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Paris was originally a fishing village, of the Celtic Parisii tribe, on the largest island on the Seine, Lutetia. In 52 BC the Romans arrived and turned Lutetia into one of their colonies, and for the next three hundred years it became prosperous due to it's position on the Seine and the fact that it was on the Road to Orléans. On the Ile de la Cité the Romans placed their administrative centre and on the left bank of the Seine the town began to grow. There is at present very little Roman architecture left in the city, but the street plan determined the future growth of the city.
From 258 AD the Barbarians laid waste to the city, while the inhabitants huddled in hastily prepared fortifications on the Ile de la Cité. Paris eventually fell to Clovis the Frank in 486. It then remained under the control of the Merovingians and also became Christian in this time. There was a lot of building during this time which saw the city spread especially in the Left Bank.
During this time the city became known as Paris and, in 885, the city was under attack from the Danes. The defense of the cité was put under the command of Eudes Capet, count of France. When the Danes retreated he recieved the title of King for his heroics. He became the first Capetian, and under the Capetians a great era lay ahead for the city of Paris. During this time twogreat halls were built, the streets in the city were paved, a city wall was erected and The Louvre was built on the Left Bank.
Charles V (1364-1380) built a second enclosure on the right bank, his new residence, with the Célestins, Maison de Temple and the Palais Royal. In the 16th and 17th Centuries the city expanded further west and the city wall was extended .Louis XIV then built the palace of Versailles to house his government and expanded the Louvre, Louis XV built Concorde, the Ecole Militaire and the Palais de Justice and many of the boulevards that still line the city.
It was, however, in the reign of Louis XV that the most signifigant changes occured in that he widened all the streets and expanded the size of the city. He also removed the houses built on the bridges so long views of the Seine appeared, as it still looks today. Then Napolean I came along with the intention of making Paris the most beautiful city in the world. He created new bridges, embankments, abbatoirs, the Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile, highways and water systems and fountains. Napolean III also had a great influence on the face of the Paris of today. After his coup d'état, he gave Baron Haussman the responsibility of further beautification of the city. Under Haussman new boulevards were built as were the tall six to seven story grey facade buildings, which today are still the face of the city. He also strategically positioned barracks in the city in the event of a further workers revolt. These now can be seen in the Republique and Bastille in the city.
In the late 19th Century two very important new sites were to be seen on the streets of Paris. First was the Tour d'Eiffel which was first slammed as been ugly but has later become marvelled at, and the metropolitain or metro was opened in 1900.
During the next century Paris was only 50km from the front line in WW1 and was also occupied by the Nazi's in WW2. Since then however Paris has grown to be one of the largest and most beautiful cities in Europe if not the World.
 Champs-Élysées - The widest boulevard in Europe and Paris' most famous street.
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