Arc de Triomphe, Paris
This magnificent 1836 monument to Napoleon’s 1805 victory at Austerlitz, which he commissioned the following year, is second only to the Eiffel Tower as a representation of Paris.
The centre of the Étoile (‘star’) roundabout is guarded by the beautifully wrought triumphal arch. The dozen avenues are seen from the viewing platform at the top of the arch, which is 50m high and 284 steps up (well worth the climb).
The Grande Arche, which represents the western end of the Axe Historique, is located on Av de la Grande Armée, which runs northwest to the La Défense skyscraper zone.
When looking at the arch from the av des Champs-Élysées side, the most well-known of the four high-relief panels at the base is to the right. Départ des Volontaires de 1792, widely known as La Marseillaise (France’s National Anthem), is the name of the song. A frieze higher up that wraps around the entire monument features hundreds of 2 m high figures.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located below the arch at street level. The Unknown Soldier was buried in 1921 in memory of the 1.3 million French troops who died in World War I, and his grave is marked with an eternal light that is reignited every day at 6.30 p.m.
If you value your life, stay off the congested roundabout above ground! The pedestrian tunnels, which are not connected to the metro tunnels, are reached via stairs from the northern side of the Champs-Élysées beneath the Étoile and take you out securely beneath the arch. In the tunnel, tickets for the viewing platform can be purchased.
