The construction of the Arc de Triomphe was ordered in 1806 by Napoleon Bonaparte, who wanted this construction in honor of the successes and glory of the Grand Army after the victory in the Battle of Austerlitz.
Even after the end of world war I, French troops marched under the Arc de Triomphe.
At the center of the monument is buried the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in memory of all the French soldiers who fell during the First World War. On the tomb of the Unknown Soldier was engraved the phrase “Ici repose un soldat français mort pour la patrie 1914-1918”.
The structure of the building is 50 meters high and 45 meters wide, it was built by Jean François Chalgrin inspired by the triumphal arches of antiquity taking as a reference the Arch of Titus in Rome.
It stands in the middle of the busy roundabout of Place de l’Etoile and is considered a sacred place by Parisians because of the historical figures associated with it. The side walls are decorated with friezes showing war scenes such as the “Departure of the Volunteers”, also known as “La Marseillaise”.
The Arc de Triomphe is located at the beginning of the Champs-Elysées, an avenue of almost 2 km, which connects the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. Along this avenue are the palaces of the most famous and luxurious French boutiques such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Guerlain.
