Arc de Triomphe

~ Arc de Triomphe ~

The Arc de Triomphe was built by Napoleon as a celebration of his and France's military victories. Building was started in 1806 but was still incomplete when the Emperor was toppled. It was finished in 1836. Its immense structure is 50 metres high and 45 metres wide.

In order to reach the Arc you must pass through an underground walkway. The amount of cars circling the Arc is huge and I wouldn't recommend crossing the road! When you visit the Arc you will find a small museum, the entrance of which is in the underground walkway. There is also an opportunity to travel to the top of the Arc where you can find the best view of the Voie Triomphale.

The architecture of the Arc is based on the Roman style. At ground level you can see four high relief sculptures, the most notable being Rude's Departure of the Volunteers (the Marseillaise) and Cortot's Triumph of 1810, celebrating the Treaty of Vienna. The above frieze also commemorates moments of Napoleanic glory and the Arch itself is inscribed with the names of 660 generals and 128 battles of the Empire. Beneath it lies the tomb of the unknown soldier.

This picture illustrates how the Arc is surrounded by a circle of twelve avenues which was planned by Haussmann in 1854. This is known as the Place de l'Etoile.