La Défense, Paris Photos

La Défense is a western Parisian district of modern highrise architecture with its centerpiece La Grande Arche (1989) built for the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution. Grande Arche is a cubic office tower designed by Johan-Otto Von Spreckelsen & Paul Andreu with a square hole which lines up visually with the Arc du Triomphe. The Defense hill derives its name after a defensive site which Paris established here when the city was encircled & under siege during the 1870 Franco-Prussian War. A monument by Louis-Ernest Barrias marks the spot. La Défense is now encircled by impressive architecture and modern art.

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La Defense development seen from Arc du Triomphe. Paris, France.La Grande Arche at La Défense at dusk. Paris, France.La Défense with La Grande Arche at dusk. Paris, France.La Défense with La Grande Arche at dusk. Paris, France.
La Defense development seen from Arc du Triomphe. Paris, France.La Grande Arche at La Défense at dusk. Paris, France.La Défense with La Grande Arche at dusk. Paris, France.La Défense with La Grande Arche at dusk. Paris, France.
La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.La Grande Arche office building with observation deck built as cube 100m per side at La Défense for 200th anniversary of French Revolution. Paris, France.La Grande Arche at La Défense with square hole through center which aligns with Arch de Triomphe. Paris, France.La Grande Arche with wall of windows in center at La Défense. Paris, France.
La Grande Arche (1989) (35 floors) at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Johan-Otto Von Spreckelsen & Paul Andreu.La Grande Arche office building with observation deck built as cube 100m per side at La Défense for 200th anniversary of French Revolution. Paris, France.La Grande Arche at La Défense with square hole through center which aligns with Arch de Triomphe. Paris, France.La Grande Arche with wall of windows in center at La Défense. Paris, France.
La Grande Arche with hanging canopy in center at La Défense. Paris, France.Hanging canopy of La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.La Grande Arche at La Défense seen against clouds. Paris, France.Diagonal view of La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.
La Grande Arche with hanging canopy in center at La Défense. Paris, France.Hanging canopy of La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.La Grande Arche at La Défense seen against clouds. Paris, France.Diagonal view of La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.
Exterior windows of La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.Signaux sculpture by Panayotis Vassilakis at La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.Signaux sculpture by Panayotis Vassilakis at La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.
Exterior windows of La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.Signaux sculpture (1991) by Panayotis Vassilakis (aka Takis) at La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.Signaux sculpture (1991) by Panayotis Vassilakis (aka Takis) at La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.La Grande Arche (1989) (35 floors) at La Défense. Paris, France.
Personnages fantastiques sculpture by Joan Miró before La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.Walkers on plaza of La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.Le Moretti sculpture by Raymond Moretti at La Défense. Paris, France.Le Moretti sculpture by Raymond Moretti with mirrored surface beyond at La Défense. Paris, France.
Personnages fantastiques (Fantastic characters) sculpture (1977) by Joan Miró before La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.Walkers on plaza of La Grande Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.Le Moretti sculpture (1992) by Raymond Moretti at La Défense. Paris, France.Le Moretti sculpture (1992) by Raymond Moretti with mirrored surface beyond at La Défense. Paris, France.
La Défense Esplanade flanked by Cœur Défense & EDF Towers. Paris, France.Window with EDF tower beyond at La Défense. Paris, France.Le Voltaire & Pascal towers at La Défense. Paris, France.UGC Ciné Cité La Défense dome theater at La Défense. Paris, France.
La Défense Esplanade flanked by Cœur Défense & EDF Towers. Paris, France.Window (former Élysées Défense & Citibank) (1982) with EDF tower beyond at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Roger Saubot, François Jullien, with Whitson Overcash.Le Voltaire (1988) & Pascal (1983) towers at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Henri La Fonta.UGC Ciné Cité La Défense (1992) dome theater at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Philippe Chaix & Jean-Paul Morel.
Séquoia tower over CNIT at La Défense. Paris, France.CNIT three-sided set of arches with other La Défense highrises beyond. Paris, France.Black windows of Maison de La Défense hosts Red Spider sculpture by Alexander Calder. Paris, France.Cœur Défense building at La Défense. Paris, France.
Séquoia tower (1993) over CNIT (1958) at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Jean-Pierre Dacbert & Dominique Chauvel.CNIT (1958) three-sided set of arches with other La Défense highrises beyond. Paris, France. Architect: Robert Camelot, Jean De Mailly & Bernard Zerhfuss.Black windows of Maison de La Défense (1983) hosts Red Spider sculpture (1974) by Alexander Calder. Paris, France. Architect: Henri La Fonta.Cœur Défense (2001) building at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Jean-Paul Viguier.
Round ends of Cœur Défense buildings at La Défense. Paris, France.Cœur Défense over Esplanade at La Défense. Paris, France.EDF building with round mirrored surface at La Défense. Paris, France.Almond shaped notch & saucer overhang over front edge of EDF building at La Défense. Paris, France.
Round ends of Cœur Défense (2001) buildings at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Jean-Paul Viguier.Cœur Défense over Esplanade at La Défense. Paris, France.EDF building (2001) with round mirrored surface at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Peï, Cobb, Freed & SRA (Saubot, Roult & Assoc.).Almond shaped notch & saucer overhang over front edge of EDF building (2001) at La Défense. Paris, France.
Almond shaped notch of EDF building at La Défense. Paris, France.EDF building which is wider at top than bottom beyond Fantastic characters sculpture by Joan Miró at La Défense. Paris, France.Carousel at La Défense. Paris, France.Building with external crosshatched supporting structure on La Défense Esplanade. Paris, France.
Almond shaped notch of EDF building (2001) at La Défense. Paris, France.EDF building which is wider at top than bottom beyond Fantastic characters sculpture (1977) by Joan Miró at La Défense. Paris, France.Carousel at La Défense. Paris, France.Building with external crosshatched supporting structure on La Défense Esplanade. Paris, France.
White Cœur Défense building beyond Miro sculpture at La Défense. Paris, France.Cœur Défense & greenish CB21 buildings at La Défense. Paris, France.Defense Place pool with rainbow walls with base of Cœur Défense building beyond at La Défense. Paris, France.Defense of Paris statue by Louis-Ernest Barrias marking French stand in Franco-Prussian War Siege of Paris at La Défense. Paris, France.
White Cœur Défense (2001) building beyond Miro sculpture at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Jean-Paul Viguier.Cœur Défense (2001) & greenish CB21 (former GAN) (1974) buildings at La Défense. Paris, France.Defense Place pool with rainbow walls with base of Cœur Défense (2001) building beyond at La Défense. Paris, France.Defense of Paris statue (1883) by Louis-Ernest Barrias marking French stand in Franco-Prussian War Siege of Paris (1870-1) at La Défense. Paris, France.
Coupole Total tower at La Défense. Paris, France.PB5 Tower at La Défense. Paris, France.View at dusk of PB5 Y-shaped tower at La Défense. Paris, France.CB 16, Aurore, Manhattan, & CB 21 towers at La Défense. Paris, France.
Coupole Total tower (1985) at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Webb, Zerafa, Menkès & Houdsen; plus Roger Saubot & François Jullien.PB5 (former SCOR) Tower (1980-3) at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Jean Balladur.View at dusk of PB5 (former SCOR) Y-shaped tower (1980-3) at La Défense. Paris, France.CB 16, Aurore, Manhattan, & CB 21 towers at La Défense. Paris, France.
Les Trois Arbres sculpture by Guy-Rachel Grataloup at La Défense. Paris, France.Allianz One tower at La Défense. Paris, France.Initiale tower over Takis basin with signal sculpture at La Défense. Paris, France.Tindaro face sculpture by Igor Mitoraj at Belvédère building at La Défense. Paris, France.
Les Trois Arbres (Three Trees) sculpture (1988) by Guy-Rachel Grataloup at La Défense. Paris, France.Allianz One tower (former AGF Athena) (1984) at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Jean Willerval with Branco Vulic.Initiale tower (1966) over Takis basin with signal sculpture at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: .Jean de Mailly & Jacques Depussé.Tindaro face sculpture by Igor Mitoraj at Belvédère (former KPMG) building at La Défense. Paris, France.
Société Générale tower over Dalkia at La Défense. Paris, France.Société Générale tower over Villages de l'Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.Société Générale tower at La Défense. Paris, France.Société Générale tower at La Défense. Paris, France.
Société Générale tower over Dalkia at La Défense. Paris, France.Société Générale tower (1995) over Villages de l'Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.Société Générale tower (1995) at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Michel Andrault, Pierre Parat & Nicolas Ayoub, with Christian Germanaz.Société Générale tower (1995) at La Défense. Paris, France.
Société Générale tower at La Défense. Paris, France.Pacific & Société Générale towers at La Défense. Paris, France.Pacific tower arch over residential buildings at La Défense. Paris, France.Archway of Pacific tower at La Défense. Paris, France.
Société Générale tower (1995) at La Défense. Paris, France.Pacific & Société Générale towers at La Défense. Paris, France.Pacific tower arch (1992) over residential buildings at La Défense. Paris, France.Archway of Pacific tower (1992) at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Kisho Kurokawa.
Pacific tower at La Défense. Paris, France.Villages de l'Arche complex at La Défense. Paris, France.Rond Place courtyard in Villages de l'Arche at La Défense. Paris, France.Rond Place courtyard structure in Villages de l'Arche next to Pacific tower at La Défense. Paris, France.
Pacific tower (1992) at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Kisho Kurokawa.Villages de l'Arche complex (1994) at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Atelier Castro-Denissof.Rond Place courtyard (1994) in Villages de l'Arche at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Atelier Castro-Denissof.Rond Place courtyard structure (1994) in Villages de l'Arche next to Pacific tower at La Défense. Paris, France.
Kupka A tower at La Défense. Paris, France.Arch supported footbridge to Kupka A tower at La Défense. Paris, France.Black Adria & white Egée towers over low-rise residences at La Défense. Paris, France.Towers of La Défense flanking ring road around modern development. Paris, France.
Kupka A tower (1992) at La Défense. Paris, France. Architect: Michel Andrault & Pierre Parat.Arch supported footbridge to Kupka A tower at La Défense. Paris, France.Black Adria (2002) & white Egée (1999) towers over low-rise residences at La Défense. Paris, France.Towers of La Défense flanking ring road around modern development. Paris, France.
Black Adria & white Egée towers over low-rise residences at La Défense. Paris, France.Cemetery of Neuilly with Courbevoie residential suburbs beyond seen from La Défense. Paris, France.Cemetery of Neuilly with Courbevoie residential suburbs beyond seen from La Défense. Paris, France.
Black Adria (2002) & white Egée (1999) towers over low-rise residences at La Défense. Paris, France.Cemetery of Neuilly with Courbevoie residential suburbs beyond seen from La Défense. Paris, France.Cemetery of Neuilly with Courbevoie residential suburbs beyond seen from La Défense. Paris, France.
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All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
All rights reserved. Permission required to use.

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