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 The
first leg of my Parisian tour was a visit to the Eiffel tower.
Sauntering towards the tower from the pont de la seine, I gazed at
the magnificent steel edifice which is almost a hundred years old.
Designed by French engineer Gustave Eiffel, Eiffel tower kisses the
horizon. People who throng this place are glued to the tower and
click pictures of the architectural marvel. We can reach the tower
top and the panoramic view from there is breathtaking.
Since it is customary to remember any place by
buying souvenirs and postcards and key chains, we were not exempted
from buying them. I saw tourists grabbing souvenirs to gift it to
their friends and relatives. We stood at pont de la seine and looked
at the tower and the river.
A beautiful garden one side of the tower is a
lover’s paradise. Well-manicured lawns and emerald green foliage
enhance the beauty of the place.
We left the place reluctantly and proceeded to
our next stop – Notre Dame cathedral. Notre Dame (Our Lady) stands
majestically with its Gothic architecture and the Seine flows
quietly by its side as if to seek the blessings of Virgin Mary.
On this hallowed spot there was a temple of
Jupiter, a basilica, and a Romanesque church.
 The
idea of building a big church was conceived by Maurice de Sully,
bishop of Paris. The construction work started in 1163 and it took
180 years for completion. The enticing statue of Mother Mary with
Infant Jesus in her arms is mesmeric.
Notre Dame had an eventful history over the
centuries. Shall we read about some events? The Crusaders prayed
here before leaving for the war front. Polyphonic music developed in
this sacred place. Mary Stuart became the Queen of France after her
marriage to Francois – 2. It was here that Napoleon crowned himself
emperor and his wife Josephine as the empress.
Since we were at Notre Dame late evening we had
the fortune of praying in the historic hall and witnessing the mass.
The façade of the cathedral is stunning. I stood there pondering
about Napoleon and other queens and kings as I sailed into the pages
of history.
(Part-1)
Usha Raja
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