Saving a Course Harold Brown, Ph.D. Philosophy and Religious Studies, NY Adelia Williams, Ph.D. English and Modern Language Studies, PLV
Paris Geography When people talk about where in Paris something is located, they use two basic terms: which "bank" the place is on, and which "arrondissement" it is in. The bank refers to which side of the river (if you are facing downstream). Since the Seine is flowing west towards the English channel, the area north of the river is the Right Bank (or Rive Droit), and the area south of the river is the Left Bank (or Rive Gauche). The arrondissement refers to a system of districts within the city. These districts are numbered 1-20. They start in the heart of the city at the Louvre, and spiral around to the outside. All kinds of things are organized by arrondissement, including postal codes, etc. There are also two islands: Ile de la Cité and Ile St Louis.
The Louvre The Louvre is probably the most famous art museum in the world. It is certainly one of the largest. The most crowded room is the room where the Mona Lisa (called La Jaconde by the French) is kept. She has a special glass box protecting her, not to mention the guards. Other famous works of art here include Venus de Milo and Winged Victory. Enter through the glass pyramid in the courtyard.
Francofonia a "dense, enriching meditation on the Louvre
Leading the Masses in Uprising Delacroix captured the passion and energy of the Revolution of 1830 in his painting Liberty Leading the People. Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People, 1830. Oil on canvas, approx. 8' 6" x 10' 8". Louvre, Paris. 6
David - Intervention of the Sabine Women
David--Death of Socrates
David--Oath of the Horatii
La Bourse La Bourse is the Paris stock exchange. Visitors may watch the trading from a gallery. Some audio-visual aids are available to help you figure out what is going on but most of it is a mystery to those who are not brokers themselves.
The Pantheon The Panthéon is the resting place for great writers, philosophers, and other leaders of France. It contains the remains of such greats as Victor Hugo (Les Miserables, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame), Emile Zola, Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Jean Moulin (resistance fighter).
Rousseau v. Voltaire Voltaire s chief adversary was Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau opposed the theater which was Voltaire's lifeblood, shunned the aristocracy which Voltaire courted, and argued for something dangerously like democratic revolution.
L Arc de Triomphe The Arc de Triomphe was built by Napoleon Bonaparte. He wanted to honor his army and celebrate their victories. The design is based on Roman triumphal arches, which were, however, much smaller. In the center, under the arch, is a memorial to French soldiers killed in the line of duty. It's called the Tomb of the Unknown soldiers, and was originally constructed for the soldiers of World War I, which the French call the Great War. It also commemorates soldiers killed in World War II and other conflicts. Inside the top section is a small museum. The top can be visited by climbing up a long spiral stairway inside one of the four legs of the arch. (Disabled visitors can use the one small elevator). You can also visit the open top platform, which allows you a great view down the Champs Elysées. You can also get a clear view of the Bois de Boulogne, the Eiffel Tower and La Défense from the top.
La Madeleine Named for Mary Magdalen, the Madeleine church was designed and redesigned and started and restarted from 1763 until it was finished in 1842. It finished with a neo-classical Greek temple style, based on the Greek Parthenon.
La Comédie-Française The Comédie-Française is the oldest continuous repertory company in the world, founded in the late 17th century.
Pierre de Beaumarchais The Barber of Seville (1775) The Marriage of Figaro (1784) -The Guilty Mother (1791) The Figaro Trilogy
Beaumarchais
Versailles Versailles started out as a royal hunting lodge. Louis XIV expanded it into a huge palace. One of his reasons was to keep the aristocrats out of the city and under his control. Louis XIV understood power and used this palace to show himself as the center of power, the Sun King. The regular tour takes you through the state rooms, including the Hall of Mirrors, where the treaty that ended World War I was signed. Other tours allow you to see other parts of the main palace, such as the bedrooms of the king and queen, the chapel, the opera theater, etc.
Les liaisons dangereuses
The Henry Clay Frick Collection
The Fragonard Room