Page 59 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

FRANCE 57
Thirty Shields
Just below the top of the arch
is a row of 30 shields, each of
which carries the name of a
victorious Napoleonic battle.
East fa~de
Napoleon divorced Josephine in
1809 because she was unable to
bear him children. A diplomatic
marriage was arranged in 1810
with Marie-Louise, daughter of the
Austrian emperor. Napoleon wanted
to pass through the Arc on the way
to the wedding at the Louvre, but
work had barely begun. So Chalgrin
built a full-scale model on the site
for the couple to pass beneath.
Napoleon with his new wife
Viewing Platform
The top of the arch, reached
via an eleva tor or by eli mbing
the 284 steps, affords one of
the best views in Paris.
Battle of Austerlitz
Another battle victory is
depicted on a frieze on
the north side of the
arch. Napoleon's army is
seen breaking up the ice
on Lake Satschan---a
tactic that led to the
drowning of thousands
of enemy troops.
----+-- Offi<ers' names
The names of 558 French
genera Is of the Imperia I
Army are engraved on the
inner face of the arch.
~ Departure of the
Volunteers in 1792
BAY OF
BISCAY
• Bordeaux
Marseille•
SPAIN MEDIT£ RRANEAN
SEA
CARVED RELIEFS
The west fa<;ade of the arch is adorned with
colossal rei iefs. 1he Resistance of the French in
1814 is depicted on the right. Here, a soldier
defends his family and is encouraged by the
embodiment of the future. The Peace of 1815,
on the left, shows a man, protected by Minerva,
Goddess of Wisdom, returning his sword to
its scabbard. These reliefs are by the sculptor
Antoine Etex. Above them are two bas-reliefs.
The left frame depicts the Capture of Alexandria
( 1798), as General Kleber urges his troops
forward. The right frame shows the Passage
of the Bridge of Arcola (1796), with Napoleon
advancing against the Austrians. The south
fa,.ade details the Battle of Jemmape; (1792).
THE BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ
Napoleon commissioned the arch in 1806
to honor his soldiers, who had achieved a
masterful victory at the Battle of Austerlitz in
1805. Heavily outnumbered, Napoleon led
the Allies to believe that his army was weak
and successfully lured them into a vulnerable
position. Fierce battle ensued, forcing the Alii es
to retreat across frozen Lake Satschan in Austria.
It is believed that Napoleon's army fired on the
ice in an attempt to drown the fleeing enemy.
The armies of Russia and Austria, members of
the Third Coalition alliance against France in the
Napoleonic Wars, were destroyed.
NEO-CLASSICAL STYLE
The power, might and learning of Western
Europe was represented in the 18th and the
first half of the 19th centuries by architecture
inspired by that of ancient Greece and Rome.
The traditional principles of the Classical style
were extended and adapted as the culture of
the ancient world was increasingly revealed,
documented and disseminated. This new
Classicism was seen as an ideal match for the
ambitions of the powerful European states,
whether autocratic or witnessing the birth
pangs of democracy, and also of the young
United States of America. The Neo-Classical
style is defined by elaborate detai Is and a refined
sense of proportion hallmarks of ancient
Classical architecture that could be adapted
for every conceivable purpose.