What is the Capital of France? - Capital-of.com Dates of religious and Civil holidays around the world. Capital of France The Capital City of France (officially named French Republic) is the city of Paris. The population of Paris in the year 1999 was 9,644,507 (12,067,000 in the metropolitan area). France is a French speaking country on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, The English Channel and The North Sea. Additional Information France Facts on Largest Cities, Populations, Symbols - Worldatlas.com GDP total: $2.253 trillion (2012 est.) GDP per capita: $35,500 (2012 est.) Language: French (official) 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) overseas departments: French, Creole patois Largest Cities: (by population) Paris, Marseille, Lyon.

Toulouse, Nice, Nantes, Strasbourg Name: The name France is from the Latin word 'Francia' meaning country of the Franks, a Germanic people who conquered the area during the 5th century. National Day: July 14 Note: "Fete de la Federation" is celebrated with a mixture of solemn military parades, dancing in the streets and fireworks. The storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 has been commemorated in France for more than a century. Religion: Roman Catholic 88%, Muslim 5%, Protestant 2%, unaffiliated 2%, Jewish 1%, Facts about France, France Facts Facts About France Click to view full Infographic What is France‘s official name ? Republic of France (République française in French) What is the origin of France‘s name ? “France” comes from the Latin word Francia, meaning “country of the Franks.” The “Franks” might refer to Germanic words for “javelin” or “free.” What is the capital of France ? Paris What is the official language of France ? French What type of government does France have ?

Semi-Presidential Republic – it has both a President and a Bernard Cazeneuve Who is the president of France ? François Hollande Who is the Prime Minister of France ? Bernard Cazeneuve What is France‘s motto ? Liberty, Equality, Fraternity What is the population of France ? Approximately 62,814,233 (Metropolitan France) Approximately 65,312,249 (Metropolitan + 5 overseas regions) How big is France ? 551,500 square kilometers (Metropolitan France) – the largest country in western Europe. Know Facts about World Countries Afghanistan Facts How many administrative regions does France have ? France has 27 administrative regions in all – 22 in Metropolitan France and 5 overseas What are the administrative regions and their capitals ? Metropolitan France: Pays de la Loire – Nantes Picardy (Picardie) – Amiens What countries border (Metropolitan) France ? Belgium United Kingdom (across the Channel Tunnel) What is the Chunnel ?

The Chunnel, or Channel Tunnel, (called Le tunnel sous la Manche, meaning “the tunnel under the sleeve/sea” in French), is an undersea tunnel that crosses the English Channel, linking England and France by the rail system. Eurostar high-speed passenger trains and international freight trains use the Chunnel to travel between France and England. The Channel Tunnel is a feat of engineering, with the longest undersea tunnel in the world. The Channel Tunnel was first proposed in 1802, but building did not begin until 1988, and the Chunnel finally opened in 1994. What is France’s national holiday ? Bastille Day, celebrated on July 14, commemorates the storming of the Bastille in 1789. The Bastille, a fortress in Paris, represented the royal authority in France. The storming of the Bastille was an important part of the French Revolution, and represented overthrowing the monarchy and creating the First Republic. Why was the Eiffel Tower built ? The Eiffel Tower was built as an entrance arch for the 1889 World’s Fair by Gustave Eiffel.

Though today the Eiffel Tower is a major icon of Paris and France, it initially drew criticism from the public. The city of Paris had only planned to keep the tower for 20 years after the World’s Fair, but it was used for communication purposes as a radio transmitter. What are the major rivers in France ? Seine What are the major mountain ranges in France ? Alps Paris, Capital city of France All... Paris, capital city of France There are few cities on earth that capture the imaginations and hearts of travelers like Paris. The French capital is at once historic, modern, romantic, intellectual, grandiose and elegantly understated. First-time visitors often arrive in the City of Lights with grand expectations of extraordinary vistas, of stealing kisses from a lover along the Seine and of intellectuals debating weight matters in smoky cafes. You can find all these things and more in Paris, but the best way to enjoy the city is to explore the winding backstreets and avenues without any preconceptions at all. Nearly every corner of the city exudes enchantment, thanks largely to the French's love of beauty for beauty's sake. When Baron Haussman designed the city as it stands today, he purposefully combined utility with beauty.

The result is a city marked by wide tree-lined boulevards, stunning views and parks or gardens around seemingly every corner. The most beautiful places in Paris are often these green spaces, like the Jardin du Luxembourg with its Florentine-style palace and dramatic botanical arrangements that explode into color during spring. Beauty also abounds at the Tuileries Garden, with roots that date back to the 16th century. The pathways stretch from just behind the Louvre to a hilly picnic area perfect for spending an afternoon in the sun. Artistic vibrancy resonates throughout Paris, and the city's museums house some of the world's richest and most important collections. It would take a lifetime to fully experience the Louvre, home to the world's most diverse and extensive collection of pre-20th century art. Although the museum is most famous for housing the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa, visitors can also bask in the works of Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Vermeer and countless others. Other equally impressive museums include the modern Centre Georges Pompidou, the light and airy Musee d'Orsay and the Rodin Museum, home to The Thinker and a lovely sculpture garden.

No visit to Paris would be complete without a trip to the Eiffel Tower. Once considered an abomination, the tower is now a symbol of the city and an icon of France. During the day, enjoy a picnic on the sprawling Champs de Mars with the tower providing one of the world's most romantic backdrops. Visit again after the sun sets to watch the tower sparkle with thousands of glittering lights. It is an absolutely breathtaking sight that every traveler should experience at least once. Other must-see sights include the Arc de Triomphe, France's tribute to Napoleon and unknown soldiers, the Pere Lachaise cemetery, final resting place of Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde and other notables, and the Notre Dame Cathedral, one of the world's most impressive examples of Gothic architecture. First-time visitors should also take a walk through the catacombs, an underground ossuary that is not for the faint of heart. The remains of nearly six million people fill the system of tunnels and caverns, and many of the bones are arranged in patterns that will haunt you long after you come back up to street level. Although the city's metro system is inexpensive, easy to navigate and extensive, the best way to see Paris is on foot.

Leave your map in the hotel and wander the meandering streets through neighborhoods like the quintessentially Parisian 7th arrondissement, the lively and artistic St. Germain des Pres quartier or the charming Marias neighborhood. Stroll down the Seine at sunset, stop for a drink at a cozy cafe and watch the world go by. That's the truly Parisian way of getting to know the city. Paris Geographical Location Paris is the largest city in France and is located in the northwest region. It is on the banks of the Siene River and has a population of approximately 2,315,000. Paris Language French is the official language of France but English is very common within Paris and other tourist areas. Paris Predominant Religion Capital of France - definition of capital of France by The Free Dictionary Capital of France - definition of capital of France by The Free Dictionary Noun 1.

capital of France - the capital and largest city of France; and international center of culture and commerce City of Light , French capital , Paris Bastille - a fortress built in Paris in the 14th century and used as a prison in the 17th and 18th centuries; it was destroyed July 14, 1789 at the start of the French Revolution Eiffel Tower - a wrought iron tower 300 meters high that was constructed in Paris in 1889; for many years it was the tallest man-made structure Louvre , Louvre Museum - an art museum that is a famous tourist attraction in Paris Paris University , Sorbonne , University of Paris - a university in Paris; intellectual center of France Tuileries Gardens , Tuileries - formal gardens next to the Louvre in Paris Tuileries , Tuileries Palace - palace and royal residence built for Catherine de Medicis in 1564 and burned down in 1871; all that remains today are the formal gardens France , French Republic - a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe Latin Quarter , Left Bank - the region of Paris on the southern bank of the Seine; a center of artistic

 and student life Montmartre - the highest point in Paris; famous for its associations with many artists Clichy , Clichy-la-Garenne - a northwestern suburb of Paris; the residence of the Merovingian royalty in the 7th century Orly - a southeastern suburb of Paris; site of an international airport serving Paris Right Bank - the region of Paris on the north bank of the Seine Ile-St-Louis - island in Paris on the Seine Champs Elysees - a major avenue in Paris famous for elegant shops and cafes Parisian - a native or resident of Paris Parisienne - a female native or resident of Paris Paris the Capital City of France and Facts - Map of Paris Paris has many different nicknames, but its most famous is 'The City of Light' known in French as La Ville-Lumiï¿½re.

This is the nickname it was given both for its fame as a centre of education and ideas, plus its early adoption of street lighting. Paris since the early 20th century has also been known in Parisian slang as Paname, which is a slang name that has been regaining popularity with the younger people in recent years. Paris's inhabitants are known in English as "Parisians The City of Paris has an estimated population of 2,153,600 within its administrative limits. However, the Paris unite urbaine is an area of unbroken urban growth that extends well beyond the administrative city limits and has an estimated population of over 9,500,000. A commuter belt completes the Paris aire urbaine that, with its population of an estimated 12,000,000 is one of the most populated areas of its kind in Europe.

Paris is one of the world's leading business and cultural centres and has been an important settlement for more than two millennia, plus with its many influences including fashion, the arts, media, entertainment , science, education and politics, not forgetting the incredible French cuisine that can be found in many restaurants around Paris , then of course you have the French wines to taste as well, that have all contributed to making its status as one of the world's major global cities. The Paris Region is the centre of economic activity within France and would you believe it, produced more than a quarter of the gross domestic product of France in the year 2006. La Defense has become the largest purpose-built business district in Europe and it is home to the head offices of almost half of the major French companies. But the head offices of 15 of the world's largest companies are also based in this area. Paris also plays host to many different international organisations such as UNESCO and the ICC. Paris has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with over 30 million foreign visitors per year.

The city plays host to numerous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower , Notre Dame Cathedral , the Arc de Triomphe and The Champs-Elysees , to name but a few, plus popular places like Disneyland Paris Resort . Copyright ï¿½ All Rights Reserved Capital of France | Article about capital of France by The Free Dictionary Capital of France | Article about capital of France by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Medical , Financial , Wikipedia . Paris (pâr`ĭs, Fr. pärē`), city (1999 pop. 2,115,757; metropolitan area est. pop. 11,000,000), N central France, capital of the country, on the Seine River. It is the commercial and industrial focus of France and a cultural and intellectual center of international renown. The city possesses an indefinable unity of atmosphere that has fascinated writers, poets, and painters for centuries. Paris is sometimes called the City of Light in tribute to its intellectual preeminence as well as to its beautiful appearance. Paris is the center of many major newspapers and periodicals, as well as all the major French radio and television stations.

Elegant stores and hotels, lavish nightclubs, theaters, and gourmet restaurants help make tourism the biggest industry in Paris. Other leading industries manufacture luxury articles, high-fashion clothing, perfume, and jewelry. Heavy industry, notably automobile manufacture, is located in the suburbs. About one quarter of the French labor force is concentrated in the Paris area. Transportation Facilities Situated in the center of the Paris basin (see Île-de-France Île-de-France , region and former province, N central France, in the center of the Paris basin, a fertile depression where the Marne and Ouse rivers join the Seine. ..... Click the link for more information. ), and only 90 mi (145 km) from the English Channel, the city handles a great volume of shipping. Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports (the latter opened in 1974) and many major railroad stations make Paris one of the great transportation centers of western Europe. The Paris metro (subway), built in 1900, was modernized and extended during the 1970s. There are now 16 principal metro lines and a high-speed express subway system servicing the suburbs.

The system's hub, Chatelet Les-Halles, is perhaps the largest, busiest underground station in the world. Paris is also the hub of the national rail system, with high-speed trains connecting it to most major European cities. Points of Interest Paris is divided into roughly equal sections by the Seine. On the right (northern) bank are the Bois de Boulogne Bois de Boulogne , park in Paris, France, bordering on the western suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine. A favorite pleasure ground since the 17th cent., the park contains the race courses of Auteuil and Longchamps and many delightful promenades and bridle paths. ..... Click the link for more information. and the adjoining Stade Roland Garros (site of tennis's French Open), Arc de Triomphe Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile , imposing triumphal arch in Paris standing on an elevation at the end of the Avenue des Champs Élysées and in the center of the Place de l'Étoile, which is formed by the intersection of 12 radiating avenues. ..... Click the link for more information.

, the old Bibliothèque nationale Bibliothèque nationale , national library of France, in Paris, a government archive, and one of the foremost libraries of the world. It originated with the collections of writings made by early French kings, including Charlemagne. ..... Click the link for more information. , Élysée Élysée , palace in Paris, on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Built in 1718 and once the property of Mme de Pompadour, it has been since 1873 the official residence of the presidents of France. ..... Click the link for more information. Palace, Grand Palais, Georges Pompidou National Center for Art and Culture (see Beaubourg Beaubourg , popular name for the Georges Pompidou National Center for Art and Culture , museum in Paris, France; the popular name is derived from the district in which it is located. ..... Click the link for more information. ), Place de la Concorde Concorde, Place de la , large square, Paris, France.

It is bounded by the Tuileries gardens; the Champs Élysées; the Seine River; and a facade of buildings divided by a vista of the Madeleine Church. ..... Click the link for more information. , Opéra Opéra (Académie de musique), former chief opera house of Paris, on the Place de l'Opéra, one of the main crossroads on the right bank of the Seine. Designed by J. L. C. Garnier and also called the Palais Garnier, it was built between 1861 and 1875. ..... Click the link for more information. , Comédie Française Comédie Française or Théâtre Français , state theater of France. Also known as La Maison de Molière, it was officially established by Louis XIV in 1680. ..... Click the link for more information. , Louvre Louvre , foremost French museum of art, located in Paris. The building was a royal fortress and palace built by Philip II in the late 12th cent. In 1546 Pierre Lescot was commissioned by Francis I to erect a new building on the site of the Louvre. .....

Click the link for more information. , Palais de Chaillot, Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Grande Arche de la Défense, Champs Élysées Champs Élysées , avenue of Paris, France, leading from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. It is celebrated for its tree-lined beauty, its commodious breadth, the elegance of its cafés, theaters, and shops, and the fountain display at its center. ..... Click the link for more information. , and other great streets, sites, and boulevards. In the eastern part of the right bank is the Museum of the Art and History of Judaism, the Place de la Bastille Bastille [O.Fr.,=fortress], fortress and state prison in Paris, located, until its demolition (started in 1789), near the site of the present Place de la Bastille. It was begun c.1369 by Hugh Aubriot, provost of the merchants [mayor] of Paris under King Charles V. ..... Click the link for more information.

and the Bastille Opera; to the north is Montmartre Montmartre [Fr.,=hill of the martyrs], hill in Paris, on the right bank of the Seine River. The highest point of Paris, it is topped by the Church of Sacré-Cœur. Parts of the ancient quarter on its slopes were long a favorite residence of the bohemian world. ..... Click the link for more information. , the highest area in Paris, topped by the Church of Sacré-Cœur Much of the right bank, which has many of the most fashionable streets and shops, has a stately air. At night many monuments and boulevards are floodlit. In the city's northeastern outskirts is the Parc de la Villette, home of the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie (1986), the Cité de la Musique (1995), the Philharmonie de Paris (2015), and other performance and exhibition spaces. The left bank, with the Sorbonne Sorbonne , first endowed college in the Univ.

of Paris, founded by Robert de Sorbon (1201–74), chaplain of Louis IX, and opened in 1253 for the purpose of providing quarters for theology students who were not friars. ..... Click the link for more information. , the French Academy French Academy (L'Académie française), learned society of France. It is one of the five societies of the Institut de France. Development ..... Click the link for more information. , the Panthéon (see under pantheon pantheon , term applied originally to a temple to all the gods. The Pantheon at Rome was built by Agrippa in 27 B.C., destroyed, and rebuilt in the 2d cent. by Hadrian. ..... Click the link for more information. ), the Luxembourg Palace Luxembourg Palace, large Renaissance palace in Paris, on the left bank of the Seine near the Sorbonne. It was built (1615–20) for Marie de' Medici by Salomon de Brosse on the site of a former palace belonging to the duke of Piney-Luxembourg (hence its name), and it was ..... Click the link for more information.

and Gardens, the Jardin des Plantes (site of the National Natural History Museum), the Chamber of Deputies, the Quai d'Orsay Quai d'Orsay , quay on the left bank of the Seine River in Paris, extending from the Eiffel Tower to the Palais Bourbon (housing the national assembly). Next to the Palais Bourbon stands the French ministry of foreign affairs, a vast palatial building, which is often referred to ..... Click the link for more information. , and the Hotel des Invalides Invalides, Hôtel des , celebrated landmark of Paris, France, built (1671–76) by Libéral Bruant as a hospital for disabled veterans. One of the most imposing examples of French classical architecture, it now houses a military museum. ..... Click the link for more information. , is the governmental and to a large extent the intellectual section.

The Latin Quarter, for nearly a thousand years the preserve of university students and faculty; the Faubourg Saint-Germain section, at once aristocratic and a haven for students and artists (the celebrated Café des Deux Magots and Café de Flore are there); and Montparnasse Montparnasse , quarter of Paris, on the left bank of the Seine River, centering on the intersection of the Boulevard de Montparnasse and the Boulevard Raspail. Its famous cafés (the Dôme, the Rotonde, the Coupole, and others) were long centers of the Parisian ..... Click the link for more information. are the most celebrated left-bank districts. The Eiffel Tower Eiffel Tower, structure designed by A. G. Eiffel and erected in the Champ-de-Mars for the Paris exposition of 1889. The tower is 984 ft (300 m) high and consists of an iron framework supported on four masonry piers, from which rise four columns uniting to form one shaft. ..... Click the link for more information. stands by the Seine on the Champ-de-Mars.

In SE Paris, also on the left bank, is Paris Rive Gauche, a former industrial area redeveloped with a variety of newer buildings and renovations, many by prominent architects; the new Bibliothèque nationale (opened 1998) is there. The historical nucleus of Paris is the Île de la Cité, a small boat-shaped island largely occupied by the huge Palais de Justice and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris. It is connected with the smaller Île Saint-Louis, occupied by elegant houses of the 17th and 18th cent. Characteristic of Paris are the tree-lined quays along the Seine (famed, on the left bank, for their open-air bookstalls), the historic bridges that span the Seine, and the vast tree-lined boulevards that replaced the city walls. Skyscrapers, apartment complexes, and highways have been added to the Paris scene in recent years. Government and People Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements (districts or boroughs), each of which has a local council and a mayor, but most of the power is held by the mayor of the City of Paris who is chosen by the city's council.

Paris and its suburbs together make up the eight departments of the Île-de-France administrative region, which is governed by an elected assembly, chairman (or president), and supervisor and overseen by a prefect appointed by the state. Immigrants to France now constitute nearly 20% of Paris's population. The majority of these are Algerian, Moroccan, and Tunisian. Large groups of Indochinese have also immigrated to Paris. About 75% of all Parisians live in the suburbs due to high costs and a high population density in the city. New towns have been built, consolidating suburban areas, and a great deal of manufacturing and other industry takes place in the suburbs. History Early History Julius Caesar conquered Paris in 52 B.C. It was then a fishing village, called Lutetia Parisiorum (the Parisii were a Gallic tribe), on the Île de la Cité. Under the Romans the town spread to the left bank and acquired considerable importance under the later emperors. The vast catacombs under Montparnasse and the baths (now in the Cluny Mus.) remain from the Roman period. Legend says that St. Denis Denis, Saint , fl.

3d cent.?, patron of France. He is said to have been first bishop of Paris and to have died a martyr on Montmartre. His shrine was Saint-Denis. The Latin of the name is Dionysius; he was long identified with Dionysius the Areopagite. Feast: Oct. 9. ..... Click the link for more information. , first bishop of Paris, was martyred on Montmartre (hence the name) and that in the 5th cent. St. Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, preserved the city from destruction by the Huns. On several occasions in its early history Paris was threatened by barbarian and Norman invasions, which at times drove the inhabitants back to the Île de la Cité. Clovis I and several other Merovingian kings made Paris their capital; under Charlemagne it became a center of learning. In 987, Hugh Capet, count of Paris, became king of France. The Capetians firmly established Paris as the French capital. The city grew as the power of the French kings increased. In the 11th cent. the city spread to the right bank.

During the next two centuries—the reign of Philip Augustus (1180–1223) is especially notable for the growth of Paris—streets were paved and the city walls enlarged; the first Louvre (a fortress) and several churches, including Notre-Dame, were constructed or begun; and the schools on the left bank were organized into the Univ. of Paris. One of them, the Sorbonne, became a fountainhead of theological learning with Albertus Magnus and St. Thomas Aquinas among its scholars. The university community constituted an autonomous borough; another was formed on the right bank by merchants ruled by their own provost. In 1358, under the leadership of the merchant provost Étienne Marcel, Paris first assumed the role of an independent commune and rebelled against the dauphin (later Charles V). During the period of the Hundred Years War the city suffered civil strife (see Armagnacs and Burgundians Armagnacs and Burgundians, opposing factions that fought to control France in the early 15th cent.

The rivalry for power between Louis d'Orléans, brother of the recurrently insane King Charles VI, and his cousin John the Fearless, duke of Burgundy, led to Louis's murder ..... Click the link for more information. ), occupation by the English (1419–36), famine, and the Black Death. During the Renaissance The Renaissance reached Paris in the 16th cent. during the reign of Francis I (1515–47). At this time the Louvre was transformed from a fortress to a Renaissance palace. In the Wars of Religion (1562–98), Parisian Catholics, who were in the great majority, took part in the massacre of St. Bartholomew's Day (1572), forced Henry III to leave the city on the Day of Barricades (1588), and accepted Henry IV only after his conversion (1593) to Catholicism. Cardinal Richelieu, Louis XIII's minister, established the French Academy and built the Palais Royal and the Luxembourg Palace.

During the Fronde Fronde , 1648–53, series of outbreaks during the minority of King Louis XIV, caused by the efforts of the Parlement of Paris (the chief judiciary body) to limit the growing authority of the crown; by the personal ambitions of discontented nobles; and by the grievances of ..... Click the link for more information. , Paris once again defied the royal authority. Louis XIV, distrustful of the Parisians, transferred (1682) his court to Versailles. Parisian industries profited from the lavishness of Versailles; the specialization in luxury goods dates from that time. J. H. Mansart under Louis XIV and François Mansart, J. G. Soufflot, and J. A. Gabriel under Louis XV created some of the most majestic prospects of modern Paris. The Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries During the late 17th and the 18th cent.

Paris acquired further glory as the scene of many of France's greatest cultural achievements: the plays of Molière, Racine, and Corneille; the music of Lully, Rameau, and Gluck; the paintings of Watteau, Fragonard, and Boucher; and the salons where many of the philosophes of the Enlightenment Enlightenment, term applied to the mainstream of thought of 18th-century Europe and America. Background and Basic Tenets The scientific and intellectual developments of the 17th cent. ..... Click the link for more information. gathered. At the same time, growing industries had resulted in the creation of new classes—the bourgeoisie and proletariat—concentrated in such suburbs (faubourgs) as Saint-Antoine and Saint-Denis; in the opening events of the French Revolution French Revolution, political upheaval of world importance in France that began in 1789. Origins of the Revolution Historians disagree in evaluating the factors that brought about the Revolution. ..... Click the link for more information. , city mobs stormed the Bastille (July, 1789) and hauled the royal family from Versailles to Paris (Oct., 1789).

Throughout the turbulent period of the Revolution the city played a central role. Napoleon to the Commune Napoleon (emperor, 1804–15) began a large construction program (including the building of the Arc de Triomphe, the Vendôme Column, and the arcaded Rue de Rivoli) and enriched the city's museums with artworks removed from conquered cities. In the course of his downfall Paris was occupied twice by enemy armies (1814, 1815). In the first half of the 19th cent. Paris grew rapidly. In 1801 it had 547,000 people; in 1817, 714,000; in 1841, 935,000; and in 1861, 1,696,000. The revolutions of July, 1830, and Feb., 1848, both essentially Parisian events, had repercussions throughout Europe. Culturally, the city was at various times the home or host of most of the great European figures of the age.

Balzac, Hugo, Chopin, Berlioz, Liszt, Wagner, Delacroix, Ingres, and Daumier were a few of the outstanding personalities. The grand outline of modern Paris was the work of Baron Georges Haussmann Haussmann, Georges Eugène, Baron , 1809–91, French civic official and city planner. Distinguished for his bold alterations in the layout of Paris under Napoleon III, he is largely responsible for the city's present appearance. ..... Click the link for more information. , who was appointed prefect by Napoleon III. The great avenues, boulevards, and parks are his work. During the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71), Paris was besieged for four months by the Germans and then surrendered. After the Germans withdrew, Parisian workers rebelled against the French government and established the Commune of Paris Commune of Paris, insurrectionary governments in Paris formed during (1792) the French Revolution and at the end (1871) of the Franco-Prussian War. In the French Revolution, the Revolutionary commune, representing urban workers, tradespeople, and radical bourgeois, engineered ..... Click the link for more information.

, which was bloodily suppressed. Under the Third Republic With the establishment of the Third French Republic and relative stability, Paris became the great industrial and transportation center it is today. Two epochal events in modern cultural history that took place in Paris were the first exhibition of impressionist painting (1874) and the premiere of Stravinsky's Sacre du Printemps (1913). In World War I the Germans failed to reach Paris. After 1919 the outermost city fortifications were replaced by housing developments, including the Cité Universitaire, which houses thousands of students. During the 1920s, Paris was home to many disillusioned artists and writers from the United States and elsewhere. German troops occupied Paris during World War II from June 14, 1940, to Aug. 25, 1944. The city was not seriously damaged by the war. Contemporary Paris Paris was the headquarters of NATO from 1950 to 1967; it is the headquarters of UNESCO and the European Space Agency. A program of cleaning the city's major buildings and monuments was completed in the 1960s.

The city was the scene in May, 1968, of serious disorders, beginning with a student strike, that nearly toppled the Fifth Republic. In 1971, Les Halles, Paris's famous central market, called by Zola the "belly" of Paris, was dismantled. Construction began immediately on Chatelet Les-Halles, Paris's new metro hub, which was completed in 1977. The Forum des Halles, a partially underground, multistory commercial and shopping center, opened in 1979. Other developments include the Georges Pompidou National Center for Art and Culture, built in 1977, which includes the National Museum of Modern Art. The Louvre underwent extensive renovation, and EuroDisney, a multibillion dollar theme and amusement park, opened in the Parisian suburbs in 1992. A number of major projects in the city were initiated by President François Mitterrand Mitterrand, François Maurice , 1916–96, French political leader, president of France, 1981–95.

Initially a supporter of Pétain's Vichy government during World War II, he joined the Resistance in 1943. ..... Click the link for more information. (1981–95); they include the new Bibliothèque Nationale, the glass pyramid at the Louvre, Grande Arche de la Défense, Arab Institute, Bastille Opera, and Cité de la Musique. Bibliography See J. Flanner, Paris Journal (2 vol., 1965–71; repr. 1977) and Paris Was Yesterday, 1925–39 (1988); M. Kessel, The History of Paris, from Caesar to Saint Louis (tr. 1969); L. Bernard, The Emerging City: Paris in the Age of Louis XIV (1970); M. Guerrini, Napoleon and Paris: Thirty Years of History (tr. and abr. 1971); D. Thomson, Renaissance Paris (1984); D. Roche, The People of Paris (1987); J.

Seigel, Bohemian Paris (1987); J.-M. Pérouse de Montclos, Paris: City of Art (2003); S. Roux, Paris in the Middle Ages (2009); J. W. Baldwin, Paris 1200 (2010); E. Hazan, The Invention of Paris (2010); G. Robb, An Adventure History of Paris (2010); C. Rearick, Paris Dreams, Paris Memories (2011); S. Kirkland, Paris Reborn (2013); J. DeJean, How Paris Became Paris (2014); M. McAuliffe, Twilight of the Belle Epoque (2014). Paris (pâr`ĭs), city (1990 pop. 24,699), seat of Lamar co., E Tex., in the Red River valley; settled 1824. It is a processing center for the rich farms of the blackland region, which produces cotton, grain, and livestock. There are various light manufactures.

The city developed after the arrival of the railroad in 1876, and it was rebuilt after its destruction by fire in 1916. Paris or Alexander, in Greek mythology, son of Priam and Hecuba and brother of Hector. Because it was prophesied that he would cause the destruction of Troy, Paris was abandoned on Mt. Ida, but there he was raised by shepherds and loved by the nymph Oenone Oenone , in Greek mythology, nymph skilled in the art of healing. Paris loved her but later deserted her for Helen. Oenone, in revenge, sent their son, Corythus, to guide the Greeks to Troy. When Paris lay mortally wounded, he asked her to heal him but she refused. ..... Click the link for more information. . Later he returned to Troy, where he was welcomed by Priam. Paris was chosen to settle a dispute among the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, all of whom claimed possession of the apple of discord, a golden fruit inscribed "to the fairest." It had been thrown among the guests at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis by Eris, who sought revenge because she had not been invited.

Hera tried to bribe Paris with royal greatness and riches, and Athena offered him success in war, but Paris awarded the apple to Aphrodite, who promised him Helen, the most beautiful of women. With Aphrodite's help he abducted Helen from King Menelaus of Sparta; thus he brought on the Trojan War. In the war Paris killed Achilles, but was himself fatally wounded by Philoctetes. Paris a genus of perennial grasses of the Liliaceae family. The leaves are oval or lanceolate and are located on a whorled scape (usually six to 12 of them). The flowers are single and terminal with three to ten sepals; the petals are usually narrow and long, often almost threadike, and as a rule yellowish-green. (Sometimes they are absent.) The fruit is berry-like or is a boll. Approximately 30 species grow in Eurasia; in the USSR there are four species, the most wide-spread of which is the herb paris (P. quadrifolia), which is found in forests and among bushes in humid areas of the European part of the USSR, in the Caucasus, and in Siberia. Paris is a poisonous plant.

Paris the capital of France, the country’s main economic, political, and cultural center, and one of the world’s largest and most beautiful cities. Paris is situated at the confluence of the Seine and its chief tributaries, the Marne and the Oise. The climate is mild, temperate, and maritime, with an average January temperature of 3.4°C and an average July temperature of 18.8°C. The temperature drops to freezing 52 days a year. The annual precipitation is 645 mm. The area of Paris proper is 105 sq km (within the city limits —the department of Paris, which is divided into 20 arrondissements, or districts). The population is 2,455,000 (1973; 2,725,400 according to the 1946 census). The Paris conurbation (Greater Paris) has an area of 1,700 sq km and a population of approximately 10 million (1974). The most important suburbs are Boulogne-Billancourt, St.

Denis, Montreuil, Versailles, Argenteuil, Nanterre, and Colombes. Greater Paris occupies the Seine River valley and the surrounding plateaus and buttes— monadnocks rising 100–150 m above the water level of the Seine (for example, Montmartre, Mont Valérien, and the Plateau des Alluets). The diversity of the relief adds interest to the landscape, lending a picturesque quality to the city. In 1970, Paris and the seven departments surrounding it were designated the Paris region (since 1976, Ile-de-France), an urbanized area considered to be a single economic region. Its area is 12,100 sq km (2 percent of the territory of France). In 1974 its population was 10 million (95 percent urban; approximately one-fifth of the country’s population). For a long time, the population of Paris increased rapidly, as a result of migration and territorial expansion. Since the mid-20th century, however, the population of Paris proper has declined (see Table 1).

According to the 1968 census, native Parisians constituted only 60 percent of the residents of Greater Paris. The city’s growth has led to an increase in daily commuter traffic. In the Ile-de-France region more than 1.4 million people cross departmental boundaries twice a day. Of these, 860,000 commute to Paris for work or study, and 200,000 commute to work in the suburbs. Table 1. Population of Paris 15.5 15 The chief branch of industry is machine building and metal-working, which employs more than half of the city’s industrial labor force. The automobile, electrical engineering, and electronics industries are particularly important. More than 2 million automobiles per year are produced (2,634,000 in 1972, or 79 percent of the industry’s national output). The largest plants are operated by Renault (in Boulogne-Billancourt) and Citroën (on the Quai de Javel).

Also of great importance are the aircraft industry (about half the industry’s national output), the machine tool industry (about 40 percent of the national output), the production of equipment for precision mechanics and optics, the armaments industry, and other branches of machine building (except metal-consuming ones). Industrial plants obtain metal primarily from Lorraine and the northern and Lyon economic regions. The chemical industry of Paris employs one-third of that industry’s national work force. The industry’s main branches are the rubber industry, fine chemicals (pharmaceuticals and photographic chemicals), and plastics. The garment industry is a branch of light industry. Paris is the international arbiter of fashions. More than 30 percent of France’s ready-to-wear clothing is produced there. The city is known throughout the world for the manufacture of toiletries, fancy goods, jewelry, and souvenirs. Also among the city’s highly developed industries are the paper, publishing, furniture, and food-processing industries, as well as the building materials and construction industries. Most of the industrial enterprises are located in the northern and western suburbs of Paris, primarily on the banks of the Seine and along the St.

Denis Canal in Boulogne-Billancourt, Puteaux, Levallois-Perret, Gennevilliers, and St. Denis. Half of the country’s banks and 72 percent of the total national banking capital (1972) are concentrated in Paris. The city plays a leading role in France’s foreign trade, as well as in internal trade, accounting for half the national trade turnover. Major trade fairs are held regularly in Paris. Every year, millions of foreign tourists visit the city. (A total of more than 15 million tourists come to France every year.) To accommodate tourists, the city has approximately 1,300 hotels (55,000 rooms in 1972). Paris is the main transportation center of France. Important international routes pass through the city. The capital is the hub of 11 railroad lines, which link it with the country’s economic regions and major ports and which are connected within Greater Paris by two circular lines. The most important highways and internal waterways converge in Paris. Canals have been built on the Seine as far as Rouen.

The river is navigable for vessels with a maximum displacement of 2,000 tons. A system of canals extending from the Seine and its tributaries connects Paris with the Rhine, the Rhône, and the Loire, as well as with the northern industrial region. The freight turnover at the city’s river port is 24 million tons (1972). The main cargoes include building materials, petroleum products, coal, and metals. Gennevilliers is the main river port. Paris is a major center for international air routes. The main airports are Orly, Le Bourget, and Charles De Gaulle airport. (In 1972 the total passenger turnover at all of the city’s airports was 16.1 million.) Paris has a well-developed network of subway and bus lines. In 1972 there were 2.8 million automobiles in the city. Automobile traffic does not flow smoothly; during rush hours, even the widest streets accommodate the stream of cars with difficulty, and there is a shortage of parking spaces.

The municipal authorities are trying to solve the transportation problem by building high-speed subway lines, underground garages, and expressways encircling and radiating out from the city. (The first high-speed subway line [east-west] is already in operation.) In the Paris region (Ile-de-France) the condition of the environment is deteriorating. Urban waste products poison and pollute the Seine, and waste gases from automobiles and industrial enterprises pollute the air. Paris has relatively little green area (8 sq m per resident, as compared with 9 in London, 25 in Vienna, and 38 in Moscow). A. E. S LUKA Architecture and city planning. Paris is one of the world’s most unusual cities. Imposing ceremonial architectural ensembles, Renaissance and classical buildings, parks and sculptures, main squares, esplanades, boulevards, and avenues border on cozy, picturesque quays, squares, and narrow medieval streets, as well as on expressways and districts with new buildings and skyscrapers. The city’s architectural character, which developed over many centuries, combines the features of various styles but has artistic unity because most of the buildings are of the same height and the spatial structures are in proportion.

The radial and circular layout of Paris dates from the Middle Ages. Its axes are formed by streets crossing the city from north to south, through the Ile de la Cité (the boulevards de Sébastopol, de Strasbourg, and St. Michel), and streets running east to west and parallel to the Seine (St. Antoine and St. Honoré). In Greater Paris more than 60 bridges span the river. The radial highways are crossed by wide circular boulevards built on the site of the city’s fortified walls. The ruins of a Gallo-Roman amphitheater (first century) and baths (second to third centuries) have been preserved. Historically, Paris developed around three centers. Of these, two emerged in the third century—one on the Ile de la Cité, where the secular and religious authorities of Paris were later concentrated, and the other on the Left Bank of the Seine, where the University of Paris was founded in the 12th-13th centuries. In the fifth through 13th centuries churches were built, and a ring of fortifications was constructed. New settlements developed around monasteries established near the city.

The cultural and economic growth of Paris was associated with the flowering of the Romanesque (11th—12th centuries) and Gothic styles (mid-12th century through early 16th). Among the buildings in these styles are the towers of John the Fearless (late 14th century) and St. Jacques (beginning of the 16th century), as well as many churches: the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, St. Germain des Prés (11th—17th centuries), St. Martin des Champs (12th-13th centuries), and St. Pierre de Montmartre (parts dating from the 12th century). Other Gothic churches include St. Julien le Pauvre (12th—17th centuries), St. Germain l’Auxerrois (parts from the 13th—15th centuries), and St. Séverin (13th-16th centuries). During the Middle Ages the city’s third historical center emerged—the trading and artisan districts on the Right Bank.

Most of the buildings erected after the Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453) were private residences, including the Hôtel de Cluny (now a museum; begun in 1485) and the Hôtel de Sens (begun in 1474). In the 16th and 17th centuries construction resumed its earlier pace, and an element of rational, regular planning was introduced into the chaotic medieval layout. During this period the city’s most important classical ensembles were built, including the Place des Vosges (1606–12, architect C. de Châtillon), as well as the Place Vendôme (1685–1701) and the Place des Victoires (1685–86, both by the architect J. Hardouin-Mansart). In addition, structures important from the point of view of city planning were erected, including the Pont Neuf (1578–1606, architect J. B. du Cerceau), the Fontaine des Innocents (1547–49, sculptor J. Goujon), and the Porte St.

Denis (1672, architect F. Blondel). Among the palaces dating from the 16th and 17th centuries are the Louvre, the Tuileries Palace (begun in 1564, architect P. Delorme, not preserved; with the Pavillon de Flore, 1600–08, architect J. B. du Cerceau), the Luxembourg Palace (1615–20, architect S. de Brosse), and the Palais Royal (1629–36, architect J. Lemercier). A number of important public buildings were constructed during the 17th century, including the Sorbonne (begun in 1629, with a church, 1635–54; architect Lemercier) and the Collège des Quatre-Nations (now the Institut de France; begun in 1661, architect L. Le Vau). Private residences dating from this period include the Hôtel Carnavalet (now a museum; begun in 1544, architect P. Lescot, sculptor J.

Goujon; alterations in 1660–61, architect N. F. Mansart) and the Hôtel de Sully (c. 1624, architect Jean I A. du Cereau). The Val de Grâce Monastery was built during this period (1645–1710, architects Mansart, Lemercier, and G. Le Duc), as was the Church of St. Roch (begun in 1653, architect Lemercier; from 1705, architect Hardouin-Mansart; completed in 1735, architect R. de Cotte). Wide avenues, including the Grand Boulevards, were built during the 1670’s. From the late 18th century through the early 19th, one of the main projects in city planning was the construction of squares —Place Louis XV (now Place de la Concorde; 1753–75, architect J. A. Gabriel) and the Place du Carrousel, with the Arch of Triumph (1806, architects C. Percier and P. Fontaine).

Another major project was the erection of city gates (1784–89, architect C. N. Ledoux). Chiefly as a result of the work of G. E. Haussmann, prefect of the department of the Seine, extensive urban renewal measures were carried out between 1853 and 1896. Major transportation arteries were constructed (for example, the Rue de Rivoli, and the axis made up of the boulevards de Strasbourg, de Sébastopol, and St. Michel). Public squares were built, with streets radiating out from them (for example, the Place de la République, 1854–62). In addition, new public gardens and forested parks were designed, including the Bois de Boulogne (1852–58) and the Bois de Vincennes (1859–60). In the wealthy bourgeois residential districts of western Paris, where major improvements were made (asphalt paving and gas lighting, for example), there are streets unusual for their width, green area, and impressive buildings.

In the overcrowded eastern and northern districts, which are inhabited by workers, artisans, and lower-level office workers, there are many old buildings without modern facilities, and apartment houses are interspersed with industrial enterprises. The eclectic and modernist styles of architecture were in vogue from the second half of the 19th century through the early 20th. Typical of the eclectic style are the Opéra and the Sacré Coeur basilica (begun in 1875, architect P. Abadie; illumination installed in 1919). Examples of the modernist style include subway entrances built around 1900 (H. Guimard) and the Théâtre des Champs Elysées (1911–13, architects A. Perret and G. Perret). During the 20th century the residential quarters on the outskirts of the city grew rapidly, and many shops, large stations, and exhibition halls were built.

In the 1920’s and 1930’s most construction projects were in the suburbs (for example, housing developments such as Le Pré-St.-Gervais [1929], Pantin [1930–33], and Drancy [1934]). After World War II (1939–45) and especially in the 1950’s, large residential areas were built in the suburbs, including Bobigny, Bonneuil, Massy-Antony, Sarcelles, and Bagnolet. Nonetheless, the concentration of an enormous population on a small territory has given rise to many extremely complex urban problems, including an acute housing crisis. The resolution of the housing problem is impeded by limited municipal credits for housing construction, by private landed property, and by real estate speculation, as well as by the grave deterioration of much of the city’s housing. In the 1960’s and early 1970’s intensive construction of residential complexes continued on the periphery of Paris (Nanterre and Créteil, for example).

Urban renewal projects in the city’s central districts have emphasized the construction of new buildings among existing ones—for example, the UNESCO building (1953–57, architects M. Breuer and B. Zehrfuss, engineer P. L. Nervi); the building for the Office of French Radio Broadcasting and Television (1959–63, architect H. Bernard); and the building of the Central Committee of the French Communist Party (1966–71, Brazilian architect O. Neimeyer). Problems in city planning are being solved by the construction of complexes of buildings, including two situated outside the city limits—the National Center for Industries and Technology (1958, architects B. Zehrfuss, R. Camelot, and J. de Mailly) and the new government and business center at the Quartier de la Défense (20 skyscrapers, begun in 1964). Construction of Maine-Montparnasse, a high-rise business center, began in 1964 (architects E. Beaudouin, J. Dubuisson, and R. Lopez).

The Front de Seine is a modern residential and office complex (begun in 1965; architects R. Lopez, A. Pottier, and M. Prou). Neither project has any relation to the structures around it. As a result, the distinctive unity and organic character of the city’s architecture have been lost, at least in part. To solve the main problems in city planning—preserving the city’s uniqueness and limiting its growth—satellite towns are under construction, and gradual decentralization of the city has been recommended. There are many important architectural ensembles in Paris. Among those located on the Ile de la Cité is the Palais de Justice (1783–86, architects P. Desmaisons and J. D. Antoine). Built on the site of the royal castle, it includes the 14th-century Conciergerie. The Ile de la Cité is also known for the Tour de l’Horloge (1370, clock installed c. 1585; sculptor G.

Pilon), as well as for the Sainte Chapelle (1243–48; stained-glass windows, 13th—15th centuries) and the cathedral of Notre Dame (1163–1257). On the Left Bank, one of the most important architectural ensembles is the Hôtel des Invalides (1671–76, architect L. Bruant), with the Cathédrale des Invalides (1680–1706, architect J. Hardouin-Mansart). The Hôtel des Invalides faces the Esplanade des Invalides and the Pont Alexandre III (1896–1900), which leads from the Esplanade des Invalides to two Right Bank exhibition halls, the Grand Palais (1900, chief architect J. A. A. Deglane) and the Petit Palais (1900, architect C. Girault). Another axis begins near the Hôtel des Invalides and includes the Ecole Militaire (1751–75, architect J. A.

Gabriel) and, leading to the Jena Bridge (1809–13), the Champ de Mars (modern layout, 1908–28), with the Eiffel Tower (1889). On the Right Bank this axis culminates in the Palais de Chaillot (1936, main architect L. Azéma). Left Bank architectural ensembles also include the Panthéon (1758–90, architect J.-B. Soufflot), the Bibliothèque Ste. Geneviève (1843–50, architect H. Labrouste), and the church of St. Etienne du Mont (rebuilt between 1492 and 1626). On the Right Bank the center of the architectural ensembles is formed by the intersection of two axes at the Place de la Concorde. The first axis, the main chain of architectural ensembles located at the center of the city, may be represented schematically as a series of squares. It consists of the Louvre (1546-mid-19th century) and the Jardin des Tuileries (architect A.

Lenôtre), the Place de la Concorde, the Champs Elysées (17th century, architect A. Lenôtre; built primarily in the 19th century), and the Place De Gaulle (formerly the Place de l’Etoile) with the Arch of Triumph (1806–37). Perpendicular to this axis is another one made up of the Rue Royale (1732), which leads from the Place de la Concorde north to the Place de la Madeleine, with the church of the Madeleine (begun in 1806, architect P.-A. Vignon; illumination installed in 1842). To the south, on the opposite side of the Seine, the axis culminates in the Palais Bourbon (the National Assembly; begun in 1722, facade 1804–07, architect B. Poyet). Among the most important monuments in Paris are the Vendôme Column (1806–10, architects J.-B. Lepère and J.

Gondouin), the relief La Marseillaise on the Arch of Triumph (1833–36, sculptor F. Rude), and the Wall of the Communards in the Père-Lachaise cemetery (1909, sculptor P. Moreau-Vauthier). Other important monuments include the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, under the Arch of Triumph (1921); the Memorial to the Martyrs of the Resistance on Mont Valérien (1960–61); and the Memorial to the Victims of the Fascist Concentration Camps (Ile de la Cité; 1961, architect H. Pingusson). Educational, scientific, and cultural institutions. Among the educational institutions located in Paris are the University of Paris, the Collège de France, the Ecole Practique Supérieure, the Institut Polytechnique National, the Ecole Normale Supérieure, the Ecole National Supérieure de l’Education Technique, and the Catholic University of Paris.

There are more than 40 “independent” institutes in the city, as well as two conservatories (dramatic arts and music), the Ecole du Louvre, and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Many scientific and scholarly institutions are located in Paris, including the Institut de France, which consists of five academies; the French Agricultural Academy; the Academy of Architecture; the Academy of Surgery; the Naval Academy; and the Academy of the Latin World. Other scientific institutions in the city are the National Academy of Medicine, the French Veterinary Academy, the National Center for Scientific Research, and various research institutes and scientific societies in all branches of science. France’s major libraries, including the National Archives and the National Library, are located in Paris. In addition, there are about 50 libraries at academies, universities, research institutes, and scientific societies. The Louvre, one of the world’s largest museums, is located in Paris, as are the Carnavalet Museum, which is devoted to the history of Paris; the National Museum of Modern Art; the Rodin Museum; the Army Museum (at the Hôtel des Invalides); and the Guimet Museum, which is devoted to the cultural history of several Asian countries.

Also located in Paris are the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of the Legion of Honor, the Balzac and Hugo memorial museums, and the V. I. Lenin Apartment Museum. Paris, one of the greatest theater centers in the world, has more than 60 theaters. In 1974 the leading ones included the Opéra, the Comédie Française, and the Théâtre de l’Est Parisien, which are subsidized by the government. Many theaters are located on the Grands Boulevards, including the Hébertot, the Renaissance, the Gymnase, the Porte St. Martin, Michodière, the Théâtre des Mathurins, and Comédie Caumartin. The stages of the Théâtre des Nations, the Théâtre du Châtelet, and the Odéon are usually reserved for various companies on tour. The popular suburban theaters represent the democratic wing of French theater arts. Among the best known of these are the Théâtre de la Commune (Aubervilliers), the Théâtre Gérard Philipe (St.

Denis), the Théâtre des Amandiers (Nanterre), and the Théâtre du Soleil (Vincennes). Chansonniers perform at the city’s numerous café theaters and cabarets. Among the concert halls of Paris are the Salle Pleyel, the Palais des Sports, the Olympia, and the Bobino. Actors are trained at the National Conservatory of Dramatic Art, musicians at the Paris Conservatory, and cinematographers at the Institute of Advanced Cinematographic Study. REFERENCES Barroux, R. Paris dès origines à nos jours et son rôle dans l’histoire de la civilisation. Paris, 1951. Boudet, J. Histoire de Paris et des parisiens. Paris, 1957. Wilhelm, J. Paris au cours des siècles. [Paris, 1961.] Ziegler, G. Paris et ses révolutions. Paris, 1970. Izmailova, R. Parizh. Moscow, 1954. Vitver, I. A., and A. E. Sluka. Frantsiia.

Moscow, 1958. Biriukov, V. P. Parizh. Moscow, 1968. Sytin, V. A. Parizh—gorod raznyi: Ocherki. Moscow, 1973. Arkin, D. Parizh: Arkhitekturnye ansambli goroda. [Moscow] 1937. Kalitina, I. N. Muzei Parizha. Leningrad-Moscow, 1967. Piliavskii, V. I., and N. Ia. Leiboshits. Parizh. Leningrad, 1968. Maurois, A. Parizh (Goroda i muzei mira series). Moscow, 1970. (Translated from French.) Hoffbauer, F. Paris à travers les âges, 2nd ed. Paris, 1885. Contet, F. Les Vieux Hôtels de Paris, vols. 1–21. Paris, 1908–34. Morizet, A.

Du Vieux Paris au Paris moderne. Paris, 1932. Boinet, A. Les Eglises parisiennes: Moyen âge e! Renaissance. Paris, 1958. Christ, Y. Paris. Paris, 1961. Hautecoeur, L. Paris, vols. 1–2. Paris, 1972. [19–584–3; updated] Paris in the Iliad, a son of the Trojan king Priam and Hecuba. He was exposed on a mountain upon birth because soothsayers had predicted that he would cause the ruin of Troy. Rescued by shepherds, Paris survived and, when he grew up, was made shepherd of the royal flocks on Mount Ida. Zeus chose him to act as judge in a quarrel between the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Aphrodite received the golden apple—the apple of discord—from Paris as the most beautiful of the three goddesses and thereafter became his protectress. She helped him abduct Helen, the wife of the Spartan king Menelaus, which led to the Trojan War.

At the end of the war, Paris slew Achilles but himself perished when struck by a poisoned arrow of Philoctetes. In classical art, Paris was portrayed as a handsome youth. L. Cranach, P. P. Rubens, and A. Watteau are among the later artists to depict Paris in their works. Paris disguised as priest of Venus to free Helen. [Fr. Operetta: Offenbach, La Belle Hélène, Westerman, 272–273] Paris 1 1. Greek myth a prince of Troy, whose abduction of Helen from her husband Menelaus started the Trojan War 2. Matthew. ?1200--59, English chronicler, whose principal work is the Chronica Majora Paris 2 1. the capital of France, in the north on the River Seine: constitutes a department; dates from the 3rd century bc, becoming capital of France in 987; centre of the French Revolution; centres around its original site on an island in the Seine, the Île de la Cité, containing Notre Dame; university (1150).

Pop.: 2 125 246 (1999) 2. Treaty of Paris a. a treaty of 1783 between the US, Britain, France, and Spain, ending the War of American Independence b. a treaty of 1763 signed by Britain, France, and Spain that ended their involvement in the Seven Years' War c. a treaty of 1898 between Spain and the US bringing to an end the Spanish-American War Paris

Question: What is the capital of France?
Answer: Paris