Destinations in the 4th Arr

• Maison Européenne de la Photographie

  (Friday, 29 August 2008)
  For photography lovers, this place is a must. Housing international photographic works from the 1950s, this museum showcases the flexibility of photography as artistic media. Begun in the 1980s, the collection includes over 15,000 pieces, all startling, revealing, and interesting. The center of contemporary photographic art, the layout of the building itself is remarkable, with an exhibition center, a large library, a place to view videos, and auditorium to unite photography and video as artistic media.

• Marché aux Fleurs

  (Tuesday, 22 July 2008)
  Come enjoy the greenery and flowers of the Flower Market, located just blocks away from Notre Dame in Île de la Cité. The last of its kind in Paris, the market is a pleasant surprise for those with green thumbs and flower lovers. If you don’t have a green thumb or a penchant for gardening, the market turns into a bird market on Sundays and boasts a fine collection of cages, bird food, and bird accessories.

• Musée de la Curiosité et de la Magie

  (Friday, 29 August 2008)
  Situated in the hear of Paris, the Museum of Curiosity and Magic offers a comprehensive look at magic and illusions from the 18^th century to present. It has plenty of optical illusions, automatons, and interactive games for children. They also offer a show where visitors can experience magic close up from French magicians, which is fun for people of all ages. The cost to get in, however, is a little pricey.

• Notre-Dame Cathedral

  (Monday, 19 May 2008)
  Notre-Dame Cathedral
  
  It was here that Henry VI of England was crowned King of France; where the Wolves of Paris were trapped and killed; where Mary Queen of Scotland married the French Dauphin; where the coronation ceremony of Napoléon and Joséphine took place; where Joan of Arc was beatified and canonized; where Victor Hugo was inspired to write about his famous hunchback; and where thousands upon thousands of visitors come each year to marvel at the architecture, take in a service and stand outside at "Point zéro", the reference point for distances along all the French highways -- because everything begins and ends in Paris.  Notre Dame -- perhaps the most glorious example of French Gothic architecture -- is home to the famous stained glass Rose Windows, the flying buttress and gargoyles.

• Tour St-Jacques

  (Friday, 25 July 2008)
  Visible from the Place du Châtelet, the 167-ft high Tour St-Jacques is all that remains from the church of St-Jacques de la Boucherie (the patron saint of butchers) built between 1508 and 1522. It was constructed in the Middle Ages as the assembly point for pilgrims setting out for Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Today, a meteorological station, which is not open to the public, is located at the top of the tower, commemorating the achievements of Blaise Pascal who tested the effect of altitude on the height of a column of mercury in the tower.