One of the unique characteristics of this residential neighborhood is the presence of vast perspectives. The large avenues which traverse the 15thdistrict were formerly broad, empty fields created only for aesthetic purposes. Avenue de Breteuil was created in 1680 but lead absolutely nowhere. Avenue Villars ended at Montparnasse which did not yet exist. Both were created at the same time as the Hotel des Invalides and Ecole Militaire, prestigious creations of Louis XIV and Louis XV dedicated to the glory of the monarchy and service of her armies. Under the First Republic, Invalides was transformed into staging grounds for state ceremonies. The Champs-de-Mars was eventually designated as the site of the 1889 World Fair. Over 26 million visitors from around the globe would come and witness the inauguration of the Eiffel Tower in commemoration of the centennial of the French Revolution.
At the base of the Eiffel tower which stands 300 meters high, the Champs-de-Mars has become one of the most popular parks in Paris. In its continuation on the other side of the river, the Palais de Chaillot and the Trocadéro were inaugurated in 1930. Invalides is the site of Napoleon’s tomb and houses UNESCO headquarters. One of the city’s most beautiful bridges, Pont Alexandre III, is just outside. It was built in 1900 as a symbol of Franco-Russian relations and was the first bridge to cross the Seine in a single span. Finally, the Rodin Museum has over 500 sculptures on exposition in its magnificent garden.
The Eiffel Tower, of course, for its majestic elegance and brilliant light show after dark.
