One of the cities we like the most at LOCK & enjoy! is Paris. And it is no coincidence, as it is one of the most beautiful in the old continent. Its buildings are beautiful, its lifestyle is endowed with a certain bohemian and treasures a long history. If you want to know it in detail, start with these curiosities.
The 8 curiosities of Paris you should know
Visiting the city of lights is an excellent idea, since it offers a wide variety of plans. You can see its museums, enjoy its rich gastronomy or contemplate it from the heights by climbing the Eiffel Tower. The experience you will live will leave you with a deep memory, we assure you.
The origin of the name
The name comes from an ancient tribe of Gauls: the parisii. They inhabited the current historic heart of the city, Île de la Cité, where the cathedral of Notre Dame is located. Their settlement was very well defended as it was located on an island in the middle of the Seine. In addition, it enjoyed a strategic position as it was close to different roads.
Eventually, they were conquered by the Romans and they founded a new settlement: Lutetia Parisiorum. Eventually it was renamed Civitas Parisiorum or City of the Parisians, while in the Middle Ages its inhabitants shortened the name to what we know it as today.
Fear of the number thirteen
The growth of Paris gives rise to many anecdotes, but there is one that revolves around triscaidecaphobia, that is, the fear of thirteen. During the French Revolution, the city was divided into different districts to simplify its management. Well, the authorities of the time stopped at the twelfth out of pure superstition.
However, with the passage of time, the fear of the city falling into disgrace passed and today there are 20 districts, each divided into 100 departments.
The Statue of Liberty
I’m sure you’re thinking of the iconic statue in New York, but the truth is that there are replicas. One is on Swan Island in Paris and is much smaller in size. It was donated by the Parisian community in the United States in 1889 to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution. In its original position, it faced east, although it was turned west in 1937.
One of his most interesting details is the tablet he carries in his left hand. On it one can read an inscription that reads:
A huge guillotine
The guillotine is, unfortunately, one of the symbols of the French Revolution. At the Universal Exposition, held in 1889, a competition was held for the construction of a monumental work. Among the different ideas, a 274-meter high guillotine was proposed. Can you imagine it standing out from the rest of the buildings? Luckily, the winning structure was the Eiffel Tower.
The city of light
It is one of the names that Paris has, whose origin is quite curious. Therefore, from LOCK & enjoy! we are going to explain it to you. Until the nineteenth century, the night was relatively dangerous for the inhabitants of any city, since you did not know who could be waiting to rob you. To avoid this problem, a mayor of the French capital had the idea of installing gas street lamps. Thus, it became the first town in the world to have public lighting. Hence the nickname.
The Seine beach
Although Paris is not on the coast, being 142 kilometers away, it does have a beach. To cope with the rigors of summer, the city unloads several tons of sand near the river. This way, citizens can go sunbathing.
Kilometer zero
It is in front of the Notre Dame cathedral, although it is not the center of France. The so-called Point Zèro is used to calculate the distance of the roads in the city. In addition, Parisians comment that the place attracts good luck and, if you step on it, you will come back. From LOCK & enjoy! we assure you that you will want to make more than one visit.
The Latin Quarter
Finally, south of the Île de la Cité awaits one of the liveliest neighborhoods: the Latin Quarter, whose origin will surprise you. Its name is not because its inhabitants come from Latin America, but because it began to be so called in the Middle Ages. At that time, it was full of Latin students, who left a strong impression.
What do you think of the 8 curiosities that you didn’t know about Paris that in LOCK & enjoy! have compiled for you? As you can see, there are many stories to tell about the city on the Seine. And if you are going to visit it, don’t forget to store your luggage in a Luggage storage room or in our Luggage storage in Paris.
