre Dame. It was constructed to commemorate the 200,000 people deported
from France to the German concentration camps during the Second World War.
There are a series of small rooms inside with inscriptions about the holocaust carved into the walls. There is a passageway, to which there
is no admittance, but you can look into, the long walls of the passage are illuminated by tiny round golden lights set close together
forming two long panels of light. Each of these lights represents a French citizen taken by the Nazis. A noticeable reminder is a number of
small tombs made out of earth from the camps, and there is also an Unknown Jew entombed in the memorial.
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