La Conciergerie is a former royal palace and prison in Paris. It is located on an island named Ile de la Cite in the middle of Seine River. King Philippe IV chose the location in the early 14th Century to build a palace to symbolize his power. Palais de la Cite was used by the Paris parliament and administration. First public clock of France was installed there around 1370. Concierge was nominated by the King to maintain law and order in the city. He transformed part of the building into a prison known as La Conciergerie after his name.

In 1391 the building was changed into a prison. Its prisoners included both common criminals and political prisoners. Prisoners were treated according to their wealth, status and connections. The most affluent were usually given their own cells with a bed, desk and reading/writing material. Less rich prisoners were provided with simply furnished cells called pistols equipped with a rough bed and a table. The poorest were kept in dark, damp and vermin-infested cubicles known as oubliettes (literally mean "forgotten places"). During the French Revoluion, hundreds of prisoners taken from La Conciergerie were killed at many places in Paris.

In the 19th century, the Conciergerie continued to be used as a prison for high-value prisoners — most notable were the Napoleon III and Marie Antoinette. Later Marie Antoinette's cell was converted into a chapel dedicated to her memory.

The external appearance of Conciergerie and Palais de Justice underwent major changes in the mid-19th century. The hall of guards, the soldier’s hall and the kitchen at the Conciergerie all date from the 14th century but it was the cellars of the building that were eventually turned into prison. Today you can visit the halls and can see the cell of Marie-Antoinette and a series of other dungeons. You can also see the ladies court and the dressing room - another moving memorial of this period.

You can either venture into this fascinating landmark or admire from a distance whilst cruising down the River Seine.

Originallly known as Rue des Étuves, Rue du chat-qui-Peche is thought to be the narrowest street in Paris. It was also known as Rue du Renard and Rue des Bouticles and was built in 1540. Located in the 5th Arrondissement, this street is just a pathway, on the Left Bank, two minutes down from the Place St. Michel. It is so small that you can touch the walls on both sides with your hands. Its total length is 29m and ends on the bank of the river Seine. With a width of only 1.80m it runs from Quai Saint-Michel to Rue de la Huchette.

Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche means the Street of the Fishing Cat and was named after a picture drawn on a shop signboard. A Hungarian author used to live in this street who wrote a novel “halászó macska uccája” which is the literal translation of Rue du Chat-qui-Pêche in Hungarian.

Back doors of kitchens of many restaurants open here and you can smell the food being cooked there. This alleyway helps the passerby to avoid the hustle and bustle of the tourists and takes them somewhere between Pont St. Michel and Petit Pont.
Take a short cut through this street but before entering the street, make sure that you are able to walk the street without getting stuck!

Place Saint-Michel is located on the Left Bank of Paris in the Latin Quarter of the sixth arrondissement. Several streets including Quai Saint-Michel, Boulevard Saint-Michel, Quai des Grandes-Augustus, and Pont Saint-Michel merge at this crossroads square.

The Place Saint-Michel is famous for the Foutaine Saint-Michel (St. Michael Fountain), built by Gabriel Davioud in mid of nineteenth century. Originally, it was decided that the central statue of the fountain should depict Napoleon Bonaparte but the opponents of Napoleon criticized the idea. It was, therefore, agreed upon that the statue would be an image of Saint Michael, the Archangel. The idea was to make two dragons that pour water from their mouths into the fountain along with the figures of the four classical cardinal virtues.

Several protests and social uprisings have taken place at Place Saint-Michel. When Nazi tried to occupy France, the main event of French resistance took place here. In 1968, despite the shelling of tear gas and clubbing by the police, students took charge of the square and declared it an independent state! Moreover, workers also announced the mass strikes here which resulted in the fall of De Gaulle's government. Once known as Washington Square Park of Paris, it used to be a favorite place for hippies, artists, writers, poets, dancers, musicians and art students.

The St. Michel high road is interesting in its own right. There are cafes on the higher end of the street which are generally less crowded and more authentic as far as bistros go. Many good bookstores and art book stalls are also present here. Since Sorbonne University is just a few blocks away, you will see the students browsing through the books and looking for cheap deals on their required reading.

The Church of Saint-Séverin is a Roman Catholic Church on the Left Bank of the Sienna in Paris. Situated in Latin Quarter on a busy tourist street, namely Rue Saint-Severin, it is one of the oldest churches in the French capital.

At the end of the 5th century, then king of the Franks, known as Clovis, settled on the island of Parissi. By association, his people started referring to the capital of their kingdom as “Paris”. Clovis’s wife, Clothilde, and St. Genevieve were both in favour of Christianity and they persuaded Clovis to make Christianity the official religion of his domain. At that time a hermit priest named Séverin also lived nearby, on the Left Bank. Eventually, the local folk assumed his beliefs and thus Christianity started to flourish in the region. After the saint's death, an oratory was built over his tomb. In the eleventh century, a small Romanesque church, known as the Church of Saint Séverin, was built to replace the original tomb. Soon, the church became the foremost religious symbol of the area.

Its major features include an ancient stained glass window, a set of seven modern windows (inspired by the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church) built by Jean Rene Bazaine, and the oldest church bell in Paris. Another salient feature is the presence of an oddly shaped column resembling the trunk of a palm tree.

Despite its old age, Saint Severin Church remains an active place of worship.

The Musée de Cluny officially known as Musée National du Moyen Âge (National Museum of the Middle Ages), is famous for its magnificent collection of medieval artifacts.

The building was founded by the rich 15th century abbot of Cluny Abbey, Jacques d'Amboise, who built his residence over the remains of a Roman bath. Other notable residents include Mary Tudor, widow of Louis XII. The Cluny was rented in 1833 to Alexandre du Sommerard, an amateur art collector who was fascinated with the artifacts of Middle Age. He owned an impressive collection of medieval and Renaissance objects that he brought with him to the house. Before his death in 1842, he donated these to the state. Just a year later, the building was turned into a museum.

The museum owns a finest collection of tapestries from medieval Europe including "The Lady and the Unicorn", a series made of wool and silk. Designed by French artists and woven in 1485-1500 in Flanders, it consists of six charming scenes, covering the walls of an entire room, which bring to life the romance of the age of chivalry. Each of the six scenes includes a beautiful lady, a unicorn, and a lion. The backgrounds are filled with woodland creatures, plants and flowers, creating an enchanted landscape. Five of the scenes illustrate the five senses: sight, touch, taste, smell and sound. The sixth scene is especially beautiful and intriguing. It is labeled with a banner reading, "To my only desire," and shows the lady placing a necklace in a case held by a servant.

Many early Medieval Sculptures from the seventh and eighth centuries are also present here. There are also works of gold, ivory, antique furnishings, and illuminated manuscripts. Underneath the museum, the ruins of ancient Roman baths are also present. Unfortunately, the baths were destroyed in the 3rd century during the Barbarian invasions. The best-preserved section is the cold water bath. Another remain, believed to be the oldest sculpture created in Paris, is the "Pillar of the Boatmen" from the 1st century AD.

Musee de Cluny serves as a pleasant oasis in the heart of the city and is well worth a visit!

Located in Paris, Sorbonne University Paris or La Sorbonne University is a world famous university for higher education. Originally known as University of Paris, it is the world's second oldest academic institution.

Robert de Sorbon laid the foundation of this university in 1257. A confrontation between the students and administration of the university led to its temporary closure on May 2, 1968. This ensued student protests against the university shutdown and the authorities threat to expel student activists saw more than 20,000 students, teachers and supporters take part in a rally marching towards the Sorbonne that year. Police met them with tear gas and made hundreds of arrests.

On May 10, students organized another protest on the Rive Gauche after unsuccessful negotiations. Again, there was a clash resulting in hundreds of arrests and injuries. On May 13, over a million people spilled out on the streets of Paris. As a result, prisoners were released and the university was reopened as an autonomous "people's university", following the orders of Prime Minister Georges Pompidou.

In 1971, the earliest five faculties of the celebrated University of Paris were divided into thirteen interdisciplinary universities. Four of these new universities now occupy the historic building of Sorbonne. Since its establishment, Paris-Sorbonne has been governed by five presidents. Many reforms have been introduced aimed at promoting the cultural heritage of the Sorbonne and adapting its education to the demands of the 21st century.

The university has twelve campuses and 17 departments that offer courses in Arts, Languages, and Humanities. About 25,000 students from France and the rest of the world enroll at the Sorbonne every year. It also houses France's prestigious communication and journalism school CELSA.

The Sorbonne graduates receive prominent Doctorate and Post-doctorate degrees. Brilliant teaching staff combined with excellent educational curriculum have ensured for the Sorbonne the status of #1 educational institution in France and the 13th best in the world in Arts & Humanities.

Saint-Étienne-du-Mont is a renowned church built on Mount Sainte-Genevieve close to the Pantheon. The shrine of St. Genevieve and the tombs of Blaise Pascal and Jean Racine are located on the territory of the church. The facade and the interior of the building will take visitors back into the rich historic past of the city.

The Panthéon is a building in the Latin Quarter in Paris, containing the remains of distinguished French citizens. In 1744, King Louis XV of France suffered from a serious illness and vowed to replace the old church of the Abbey of St Genevieve if he recovered. He did recover, and entrusted Abel-François Poisson, marquis de Marigny with the fulfillment of his vow. In 1755, Marigny commissioned Jacques-Germain Soufflot to design the church, with construction beginning two years later It is an early example of neoclassicism, with a façade modeled on the Pantheon in Rome, surmounted by a dome that owes some of its character to Bramante's "Tempietto". Soufflot had the intention of combining the lightness and brightness of the gothic cathedral with classical principles, but its role as a mausoleum required the great gothic windows to be blocked. Nevertheless, it is one of the most important architectural achievements of its time and the first great neoclassical monument.