Grand Palais (Big Palace) on the Champs-Elysees - a luxurious building in the Beaux Arts, a major cultural and exhibition center.

It was built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900. First doubt - will be able to overshadow any success of the Eiffel Tower at the previous exhibition? We decided that this time will focus on the art. The Great Palace of Fine Arts (the full name of the Grand Palais), has become part of a large-scale redevelopment of the western part of Paris.

The construction was difficult. The soil could not stand the weight of the building, it took 3,400 oak piles, because this estimate was greatly exceeded. It took a huge amount of stone, steel, gravel, bricks, equipment and manpower. Fifteen hundred builders also create problems - strikes broke out.

The result was worth it. There was a magnificent building with a steel frame, a huge glass roof, a large number of statues, friezes, mosaics. Bronze quadriga crowning work of Georges Resipona both wings of the facade - allegorical statues represent Immortality, ahead of time, and harmony triumph over discord. The inscription on the pediment declares that the Republic of dedicating this building glory of French art.

From the beginning, the Palace was the venue for the exhibition - dedicated to innovation and technology, and, of course, art. It is here that were recognized Matisse and Gauguin, here for the first time declared itself cubism, led by anyone yet known Picasso.

During World War II the building was requisitioned by the military hospital beds per thousand. Artists are not subject to mobilization, decorated chambers or manufactured forms of prostheses. During the occupation of the palace was used for Nazi propaganda exhibitions and during the liberation of Paris - as the headquarters of the Resistance.

Now the Grand Palais is still the artistic center. Shows, parades fashion (fashion house Chanel spends his impressions right here), car, horse shows, book fairs, live concerts, World Fencing Championship - it's hard to list all the activities taking place under the glass roof of the Grand Palace of Fine Arts.