Take A Tour Of Beautiful Paris With These Old Photos From The 1850s!

When it comes to traveling, it’s not surprising that Paris is at or near the top of many peoples’ lists. The history, the culture, the romance…whatever the reason, millions of people flock to The City of Light every year (in fact, it was named as the world’s top tourist destination in 2013). Ideally, we’d all get the opportunity to visit Paris at some point in our lives. Thanks to the New York Public Library, however, we can all take a tour of this beautiful city as it was in the 1850s. Check out these photographs of some of Paris’ most famous structures, taken by Edouard Baldus.

1. Île de la Cité– A natural island that sits on the Seine, Île de la Cité was the location where medieval Paris was founded.

2. Pont Royal and Louvre– The Pont Royal is the bridge you see crossing over the Seine. It’s the third oldest bridge in the city, and just to the right you can see the Louvre.

3. Hôtel de Ville– This has been the headquarters of the municipality of Paris since 1357, and is where the Mayor keeps office.

4. Palais Royale– Originally called the Palais-Cardinal, today the Palais Royale houses the State Council and the Constitutional Council.

Click the NEXT PAGE button to see more, including Notre-Dame!