It is Paris that is most often called the most romantic city in the world, which the French themselves are very proud of. Despite the expansion and construction of modern buildings, it has largely retained its old-fashioned appearance, for which it is probably loved. What could be more romantic than a sunset over Paris from the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower? This is why most tourists come here, although, of course, exquisite French cuisine and the famous Louvre also hint that this city would be nice to visit at least once in a lifetime.
Get surprised by interesting facts
Understandably, this city also has something interesting to offer. Here are the things you probably haven’t heard of.
- The Paris Metro is not considered very safe, especially in the evening after it gets dark.
- The population of Paris is about half the population of St. Petersburg (Russia).
- It is Paris that is the most visited city in the world by tourists. About 25 million people come here annually.
- This is a truly ancient city; it was founded about 2300 years ago by the Romans and Gauls and was called “Parisia”.
- Of all the cities in France, Paris is the most populous.
- The oldest pet cemetery on the planet is located in Paris. It appeared at the end of the 19th century when the authorities forbade throwing the bodies of dead pets into the street.
- In Paris, unlike many European capitals, drinking water flows from the taps. An excellent water purification system is a matter of pride for the townspeople.
- One of the nicknames of the French capital is “City of Lights.” It got it because it was one of the first cities in the world to have street lighting.
- About 8 million people live in the Parisian suburbs, while there are only a little over 2 million in the city itself.
- Right-hand traffic is established throughout mainland Europe, including in Paris. But there is a small street named after General Lemonnier, on which there is left-hand traffic.
- The area of Paris is a little over 100 square kilometers.
- The Eiffel Tower, a symbol of Paris, was once nearly demolished at the request of the townspeople, who claimed that it spoiled the city’s appearance.
- In Paris, there is a comical bronze statue – it depicts the famous headbutt by Z. Zidane in the chest of M. Materazzi during the final match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
- In the center of Paris, beehives flaunt on the roofs of many houses – about 300 in total. It is said that metropolitan bees give more honey than their village counterparts.
- When the Egyptian mummy of Pharaoh Ramses II was transported to Paris in 1974, a passport was issued to the mummy, where one can find the mark “Occupation: King (deceased).”
- Parisians adore dogs, and therefore, these pets are allowed to appear in many public places, including in some restaurants.
- There is no French car insurance on the Place Charles de Gaulle in Paris, where the famous Trimpal Arch stands. The reason for this is the rather chaotic circular movement of cars across the area and without a single traffic light.
- The Paris Metro is the sixth-largest in the world in terms of the number of passengers carried. It is one of the oldest metro systems in Europe, second only to London, Budapest, and Glasgow.
- In Paris, foreigners are surprised by transparent plastic trash boxes. They do not decorate the city, but they have replaced the standard trash cans due to the threat of terrorist attacks.
- Not far from Paris, there is the only Disneyland park in Europe.
- “Paris Syndrome” is a mental disorder caused by the inconsistency between the real city and the image of the capital of France, created in films and books. It often occurs among tourists from Japan since the difference between French and Japanese cultures also plays a role here.
- The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was first discovered and studied at the Pasteur Institute in Paris in the early 1980s.
- At the beginning of the XX century in Paris, there was a “human zoological garden,” officially named “Exposition Coloniale” – “Exhibition of the achievements of colonialism.” In this garden, the French settled people brought from their colonies, from Madagascar, India, Vietnam, Sudan, Congo, Tunisia, and Morocco. The garden was visited by millions of people, while “living exhibits” from the warm regions suffered from cold and humiliation. Today, the former garden is legally recognized as a national disgrace in France.
- The famous Parisian Louvre Museum was built in 1793, and today, in fact, it is the most visited museum in the world – it greets more than 5 million people annually. It is here that the famous Mona Lisa is kept by Leonardo da Vinci.
- For the first time in the world, striptease was performed on the stage of the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret in Paris in 1983. A girl named Mona completely threw off her clothes during a staged beauty contest and was eventually punished with a fine of 100 francs for indecent behavior.
- Most of the most popular restaurants in the world are located in Paris.
- There is only one STOP road sign for the whole city.
Did we manage to surprise you? We hope so! Come to Paris and find even more interesting, surprising, and sometimes even shocking things on its streets!