In 2016, Paris was the third most visited city in the world. It became an important centre for tourism in the second half of the 19th century, when it hosted five international expositions that attracted millions of visitors. The Eiffel Tower, whose design was initially criticised by some of France’s leading artists, was constructed for one of these expositions. The city is home to many other world-famous tourist attractions such as the Louvre, which was the most visited museum in Paris, in 2017. Unlike other European cities, such as London, the majority of Paris’ most visited tourist attractions require an entrance fee. Paris has a rich history, most notably being the main setting of the French Revolution in the late 18th century, when the monarchy was dismantled, and France declared itself a republic.