Tuileries Garden

Look around you. This garden has seen more drama than most cities ever will.

The name "Tuileries" actually comes from the tile factories that once stood on this exact ground, before Catherine de' Medici ordered her palace and gardens built here in 1564. For centuries, ordinary Parisians weren't allowed in. This was royal territory, pure and simple.

Then came the Revolution, and everything changed. Suddenly the gates opened, music played, and crowds poured in to celebrate. The palace itself wasn't so lucky. In 1871, it was set on fire during the Paris Commune uprising and never rebuilt. The garden survived. It became public for good.

One moment here that still gives us chills: on December 1st, 1783, the world's first manned hydrogen balloon lifted off from this very garden. Benjamin Franklin watched from the crowd. An image of this moment as been attached.

Even the ponds have a secret. The famous designer Le Nôtre arranged all 4 reflecting pools so they appear identical from the palace. That large octagonal pond at the far end is actually twice the size of the round one. A neat optical trick built right into the ground beneath your feet.