Ile de la Cite - the historic center of Paris, it is the oldest part. Here begins the great city with two thousand years of history.

The first mention of this place by Julius Caesar in "Notes on the Gallic War" - proconsul sent here four legions against tribe Parisii, who on the "island Sequani" had fortified city Lutetia. Parisi, faced with the military superiority of the Romans burned the city with its bridges.

In the I century, when Gaul was annexed to Rome, the conquerors revived Lutetia. After the island passed a Roman road that troops and goods moving in the direction of Britain, the westernmost outpost of the empire. In the III century barbarian threat of attacks forced the city reduced in size and completely move to the Cité, under the protection of the defensive wall. In the IV century city located on the island for the first time called Paris.

Around the same time, this raises the Christian community. The soil under the Notre Dame de Paris found the ruins of the Basilica of Saint-Etienne - Church Merovingian times. At the beginning of the VI century the legendary Clovis I transferred the capital of the state francs in Paris, Childebert I build here the Basilica of St. Stephen - in its place a few centuries later to be erected Notre Dame Cathedral. Robert II Pious erects at the Cité Royal Palace, and St. Louis building chapel Sainte-Chapelle, which places the sacred relics, have been taken out of Constantinople by the Crusaders.

The small island of century after century hoarding untold treasures. At the time of the French Revolution there were two dozen magnificent churches, palaces, historic homes. But in the XIX century indefatigable prefect of Paris, Baron Haussmann demolished all the buildings firmly located between the Royal Palace and Notre-Dame de Paris. There were built new police building and commercial tribunal laid three straight streets, bridges continued.

New Cite - no longer the medieval Cité. But it is still beautiful. With the mainland island of Paris and Saint-Louis joined his nine bridges, with a wonderful panorama. Architectural monuments Cité - Cathedral of Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie, the Palace of Justice - attracts tourists all year round.