One of three large statues on the rooftop of the Musée d’Orsay, Paris looking across the Seine to the Louvre Museum. This statue, entitled Orleans, was created as an allegorical representation of the city of Orleans, which was one of three major cities served by the train line that originated in the building when it […]

Sacre Coeur Basilica (Basilica of the Sacred Heart) in the northern suburbs of Paris. Completed in 1914, it’s the second most visited monument in town, with 10 million visitors a year. Only Notre Dame Cathedral had more last year (12 million). With Notre Dame closed for repair following the disastrous April 2019 fire that gutted […]

Replica of the Statue of Liberty in Nice, France on the promenade behind the Nice Opera House. Erected in 2014, this miniature work commemorates the renovation of the Quai des Etats Unis. The quay, itself, is named after the United States (Etats Unis in French). The quay honors the role America played in helping France […]

Massive beaux-arts clock hanging inside the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, France. The clock dates to around 1898 and originally overlooked the passenger platforms when the building was used as a train station. When the space was converted into one of Paris’ best art museums in the mid-1980s, the clock was incorporated into the new layout. […]

The Eiffel Tower viewed from a park across the Seine. Built in 1889 for the World’s Fair, nearly 7 million visitors ascend the tower every year. Despite its current popularity, it originally drew significant criticism. For example, Artists against the Eiffel Tower described its potential impact on the cityscape in ruinous terms. They wrote, “. […]