The construction of the Arc of Triumph in Paris began in 1806 following the order of Napoleon Bonaparte. The construction of the Arc lasted for over thirty years, and the emperor did not live to see the completion of the architectural masterpiece, as he died in 1821 in exile.
The Arc of Triumph remained until this day, and it is no longer important whether Napoleon got a chance to see it – for almost two centuries it lets people around the world recognize the great deeds of a talented general and leader of the French. The arch is a popular visiting site for both tourists, and local Parisians.
The construction of the Arc of Triumph practically started on the city outskirts, and it was supposed to serve as a gate through which the glorious warriors would enter the city. By 1810 only the foundation and a few feet of the walls were laid. Napoleon was eager to ceremonially ride with his fiancée Marie-Louise under the Arc, but was forced to find satisfaction in a drapery decoration mounted for the occasion.
In 1815 the construction was halted until the rule of Louie-Fillip. The construction of the Arch of Triumph 'triumphantly' ended in 1836. By that time the city has grown substantially and the Arc became a decoration of a big city square. The square is called Place de L'Etoile, meaning the square of the star. If you look from above, approximately from a bird's view, you will see that 12 streets go out from the square like light rays of a star.
The Arc's project was designed by a great architect – Jean-François Chalgrin who, just like Napoleon, did not live to see his creation. The Arc was destined to deliver the message about the emperor's victories and was designed to mimic the ancient Roman buildings of the same kind. But Napoleon acted with scale, and the Arc of Triumph was planned times bigger than all Roman counterparts. The height of the Arc is 49.5 meters, and the width is 44.8 meters. The rising arching ceiling of the Arc of Triumph is 29.1 meters above the ground, and it's width is 14.2 meters. The Arc of Triumph in Paris is the largest arc of triumph in the world.
On the outside of the Arc de Triomphe there are 12 meter bas-reliefs decoration the monument. From the Champs Elysee one can see the works of Rude and Cortot. The bas-reliefs were crafted by Francois Rude, perhaps one of the most famous artists who left his works on the Arc. Rude's work is called "Departure of the volunteers", but more often the piece is called "La Marseillaise" due to the depiction of the winged goddess, flying in front of the warriors. The statue symbolizes freedom, motherland, revolution – and everything that the song "La Marseillaise" talks about.
On the inner part of the Arc of Triumph there is a list of all the battles fought by Napoleons army or his generals' armies, and everyone who participated. The names of the deceased are underlined. And inside the Arc itself there is a small room which hosts a little museum nowadays. On the crossroads of the 20th and the 21st centuries the museum was closed for restoration purposes – in fact, the whole Arc was reconstructed, and is now open for visitors. At the museum one can witness images of the arcs of triumph from other countries, and get familiarized with the history of the Parisian beauty.
In 1920 a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was opened near the Arc of Triumph – the memorial is dedicated to those who died in the First World War. A fire is lit near the memorial every day at 18:30.
After the Second World War the Place de L'Etoile was renamed to Place Charles de Gaulle. The soldiers returning from the war passed under the Arc in 1944 moving towards the Champs Elysee.
Today, the Arc of Triumph is one of the major symbols of Paris and France in general, together with the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Palace of Versailles and other wonderful sites in this city.
Back to the France attractions list
