Page 121 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

Must See
1 "'=
ARC DE TRIOMPHE

 B1 ⌂ Place Charles de Gaulle 75008 q W Charles de Gaulle-Étoile @ 22, 30, 31, 52, 73, 92
to pl Charles de Gaulle # Apr–Sep: 10am–11pm daily; Oct–Mar: 10am–10:30pm daily ¢ All
day 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec; mornings only 8 May, 14 Jul, 11 Nov ∑ paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr
Situated at the heart of Place Charles de Gaulle, overlooking the Champs-Élysées,
the Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon to celebrate France’s military
might. The exterior is adorned with sculptures depicting various battles, while the
viewing platform at the top affords one of the best views in Paris.

After his greatest victory, the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805,
Napoleon promised his men they would “go home beneath
triumphal arches”. The first stone of what was to become
the world’s most famous triumphal arch was laid the
following year, but disruptions to architect Jean Chalgrin’s
plans and the demise of Napoleonic power delayed
completion of this monumental building until 1836.
Standing 50 m (164 ft) high, the Arc is now the customary
starting point for victory celebrations and parades.

NUPTIAL PARADE
The twelve In 1809, Napoleon divorced
avenues his wife Josephine because
radiating she was unable to bear
from Place him children. A diplomatic
Charles marriage was arranged in
de Gaulle 1810 with Marie-Louise,
daughter of the Austrian
emperor. Napoleon was
determined to impress his
bride by going through the
Arc on their way to the
wedding, but work had
barely started, so Chalgrin
built a full-scale mock-up
of the arch on the site for
The symbolic torch the couple to pass beneath.
at the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier

1806 1815 1919
▼ Napoleon commissions Napoleon abdicates Allied armies
Chalgrin to build the after defeat at the parade through
Timeline the Battle of Austerlitz causing work on the celebrate the end
Battle of Waterloo,
triumphal Arc following
the Arc to
in the previous year.
of World War I.
Arc to cease.
1836 1944
King Louis-Philippe ▲ De Gaulle leads
completes the Arc the crowd from the
during the Bourbon Arc following the
Restoration. liberation of Paris.

121

120-121_EW_France.indd 121 29/01/2019 15:05