Page:Three Years in Europe.djvu/251

Rh 1871, I saw these sad ruins along with the ruins of many of the finest and fairest edifices of this lovely city. For ten years after that date "the clock dial of the Pavilion de l'Horloge remained attached to the facade,—the hands marking 12-30,—or half an hour after noon of the 24th May 1871, that being the hour when the work of destruction planned by the commune was fulfilled." At last the municipality decided on the removal of this momento of ancient royal pride and of modern popular vandalism. The ruins were sold by auction and were carted away,—and not a trace now exists of the palace of the Tuilleries where the kings and ambassadors and the great ones of Europe were at one time proud to find a place by the side of the Royalty of France.

The Palace of Tuilleries stood to the west of the palace of Louvre, and to the west again of the Tuilleries stood and still stands the celebrated Jardin of Tuilleries. Extend the same straight line further westwards, and you come to the Place de la Concorde, then to the gardens called the Champs Elysees extending far westward as far as the towering and magnificent Arc de Triomphe. The arrangement is so perfect and the line is so straight and unbroken, that standing on the Louvre you see straight before you the gardens of the Tuilleries, the obelisk of the Place de la Concorde, the lovely gardens of the Champs Elysees and far off the magnificent Arc de Triomphe closing the view.

The Place de la Concorde is one of the largest and finest Squares in Europe, being 390 yards long and 235 yards