The Arc de Triomphe is one of the best known monuments in Paris. Commissioned in 1806 by the Emperor Napoleon, the monument is located at the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées.
The arch was built to honor the soldiers who fought for France, and the inside and top areas of the arch are engraved with the names of generals and wars fought. The tomb of an unknown soldier from World War I lies beneath the arch.
The location of the arch is pivotal, being one of a sequence of historic monuments that mark a route from the courtyard of the Louvre Palace to the outskirts of the city.
Originally, designed by Jean Chalgrin, the monument was completed after Chalgrin’s death under the direction of Hericart de Thury during the reign of King Louis-Phillipe in the mid-1830s.
Today, visitors may reach the Arc through an underpass, climbing the 284 steps to the top of the monument, or taking the elevator and walking the final 46 steps.
From the top, visitors are rewarded by an incredible panoramic view of the city, including Paris’ 12 major avenues leading to the Etoile.
