Considered the cultural and geographical nucleus of Paris, arrondissement 1 is home to the famous Jardin des Tuileries, (Tuileries Gardens) and The Louvre. The Tuileries is the oldest garden in Paris, according to Paris-walking-tours.com. In addition to the abundance of flowers such as hyacinths, irises and goblet-sized tulips, the gardens also house Rodin sculptures. The Tuileries border the Louvre, a former palace that now houses over 400,000 works of art. Among the most famous pieces are the "Mona Lisa" and the sensuous sculpture "Venus de Milo." The Sainte-Chapelle is also an arrondissement 1 hubbub. Built in 1241 by Louis IX, the chapel has enough stained glass to cover 6456 square feet.
Another tourist hotspot is arrondissement 4, which hugs the Seine River. It is where visitors flock to see Notre Dame Cathedral and the Place des Vosges. Immortalized in Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," the cathedral is to Paris what the sphinx is to Egypt. According to the website Sacred Destinations, roughly 13 million tourists visit the cathedral every year, surpassing the number of visitors to the Eiffel Tower. An archetype of Gothic architecture with its pointed arches, flying buttresses and watchful gargoyles, the cathedral is still active. Originally known as the Royal Palace, the Place Des Vosges was built in 1604 under the reign of King Henry IV. Tourists can stroll through the symmetrical building with its galleries and vaulted arcades, or wander through the park under a canopy of trees before passing by the fountain.
Arrondissement 5 is also known as the Latin Quarter thanks to the fact that it is home to the Sorbonne, a historical building that was once part of the University of Paris. Founded in 1253, it was considered one of the first colleges of merit in Europe as it schooled its students in Latin, among other subjects. The Musee National du Moyen Age is built on the site where Franco-Roman baths once stood. Today, the museum has a wealth of medieval era tapestries and exhibits that showcase how trade between French merchants and merchants of the East enabled French artisans to use Byzantine silk. Visitors can also tour 16th century Gallo-Roman bathhouses that still stand.
Also known as the Palais-Bourbon area, arrondissement 7 is the location of the Eiffel Tower and the Musee d'Orsay. Debuting during the 1889 World Exhibition, the Eiffel Tower is one of the most famous landmarks in the world, joining the ranks of London's Big Ben and Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa, according to Nations Online. The Musee d'Orsay is housed in a former railway station. It's a haven for impressionist art, with over 2300 paintings by Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Degas and many others.
