If you thought Paris was all about history and art, then La Defense proves you wrong. Beneath the façade of art, culture and history is a thriving economy and a busy business metropolis. La Defense, Paris the city's main business district, it is located Neuilly-sur-Seine on the western edge of the city. Though you may think that La Defense is a strange name for a business district, its origins can be found in recent French history.
The area was named such because of the statue La Defense de Paris which was built during the latter part of the 19th century in remembrance of the French soldiers that fought in the Franco-Prussian War. Almost 60 years after the erection of the statue, a government initiative was this area being molded into a vibrant commercial precinct. In the late fifties the area's first skyscrapers were built replacing the drab factories that dominated La Defense.
Subsequent to this development large numbers of office towers and other commercial establishments sprung up in the area fuelling further growth. Today the end result of decades of commercial development is evidenced by the La Defense skyline. The imposing cityscape with tall high rises is today Europe's largest business centre encompassing a total of 80 hectares.
Among the attraction to be seen in this area is the Grande Arche which is sometimes known as Arche de la Defense. This monumental arch is seen as the 20th century modernist version of the famous Parisian landmark the Arc de Triomphe. It was born out of an architectural competition and the winning design by Danish architect Johann Otto Von Specklesen was constructed in 1990, three years after his death. The arch which is a perfect cube has a couple of government offices on its sides, while the roof section is used as exhibition space for contemporary art.
A nearby shopping centre caters to the shopaholic tourists that come in droves to visit the Arch de la Defense. Once the largest shopping mall in Paris it features high profile designer brands and other luxury goods while also having a number of mainstream shops as well. Being an important locale it is not difficult to find a
luxury hotel in Paris at La Defense. Many
Paris luxury hotels are located in this area as it is frequently visited by business travelers.