The whole city feels like an architectural dig, and each area of the city has an air of its own. For example, the ornate bridges along the Seine river remind you of the golden age of a once mighty empire.
Some might as well be the ancient equivalent of today's Hummer. Pont Alexandre, for instance, is lined with huge marble columns topped with golden statues. As you cross the bridge, you can just imagine the giant egos of these past monarchs.
It wasn't just the royalty who got to show off. The more posh Parisian neighborhoods like the XVI district are like the Upper East Side and Beverly Hills of today.
These would be the skyscrapers of the past centuries. Some of them are so ornate that it wouldn't do them justice to call them apartments. They're more like mini palaces for the upper class.
