Arc de Triomphe
Ideal: Ideal for history, monuments, city views, and classic Paris routes.
Napoleon ordered it after the victory at Austerlitz in 1806; the 50-metre monument was only completed in 1836 — he passed beneath it after his death, with his coffin. The names of 660 generals are carved on the inner surfaces; underlined names are those who died in battle. The eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the arch has been rekindled in a ceremony every evening at 18:30 since 1923. Twelve avenues radiate star-like from the square around it; 284 steps lead to the terrace, where those axes are best seen.
Quick facts
- Built
- 1836
- Opened
- 29 July 1836
- Architect
- Jean-François Chalgrin
- Commissioned by
- Napoleon
- Architectural style
- Neoclassical architecture
- Height
- 49.5 m
Facts from Wikidata, photos from Wikimedia Commons.
Did you know?
Why does the flame under the arch never go out?
The Unknown Soldier of the First World War is buried beneath the arch. The flame on the grave has burned since 1923 and is rekindled in a ceremony every evening at 18:30 — held almost without interruption for a century.
Why is the circle around the arch so notorious?
Twelve avenues meet at Place Charles de Gaulle and the roundabout has no lane markings. Many insurers automatically split fault 50-50 for collisions there.
Did anyone ever fly a plane through the arch?
In 1919 the pilot Charles Godefroy flew his biplane straight through it, protesting that airmen had been made to march rather than fly in the victory parade. It was filmed and became one of the best-known moments in French aviation.
Why go?
- To see one of Paris's most important monuments
- To view the Champs-Élysées and city axes from above
- To catch a different angle on the Eiffel Tower and Paris boulevards
Travel tip
Terrace views are especially good at sunset; expect queues at busy times.
