French Buildings

If you’ve ever visited France, you’ve no doubt noticed the large number of architectural sites (or should I say monuments) that it offers for its tourists. If you’ve never been to France, what are you waiting for? A brief look into the history of French architecture reveals that the French style of building runs fairly similar to its neighboring countries in Europe – however France is known to be the home of some of the earliest pioneers in architectural styles.

Now, there are many different types of famous French buildings all throughout France (although many of them are in France. Firstly, the churches in France are mostly beautiful Catholic cathedrals. Secondly, the castles in France are seldom fortified (like in the fairy tales), but venturing inside these castles, one would find that they are magical enough to exceed anyone’s expectations.

French Monuments

Paris itself is home to many of the famous French monuments – of course the most prominent one being the Eiffel tower, which was originally built for the 1889 World Fair. Still to this day, the Eiffel Tower is considered the best known symbol of France and is the structure that distinguishes France from many other European nations.

Another famous monument in Paris is the “Arc de Triomphe,” which pays tribute to the soldiers who fought for France, specifically during the Napoleonic Wars. “Le Panthéon” is yet another famous monument found in Paris – this is secular mausoleum where some of France’s greatest contributing citizens are buried.

French Churches

The most famous church in France is possibly the church of Notre Dame (in Paris), which attracts millions of tourists each year. Interesting fact: this is the church where the story The Hunchback of Notre Dame takes place. The highest cathedral in France is however located in Amiens (about 50 miles north of Paris) and it also attracts many visitors annually due to its historical and architectural significance.

French Châteaux (castle)

There are many castles that are worth visiting while touring France – some of the most popular ones being in the Loire River Valley.

French Museums

France is also home to many famous museums that feature beautiful art and sculptures not available anywhere else in the world. The most well-known of these museums (which most people may already know about) is the Musée du Louvre (featured in Da Vinci Code) – which stores an astonishing amount of beautiful artwork in a variety of formats.

Another popular museum in Paris is the Musée d’Orsay – which was originally built as a train station but was converted and opened as a museum in 1968. The museum is much smaller than the Louvre and offers a more manageable collection for the visitors to enjoy.

There are many more French buildings that are worth visiting while you are in France, in fact, most architectural sites in France have some sort of historical significance. Although the majority of the famous buildings can be found in Paris, there are many more that are available to view in other parts of France – for example, the Notre Dame de la Garde located in Marseilles is an extravagant sight for any eyes and a beautiful symbol representing the second largest city in France.