One
of the signature buildings of Paris, the
Arc is actually composed of three arches.
The arc is 63 feet high, 75 feet wide,
and 24 feet deep. The two small arches
are 14 feet, 16 inches high and 9 feet
wide. The big arch is 21 feet high and
9 feet wide. All of the arches (as the
name would suggest) are covered with depictions
of famous battles that involved the French
people.
Commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon, shortly
after his victory at Austerlitz, it was
not finished until 1836. There are four
sculptures at the bases of the four pillars
entitled “The Triumph of 1810”,
“Resistance”, “Peace”,
and “La Marseillaise”. The
arc is surmounted by men on horse back
above the names of the battles and treaties
of Napoleon.
The names of less important victories,
as well as those of 558 generals, are
to found on the inside walls. Generals
whose names are underlined died in action.
In 1920 the body of an unknown French
soldier of World War I was interred beneath
the arch, and the Perpetual Flame was
lighted.
The
Arc de Triomphe is richly decorated in
rose marble on the columns and the front
paneling. It is part of the “Grand
Ax of Paris” which consists of the
“Grande Arch de la Defense”,
the “Arc de Triomphe at Etoile”,
the “Champs Élysées”,
and the “Obélisque de Luxor”
at the Place de la Concorde.
Arc
De Triomphe Travel Links |
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