10 Historical Monuments in Paris


 

Paris is a city of charm, whimsey and history. The city is estimated to be over 2000 years old, which means over twenty generations of people have existed to contribute to the architecture, culture and infrastructure that makes it what it is today.

There are monuments all through the city that make even a stroll to the corner store a historical engagement. Here are ten to look out for:

1. The Eiffel Tower in Paris

The Eiffel Tower found its home in Paris in 1889. At first, locals weren’t a fan of the structure and wrote it off as an eyesore on the skyline.

Today, the Iron Lady is the most famous monument in all of France, brining an estimated 7million people to the city each year.

Eiffel Tower – by Rosss – Wikimedia Commons

The tower can be viewed up close on the Champ de Mars, or from anywhere with a decent visual over the northwest of Paris. After sundown, the tower will perform a light show at the top of each hour that lasts 5 minutes. 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France
Metro STATION: Champ de Metro – Tour Eiffel

2. Sacré-Cœur in Paris

Construction of the Sacre Coeur began in 1875. It was only completed in 1914.

This is Paris’ second most visited monument, after the Notre Dame Cathedral. An estimated 11.5million people flock to the church each year.

The church sits at the top of Montmartre Hill in the 18th arrondissement of the city. On some days, with the right light and weather conditions, you’ll be able to see it gleaming in the distance from certain parts of the Right Bank.

Sacre Coeur – by Dietmar Rabich – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 75018 Paris, France
Metro STATION: Château Rouge

3. Panthéon in Paris

Paris’ Pantheon was built between 1758 and 1790. The Latin Quarter was selected as the home neighborhood for the monument.

Inside you’ll find an elaborate mausoleum housing the tombs of influential French citizens who have come to pass. There are only five women buried in the mausoleum at present, but women’s movements across country are pushing for more recognition.

Residents in the Pantheon include the great Voltaire, Marie Curie and Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz.

Pantheon – by Dietmar Rabich – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS: Place du Panthéon, 75005 Paris, France
Metro STATION: Jussieu

4. Colonne de Juillet in Paris

The Juliet Column lives in the very center of the Place de la Bastille; the public square in the neighborhood of Bastille.

The monument is hard to miss. It’s a 47 meter high column made of 21 individual brass drums that have been stacked together. The total weight of the structure exceeds 74,000 kilograms.

The structure was erected as a commemoration of the Revolution in 1830.

Colonne de Juillet – by jean-louis zimmermann – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS: Place de la Bastille, 75004 Paris, France
Metro STATION: Bréguet – Sabin

5. Palais Garnier in Paris

Also known as the Opera Garnier, the Palais Garnier is one of the city’s national treasures found in the center of the 9th arrondissement.

It was constructed between 1861 and 1875 under the order of Napoleon III. Architectural mastery was exercised in the building of every inch of this monument, and it remains a major tourist attraction to this day.

Shows still take place regularly here, and the theatre within can hold close to 2000 people at a time.

Palais Garnier – by Peter Rivera – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS: Place de l’Opéra, 75009 Paris, France
Metro STATION: Auber

6. Arc de Triomphe in Paris

The Arc de Triomphe is the product of the reign of Napoleon I, and stands as a representation of how leaders of this time used grand monuments to show wealth.

The archway sits in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle, the city’s largest public square and traffic circle combined. Visitors can stand beneath it, or pay the small fee to access the rooftop. 

Arc de Triomphe – by Thomas Bresson – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS: Place Charles de Gaulle, 75008 Paris, France
Metro STATION: Arc de Triomphe

7. Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

The Notre Dame Cathedral is Paris’ most visited monument. It was built a very long time ago, in 1163, on the Île de la Cité, the island that floats on the Seine between the left and right banks.

The cathedral is a beautiful display of medieval meets gothic architecture. Due to the tragic fire that brought most of the roof down in early 2019, this site has been closed to the public for a while.

Notre Dame – by Sanchezn – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Pl. Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France
Metro STATION: Maubert – Mutualité

8. The Centre Pompidou in Paris

The Centre Pompidou is an important monument in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. It was one of the most recently constructed monuments in the city, and adopted a postmodernist, brutalist style as opposed to the traditional Haussmann seen everywhere else.

This building houses an art gallery, but the outside is definitely worth a visit even if there is no time to explore the whole interior.

The Centre Pompidou – by Cristian Bortes – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS: Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris, France
Metro STATION: Rambuteau

9. Sainte-Chapelle in Paris

Up until the 14th century, the king of France resided in the Palais de la Cité. On this site, a royal chapel was constructed in gothic style and called the Sainte-Chapelle.

The building of the chapel was completed in 1248, making it a very old, historic landmark of Paris.

The interior of this monument makes it a popular tourist attraction, and the fact that it shares an island with the Notre Dame accentuates that. All individuals over the age of 26 have to pay €10 to enter, anyone below is free.

Sainte-Chapelle – by Gerd Eichmann – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 8 Boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris, France
Metro STATION: Cité

10. Hôtel de Ville in Paris

This very important Parisian monument is last, but not least, on our list.

The outer facade of the Hôtel de Ville was constructed in 1873, but there are parts of this monument that are even older.

Today the Hôtel de Ville functions as Paris’ city hall, and there are regular events held in the space for the public to enjoy. Their summer concerts and winter ice-skating are ones to look out for.

Hôtel de Ville – by Dietmar Rabich – Wikimedia Commons

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
ADDRESS: 75004 Paris, France
Metro STATION: Châtelet

Planning a trip to Paris ? Get ready !


These are Amazon’s best-selling travel products that you may need for coming to Paris.

Bookstore

  1. The best travel book : Rick Steves – Paris 2023 – Learn more here
  2. Fodor’s Paris 2024 – Learn more here

Travel Gear

  1. Venture Pal Lightweight Backpack – Learn more here
  2. Samsonite Winfield 2 28″ Luggage – Learn more here
  3. Swig Savvy’s Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle – Learn more here

Check Amazon’s best-seller list for the most popular travel accessories. We sometimes read this list just to find out what new travel products people are buying.