Question 1

True or false: The Romans built the Eiffel Tower as a watchtower in 50 BC.

Accepted Answer

False. The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 by Gustave Eiffel—Romans had no role; this is a common anachronistic myth.

Question 2

True or false: The Eiffel Tower was originally built as a temporary structure for the 1889 World's Fair.

Accepted Answer

True. It was meant to be dismantled after 20 years, but was saved because it proved useful for radio transmissions.

Question 3

True or false: Paris's catacombs hold the remains of over six million people.

Accepted Answer

True. Bones were moved from overflowing cemeteries in the 18th century, creating a vast underground ossuary.

Question 4

True or false: The Louvre was originally a fortress built to protect Paris from Viking raids.

Accepted Answer

False. It was a medieval fortress built by King Philip II in 1190, but to defend against English invasions, not Vikings.

Question 5

True or false: Paris has no skyscrapers because the city banned buildings over 12 stories tall.

Accepted Answer

False. A 1973 law limited height to 37 meters (about 12 stories), but exceptions exist like the Montparnasse Tower.

Question 6

True or false: Paris was originally a Roman city called Lutetia.

Accepted Answer

True. The Parisii tribe settled there, and Romans later named it Lutetia Parisiorum, eventually shortening to Paris.

Question 7

True or false: There is only one public guillotine site left visible in Paris today.

Accepted Answer

True. The Place de la Concorde once hosted guillotines, but only a small plaque marks it; no actual guillotine remains.

Question 8

True or false: Paris is known as the City of Light because it was the first city to install streetlights.

Accepted Answer

False. It earned the nickname from its early adoption of gas street lighting in the 1820s, but it wasn't the first—London was earlier.

Paris Trivia Questions