The Luxembourg palace was a royal residence, royal prison, and greenhouse conservatory. Now it is the home of the French Senate. It was built for Marie de Medici and is surrounded by gorgeous gardens. You can tell it was a royal palace because the gate surrounding it is tipped in gold.
Across from the gardens is the the Pantheon is where famous French people are buried, including Rousseau and Marie de Curie. It honors thinkers, writers, and scientists.
Saint Suplice Cathedral has been serving as the backup for Notre Dame since the fire to house religious events including upcoming Easter Service. It is unusual to have two cathedrals in a city, because there is usually only one bishop in a city.
Nearby in the Saint German des Près area are two famous cafes frequented by Picasso, Hemingway, Sartre and current day intellectuals and politicians. These are the Café de Flores and the Deux Magots. The boulevard Saint Germain is lined by expensive shops and cafes.
Next into the Latin Quarter, home to the Sorbonne University. The university started after early scholars wanted to separate education from the church and left the center island of Notre Dame to form their own educational institutions. This is the French Academy of Sciences founded by Louis XIV.
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