From the artworks of Matisse, Cézanne and Picasso, to groundbreaking inventions of the 20th century like the automobile and blimp, the grand arches and glass roof of the Grand Palais in Paris have showcased the finest of human civilisation since its construction in 1900. Now, a 26-year-old from Werribee has joined them.

Bailey Lewis became the first Australian to compete at the Grand Palais on Wednesday, as one of the three-strong Australian taekwondo team. Stacey Hymer was the second on Thursday, losing her first round match in the 57kg class to tricky Brazilian Maria Clara Pacheco. And another Melburnian, Leon Sejranovic, will become the third when he contests the 80kg class on Friday morning (Friday night evening AEST).

Much has been made of the competitive excellence of Australia’s 460-strong team in Paris, after a new mark for gold medals was set on Thursday. But there is more to the Games than success.

There has been disappointment and controversy. There have been the people who share in the experience, exchanging country-themed pins, or simply saying “bonjour”. Then there are the places, Paris’ grand venues which have become as much of an attraction as the athletes. None have made an impact like the Grand Palais, where fencing and taekwondo have taken place.

Irish athlete Jack Woolley put it simply. “Nothing will ever compare to this,” he said. “You’ve got eyes. You can see for yourself. You look at it, it’s absolutely beautiful.” Ask Hymer’s coach Ryan Carneli – himself a former Olympian – how it compares to other taekwondo venues, and he looks at you like you’re joking. “It doesn’t compare, this is the best. 100%.”

Supported by green-painted cast iron arches marked by curving architectural flourishes, the glass roof stands 45m above the floor. The sandstone at the base of the building is ringed in sculptural detail, doors two storeys high in keeping with the Palais’ vast dimensions. Beneath the glass, white fabric diffuses the light, giving the space an even illumination. But the eyes are drawn to the octagon in the centre, highlighted by narrow beams from which little light spills.

The structure was built for the 1900 Paris Exposition, an exhibition to highlight the creations that were to dictate the path of humanity in the 20th-century. It has hosted automobile displays, and it has been Paris’ most prestigious art space. So big is the main hall, there were even air shows held inside – with blimps floating in the building’s atmosphere.

A glass roof was the engineering solution for large halls in the 19th-century which were to provide lighted indoor space, before the advent of accessible artificial lighting. Take one step into the vast main chamber however, and the atmosphere is electric.

While the eyes are adjusting to take in the dimensions, the ears are assaulted. At high frequencies, the shouts and cries bounce around the walls, and the rumble of the applause and movement on the great scaffold stands erected at either end overwhelm the senses.

Hymer, buzzing despite her first round defeat, said the venue was “amazing” and thought she performed well. “I’m not going to beat myself up over losing this fight, I love the energy of the crowd, the excitement and everything. This is a place where I can thrive.”

So too do the spectators. Hymer’s sister Victoria was there with her boyfriend Travis Knox, who described it as a “coliseum”. She used the word “monument”. Is there anything in Australia that could compare? “There’s the state netball hockey centre in Victoria, but I don’t think something that you can brag about,” she said.

Like the 8,000 fans who joined them inside, the couple from Melbourne were largely overwhelmed. “It looks like just a huge church, this place looks like it’s got some history,” she said. “Walking in, seeing the atmosphere, especially all the French, to see them cheering because there was a French fighter when we walked in, so the crowd was unbelievable. It’s over-stimulating.”

The days of competition at the Paris Games are dwindling, ticking away with the calendar. But the memories of these Games, for those that witnessed them or took part, will prove more stubborn.

“You know, you’ve got your fighting, and that’s the serious part,” Stacey Hymer said. “But like, the enjoyment is looking around seeing your family, you’re not going to be able to re-live those moments.”

Not long after, three pigeons took flight. They looped around the vast chasm, then landed on one of the ornate curves of the building’s towering pillars, two athletes kicking and screaming below.