 About Paris Paris, the capital of France, is called the City of Lights (la Ville Lumiere). The city consists of
two
parts devided by the river Seine. Paris' name derives from the name of a Gallic tribe - Parisis. The
historical center of Paris is a small
island called
the IIe de la Cite. Now it is accupied by the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris and
the enormous Palais de Justice and is connected
with a smaller island
with elegant buildings dating from 17th and 18th centuries. After the romans
Paris was captured by Clovis the Frank in 508 and
made the capital of the
Merovingian dynasty of the Franks. The golden age of the city began with the establishment of the French Second Empire in
1852 . In the next decades much of
the architecture known today in Paris was planned and constructed. Paris has been attractive tourist destination
and cultural center for centuries. Paris is
famous with the beauty of its architecture and the wealth of its museums.
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