Paris is the capital and largest city of France, located along the Seine River in northern Europe. For centuries, Paris has been one of the world's most influential cities, shaping art, architecture, fashion, literature, and ideas that spread across the globe.

Paris became a major European power center in the Middle Ages and grew into a city of grand boulevards, elegant bridges, and iconic landmarks. The Eiffel Tower, built in 1889 for a world's fair, has become one of the most recognizable structures on Earth. The Louvre Museum houses countless masterpieces, including the Mona Lisa. Notre-Dame Cathedral, a stunning example of Gothic architecture, has stood for over 850 years.

The city has long attracted artists, writers, and thinkers. In the 1920s, writers like Ernest Hemingway lived there while developing their craft. Impressionist painters like Claude Monet revolutionized art in and around Paris in the late 1800s. The city's cafés, museums, and streets have witnessed revolutionary ideas in science, philosophy, and politics.

Today, Paris remains a global center for culture, diplomacy, and commerce, with about 2 million people living in the city itself and over 12 million in the surrounding metropolitan area. When people call Paris the “City of Light,” they're referring both to its early adoption of street lighting and to its role as a beacon of culture and learning throughout history.