Five of Paris' Top Tourist Attractions

With its wealth of museums and art galleries and a reputation for fine food and wine, it's easy to see why Paris is the top destination choice for UK tourists taking a city break or short weekend away. If you are planning a Paris city break, here are 5 of Paris' top tourist attractions to which you should consider paying a visit.

The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel tower is one of the worlds most well known monuments and is probably the first place most tourists on holiday in Paris will head to upon their arrival in Paris. The 324 metre high tower was erected in 1889 as the entrance arch for the Exposition Universelle worlds fair and draws in excess of 6 million visitors every year. Visitors to the tower can take an elevator to the top level to enjoy a panoramic view over Paris as well as various exhibitions about the tower and its creator, Gustave Eiffel.

The Louvre

With approximately 35,000 works of art, the Louvre gallery and museum will be a must see for art lovers. The Louvre is the most visited attraction in Paris and is home to some of the world's most famous works of art including Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and Madonna of the rocks and Alexandros of Antioch's statue the Venus de Milo. In recent years the Louvre has also become a popular destination for fans of the Dan Brown book 'The Da Vinci code' as a large portion of the book is set here.

Pompidou Centre

This enormous futuristic building is home to a vast public library, a centre for music and acoustic research and the national museum of modern art, displaying approximately 2000 works of art including pieces by artists such as Kandinsky, Matisse and Picasso. The Beaubourg Plaza in front of the Pompidou centre is a tourist attraction in its own right as jugglers, mime artists and street performers continually draw crowds of people.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Completed in 1345, Notre Dame Cathedral was built upon the site of Paris' first Christian Church and is considered to be one of the finest examples of French gothic architecture. Highilghts for visitors to the Cathedral include the West Rose Window; a beautiful stained glass window ten metres in diameter, the Kings Gallery which features a line of 28 statues of the kings of Israel and Judah, and the Galerie des Chimères where you will find the cathedrals legendary gargoyles.

Sacré Coeur Basilica

The Basilica of the sacred heart, as the name translates, was constructed in the 19th century on the hills of Montmarte overlooking Paris. This Roman Catholic Church was built in honour of the 58,000 who lost their lives in the Franco-Prussian war. Visitors to the Sacre Coeur can climb to the top of the basilica's dome for an exceptional view of Paris and a walk around the dome itself, while the mosaic in the apse titled 'Christ in Majesty' is one of the largest in the world.

About the Author: Harry Lawrance is an experienced writer based in the UK.

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