Arc De Triomphe
"The Arc De Triomphe
is 2.2km north west of place de la Concorde
in the middle of place Charles de Gaulle (also
known as place de I'Etoile), the world's largest traffic
roundabout and the meeting point of a dozen different avenues.
Arc De Triomphe was commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon Bonaparte to
commemorate Napoleon
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imperial victories but remained unfinished when
Napoleon started losing first battles and then entire wars. Arc De Triomphe was
not completed until 1836. [1]. "
"The best view of this monumental yet simple geometry is from
the top of the Arc de Triomphe, Napoleon Bonaparte's
homage both to the armies of France and to
himself. The emperor and his two royal successors spent ten
million francs between them on this edifice, which victorious
foreign armies would later use to humiliate the French.
After the Prussians' triumphal march in 1871, the Parisians lit
bonfires beneath the Arc de triomphe and down the Champs Elysees
to eradicate the "stain" of German boots. [2]. "
"From the viewing platform on top of the arch (284 steps and well worth
the climb) you can see the 12 avenues many of them named after Napoleonic
victories and illustrious generals radiating towards every part of Paris.
[3]. "
"Since 1920, the body of an Unknown Soldier from WWI, taken from Verdun
in Lorraine, has lain beneath the Arc de triomphe; his fate and that of countless
others is commemorated by a memorial flame that is rekindled
each evening around 6.30 pm. The most celebrated of the arch's four relief
panels is to the right as you face it from the ave des Champ Elysees
side. Entitled Depart des Volontaires de 1792 and also
known as La Marseillaise, it is the work of Francois
Rude. Higher up, a frieze running round the whole monument depicts
hundreds of figures, each one 2m high. [4]. "
References:
[1], [3] Steve Fallon, Daniel Robinson, Tony Wheeler, PARIS. Footscray, Victoria, Australia: Lonely Planet Publication, 2001.
[2],[4] Kate Baillie, Tim Salmon, Margo Daly, Rachel Kaberry, PARIS. London: Rough Guides Ltd, 1999.
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