The main monuments to visit in Paris

1. L’Arc de Triomphe

www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr

The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, more commonly known as the Arc de Triomphe, is a Parisian monument built following the Battle of Austerlitz. Napoleon I, the day after the Battle of Austerlitz, declared: “You only return to your homes under triumphal arches.” Its name therefore comes from this sentence, Napoleon I ordered the construction of the Arc de Triomphe in 1806, and the work ended 30 years later under the reign of Louis-Philippe. Regarding the architecture of the monument, the architects Jean-François Chalgrin and Jean-Arnaud Raymond are responsible for the construction.

But very quickly, the ideas of each of the architects contradicted each other, it was at this moment that the Minister of the Interior at the time decided to entrust the construction of the Arc de Triomphe to Jean-François Chalgrin and then to exclude Jean-Arnaud Raymond from the project. The Arc de Triomphe is one of the national monuments steeped in history due to its origins, but over time, its history has continued to grow. On January 28, 1921, the remains of the unknown soldier killed during the First World War were buried under the Arc de Triomphe which now houses his tomb.

Nowadays, many artists inspired by the Arc de Triomphe are asked by the city of Paris to decorate or create works related to the Arc de Triomphe strong>, the most recent work which was carried out on the Arc de Triomphe and that of Christo and Jeanne-Claude and their team. They decided to wrap the Arc de Triomphe in plastic bags for an impressive end result.

Opening hours

• Open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Prices for visiting the Arc de Triomphe

Free entry for under-18s and 18-25 EU nationals and/or residents. For adults over 25, the ticket will cost €13.

2. The basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre

www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com

The Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur of Montmartre, more commonly called the Sacré-Cœur. This Roman Catholic basilica overlooks the entire city of Paris since it is located in the historic district of Montmartre at an altitude of 130 meters, it is one of the highest points in the capital. The construction of the Sacred Heart took place following the 1870 war against Germany, which is why we also speak of a political building in addition to its religious side. In 1875 work on the Sacré-Cœur began, in 1891 the Sacré-Cœur was finally inaugurated despite the work being partially completed. It was not until 1923 that the entire Sacré-Cœur was completed.

This basilica stands out from the ordinary with its domes which recall certain Greek buildings. It is a unique religious building in Paris which makes it the most visited religious monument in Paris after Notre-Dame de Paris. The environment of this building is also unique since located on the Montmartre hill it offers an overall panorama of the city of Paris. This building steeped in history is one of the most impressive to see and visit in Paris.

Opening hours

• Open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Prices for visiting the Sacré-Cœur

Admission to the Sacré-Coeur is totally free.

3. La Sainte-Chapelle du Palais

tickets.monuments-nationaux.fr

The Sainte-Chapelle du Palais better known under the name of Sainte-Chapelle, is a Parisian monument located on the Île de la Cité. This monument was built at the request of St Louis in order to have a safe place where it could house the Holy Crown of Thorns and other sacred objects. Of all the Holy Chapels, the Sainte-Chapelle is the first to see the light of day. Work on the Sainte-Chapelle began in 1241 and it was only 7 years after the start of construction that it was completely finished.

The most impressive thing about the construction of this unique Gothic building is surely its speed of construction but above all the fact that by going so quickly over the years we have not noticed any construction defects and the decorations have been far away to be put in the background.

In 1797, the Sainte-Chapelle was transformed into an archive repository for the Palais de Justice, this is one of the decisions which will gradually lead the Sainte-Chapelle to its own loss. Fortunately in 1836, public opinion demanded its rescue and renovation. The restoration work therefore began in 1837 and will last approximately 26 years. The Sainte-Chapelle, like the Conciergerie, are part of the remains of the Palais de la Cité. According to the architecture and stained glass specialist, Louis Grodecki, the total glazed area of the upper chapel is approximately 615m².

The decoration and unique architecture of this building plays a very important role in the worldwide notoriety of this monument, in 2013, it was classified as the 3rd most visited monument managed by the Center of National Monuments behind Mont- Saint-Michel and the Arc de Triomphe.

Opening hours

• The Sainte-Chapelle is open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Prices for visiting the Sacré-Cœur

Consult the Sainte-Chapelle website to reserve your tickets according to the visit you wish to take, prices may vary depending on the age of the visitor as well as the visit chosen by the latter. For more information, visit the Sainte-Chapelle website.