Travels, Directions
Swan Island: a beautiful and picturesque place on the Seine
Quietly and very romanticly carries its waters of the Seine, dividing Paris into two halves. In the center of the French capital, not far from the famous Eiffel Tower, on the river there is an artificial Swan Island. This interesting and extraordinarily picturesque place attracts hundreds of tourists daily. We will make a virtual walk to Swan Island in Paris!
The river Seine is a symbol of the French capital
Sena is a river in Paris, which has a sacred significance for a true Frenchman. It was on its shores in the III century BC settled parizeyi - one of the Gallic tribes, founded the future metropolis. The very name of the river, according to one version, is of Latin origin and is translated as "sacred stream".
The beginning of the Seine takes in Burgundy and flows into the English Channel, collecting water from the territory, which is almost 80 thousand square kilometers. It is a full-flowing river with a fairly calm current. Its total length is 776 kilometers. The river is the most important navigable artery for France. A large number of large and small ports have been built on its banks.
Main sights on the Seine
The river in Paris flows, curving in a rather steep arc. It divides the city into two parts. Historically, the left bank of the Seine is considered bohemian, and the right bank is the business center of the capital. To the banks of this river is also attached the historical center of Paris with its most important sights.
Making a boat trip along the Seine, the tourist will surely see the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Bourbon Palace, and the Louvre, and, of course, the world-famous Eiffel Tower. No less popular are the numerous Parisian bridges. In total, across the Seine, within the city, 37 are thrown. The most beautiful of them are the bridges of Louis Philippe and Notre Damme.
Swan Island - one of the most loved and visited by travelers places of Paris. We will describe it further.
Swan Island: description and location
The object is located in the 15th and 16th arrondissements of Paris. It offers an excellent view of the nearby metropolitan skyscrapers and the Eiffel Tower.
Swan (or Swan) is an artificial island on the Seine, which divides its channel almost in half. The bulk dam of elongated form was built as far back as 1825. Today it also serves as a support for the Paris metro bridge. The total length of the island is 890 meters, but the width is only 20 m.
Visit this Parisian island without fail! After all, you can walk leisurely in a calm atmosphere, admiring the beautiful views of the river. This place in Paris will undoubtedly appeal to professional photographers. Here they will find a lot of organic and very successful angles for shooting.
Sightseeing Swan Island: bridges and walkways
Swan Island is not only a walk and an opportunity to make beautiful photographs of Paris. There is also something to see here.
So, the island is crossed at once by three Parisian bridges: Bir-Hakem, Ruel and Grenelle. The most important and largest of them is Bir-Hakem. It is a two-tiered bridge, along which the sixth line of the city subway passes. Its lower floor is intended for traffic of cars and pedestrians.
In the western part of the island crosses the Grenelle, and in the center - Ruel. The latter is one of the most unusual and original bridges in Paris. Its construction was built for the World Exhibition in 1900. The highlight of the bridge is that it consists of three completely different parts: two stone and one metal. And the element on the left bank of the Seine is made in the form of a smooth curve on two supports.
Another attraction of the island permeates it along the entire length. This is the so-called Swan Alley. You can walk it in a leisurely step in about 10 minutes. The avenue is planted with 322 trees. And these trees are not the same, here you can count more than 60 of their species! Under their branches there are shops where you can have a good rest and hide from the summer heat.
Paris Statue of Liberty
The swan alley leads tourists to the most important attractions of the island. This is a small copy of the American Statue of Liberty. The history of its appearance here is very interesting.
As you know, in 1876 the French presented their overseas friends an impressive gift - a 46-meter statue of Liberty (Statue of Liberty). It was timed to coincide with the centenary of the American Revolution. Giant sculpture was installed in New York and soon became one of the main symbols of the United States.
It took 13 years, and the Americans decided to thank the French, giving them an accurate but reduced copy of the statue 11.5 meters high. The return gift was hoisted on the western edge of the Swan Island so that the sculpture "looked" towards the US.
The Parisian Statue of Liberty holds a sign in its left stone hand with two historical dates: the Independence Day of the USA and the Bastille Day.
That's the kind he is - the Swan Island of Paris! It is especially beautiful in the evening, when the colorful lights of the most romantic capital of Europe are reflected in the Seine.
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