,Eiffel Tower,Eiffel Tower, wrought-iron tower in Paris, a landmark and an early example of wrought-iron construction on a gigantic scale. It was designed and built by the French civil engineer Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel for the Paris Worlds Fair of 1889.,The tower, without its modern broadcasting antennas, is 300 m (984 ft) high. The lower section consists of four immense arched legs set on masonry piers. The legs curve inward until they unite in a single tapered tower. Platforms, each with an observation deck, are at three levels; on the first is also a restaurant.,The tower, constructed of about 6300 metric tons (about 7000 tons) of iron, has stairs and elevators. A meteorological station, a radio communications station, and a television transmission antenna, as well as a suite of rooms that were used by Eiffel, are located near the top of the tower.,Notre Dame cathedral,In thinking of Gothic architecture, our thoughts always ascend. For that which embodies Gothic style most is lofty； Rose windows of stained glass, ornately crafted spires, and the guardians of grand cathedrals, the Gargoyles. Each is distinctly Gothic, and all distinctly Notre Dame de Paris.,Notre Dame de Paris, more than seven hundred years old, is only the most recent of holy houses to occupy this ancient sacred ground. The Celts held their services on this island in the Seine, and atop their sacred groves the Romans built their own temple to Jupiter. In the early years of Christianity, a basilica dedicated to St. Etienne was constructed around 528 by Childebert. A church in the Romanesque manner replaced the basilica, and this stood until 1163 when work began on the structure which stands today.,Louvre,Louvre, national art museum of France and the palace in which it is housed, is located in Paris, on the Right Bank of the Seine River. The structure, until 1682 a residence of the kings of France, is one of the largest palaces in the world. It occupies the site of a 13th-century fortress. The building of the Louvre was begun in 1546 in the reign of Francis I, according to the plans of the French architect Pierre Lescot. Additions were made to the structure during the reigns of almost every subsequent French monarch.,Under Henry IV, in the early 17th century, the Grand Galerrie, now the main picture gallery, which borders the Seine, was completed. Under Napoleon III a wing on the north side was finished. By the mid-19th century the vast complex was completed; covering more than 48 acres, it is a masterpiece of architectural design and sculptural adornment.,In 1993 the Richelieu Wing was opened by President Mitterrand of France. The north wing of the Louvre Palace, formerly occupied by the Ministry of Finance, was vacated and transformed into exhibition areas.,