Paris sights that bring you in touch with Chopin: When Frédéric Chopin left Warsaw in 1830, he set out for Vienna which he had visited the year before. Chopin had aroused interest in his music the previous year and he now hoped to make a more lasting impression. Unfortunately for Chopin, the time was not right for him. Vienna in 1830 was not short of pianists, and he could not compete with the likes of Thalberg, who had out-performed the rest of the field. After a few months in … [Read more...]
Sainte-Chapelle – A Gateway to Heaven
March 24, 2010 by
One of the greatest Architectural masterpieces: This small chapel is a masterpiece of flamboyant Gothic architecture and one of the most amazing visual experiences of Paris. Much of this is due to its stained glass windows which surround the entire upper floor. So stunningly beautiful are its stained glass interior that even in the Middle Ages, worshipers likened the church to "a gateway to heaven". La Sainte-Chapelle (The Holy Chapel) is a 13th-century Gothic chapel on the Île de … [Read more...]
La Madeleine – a Church Dedicated to Mary Magdalene
March 22, 2010 by
Built as a temple to honour the glory of Napoleon's Army: La Madeleine is a church dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, but when it was built, it was intended as a temple to honour the glory of Napoleon's army. Its style is Neo-Classical and it was inspired by the Maison Carrée in Nimes, but had it not been for a couple of twists in the course of history, La Madeleine might well have been quite a different monument today. When Pierre Contant d'Ivry was first commissioned to build … [Read more...]
Opéra Garnier – A Grand Paris Opera House
May 21, 2009 by
Palais Garnier is a Paris Opera House fit for an Emperor: You don't have to be an opera buff to appreciate the Palais Garnier which is also known as the Opéra de Paris or the Opéra Garnier, or more commonly referred to as the Paris Opéra. Located on the Place de l'Opéra in Paris' 9th arondissement, this 1,900-seat neo-Baroque style opera house was built on the orders of Napoleon III and its grandeur is certainly fit for emperors. As part of Napoleon III's great Parisian … [Read more...]