La Défense is Europe's largest purpose-built business district, covering 560 hectares west of Paris. It features 72 glass and steel buildings, over 2,800 companies, and 180,000 daily workers. The landmark is the Grande Arche designed by Johan Otto von Spreckelsen in 1989 - a 110-meter-high cube completing the historic axis from the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe. Note: The Grande Arche observation deck has been closed since May 2023. The district is transforming into a mixed residential-business neighborhood with events throughout 2026.