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paris0204_027.jpg
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Detail of the Eiffel Tower, showing the names of 72 French scientists
and other famous individuals in 60-centimeter letters just beneath
the first platform, with 18 names per side.
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paris0204_031a.jpg
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This is the pont Alexandre III (the Alexander III bridge), which
many people consider to be by far the most beautiful bridge in
Paris.
This bridge was built for the Exposition Universelle of 1900;
the first stone was placed four years earlier, by Nicolas II.
The bridge is encrusted from end to end with sculpture, gold leaf,
and the like, and it looks wonderful from just about any angle.
Part of the bridge is in pink granite. It often appears in movies
and other multimedia materials set in Paris to help capture that
"Paris look."
Each of the lampposts along the bridge includes globes of hand-blown
glass. The statues on the granite pillars at each end of the bridge
are covered with pure gold. It runs from the Great Palace and
the Invalid Esplanade.
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paris0204_032.jpg
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The next few pictures are details of the golden pegasus at the
four corners of the bridge.
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paris0204_042.jpg
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Detail of one of the towers of the Louvre, from the Seine river.
During the Middle Ages the Louvre was a fortress, the original
foundations can be visited in the museum's basement. It was alternately
demolished and extended/embellished by the Royal families. It
eventually became a palace, then Napoleon turned it into a museum.
The Louvre is currently the largest museum in the world
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paris0204_044a.jpg
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An almost full view of the Louvre, with the Pont Des Arts footbridge
in the foreground, which was built 1801-1804 and reworked in 1852,
named for the Louvre which at that time was known as the Palace
of the Arts. It was the first bridge in Paris to be made of iron.
It collapsed in 1979, but was rebuilt by Louis Arretche in 1984.
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paris0204_044b.jpg
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Institute of France. This building was designed by Le Vau in the
late 17th century. It used to house the College of the Four Nations,
but became the French Academy in 1805. The academy members are
known as the "Immortals", because they belong to the academy until
they die. They sit beneath the cupola to deliberate on the rules
for the French Language and update a dictionary.
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paris0204_046.jpg
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The sight of masted ships on the Seine suprised me, considering
the lack of height of the many bridges around Paris. I imagine
the masts fold down.
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paris0204_051.jpg
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Towers of Notre Dame Cathedral, on the Isle of the City (Ile de
la cite), where Paris was born. It is the largest island in Paris.
Over time, the island has grown from 8 to 17 hectares.
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