La Defense, France’s Business District

La Defense is a major business district located at the westernmost end of Paris’ Historical Axis. It has a population of over 20,000 people, and contains the majority of Paris’ largest and tallest high rise buildings. La Defense has the distinction of being Europe’s largest purpose built business district, with over 180,000 individuals reporting for work there every day.There are 72 skyscrapers located in La Defense, including 14 that are more than 150 meters tall. Much like the Canary Wharf area of London, La Defense is seen as a district where corporations can build large ostentatious buildings to house their offices without being concerned about damaging the look of a historic neighborhood.La Defense is named after the iconic statue La Defense de Paris, which was erected in 1883 to in honor of soldiers who fought for Paris during the Franco-Prussian War.  It was originally an area covered by warehouses, shanty towns, and a few scattered farms.  Construction on the first run of sky scrapers, such as the Esso Tower and the Center of New Industries and Technologies, was begun in 1958. In the early 1970s, even more large buildings were added to the neighborhood to keep up with rising demand.There are many important corporations who have headquarters at La Defense including Cegetel, Société Générale, Total, Aventis, Areva and Arcelor. The Total building, constructed in 1985, is the tallest sky scraper in the district. It is 187 meters high, has 48 floors, and is the second highest inhabited building in Paris.In addition to the many corporate headquarters, La Defense also contains many retail shops and restaurants to serve the people who work in the district. There are also a variety of hotels in the area, including the Hilton Hotel Paris La Defense.  The Hotel La Defense is actually located within the Center for New Industries and Technologies building.