Field of Mars

The Champ de Mars is a 24-hectare green expanse in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, framed by the Eiffel Tower to the northwest and the Ecole Militaire to the southeast. Originally laid out as a drill ground for the military academy founded in 1751, it takes its name from Mars, the Roman god of war. During the French Revolution it hosted the Festival of the Federation in 1790 and the massacre of July 17, 1791. Later it became the stage for several World's Fairs, most famously in 1889, when the Eiffel Tower rose as the entrance arch. Today the park doubles as a free lawn, picnic ground, and postcard view. At sunset travelers and Parisians gather for the tower's hourly sparkle. The central axis from Trocadero through the Eiffel Tower to the Ecole Militaire is part of the UNESCO-listed Paris, Banks of the Seine.