Name: How Paris Became One Of The World’s Most Iconic Cities
Uploaded: 2016-12-13T02:31:09.000Z
Duration: 3 min 18 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

The city of Paris is practically synonymous with France.

It’s not only the seat of government, but also the country’s capital of commerce,

So, what is the history of this iconic city?

Well, the origins of Paris can be traced back to 250 BC, when a Gallic Tribe called “Parisii”

settled on an island in the middle of the Seine River.

After the island became a popular trading hub, the Romans took over around 52 BC, and

expanded it along the left bank building baths, forums and amphitheaters.

By the end of the 12th century and long after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Paris

The area to the right of the Seine River, better known as the Right Bank, grew into

a thriving business hub, while the Left Bank earned a reputation as the intellectual district,

In the late 18th Century, just after the French Revolution, infamous military commander Napoleon

Over the course of about a decade, he improved Paris’ infrastructure and, to celebrate

France’s military achievements, erected a number of iconic monuments, including the

His nephew and heir, Napoleon III, built out the city even more, creating wide boulevards,

a huge opera house, a central market, public parks and a sewer system.

He also divided Paris into twenty arrondissements, or districts, and expanded it to its current

The city’s newfound prominence made it an ideal host for multiple world’s fairs, attracting

These symposiums led to the construction of the Eiffel Tower, Paris Metro and the Grand

By this time, the city’s population had grown to nearly three million people, and particular attracting

artists and aristocrats from around the world.

Paris was the city of choice for painters like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Henri

Matisse, as well as writers, like James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott

Fauvism, cubism, Impressionism and abstract art all saw their beginnings in Paris.

Today, greater Paris is home to roughly 12 million people, or nearly 20 percent of France’s

There’s no question that Paris plays a decisive role in making France the most visited country

The city remains a hub for food, commerce and culture, with world-renowned destinations

like Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, the Luxembourg Gardens and the Champs Elysees.

The Eiffel Tower alone sees more than seven million tourists every year.

Tourism has, in part, made the city an economic powerhouse as well.

At nearly $700 billion dollars, Paris’s GDP surpassed even the entire country of Saudi

Paris’ enduring popularity and rich history make it one of the most sought-after, and

perhaps most romantic, cities in the world.

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With its large population and booming economy, there’s no question Paris is one of the

France is also a full NATO member and a founding member of the European Union, and they hold

a lot of influence over the world's economy.

14 African nations use a form of currency called the CFA Franc, which has direct ties

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How Paris Became One Of The World’s Most Iconic Cities

improve

iconic

thrive

infrastructure