TheArc de Triomphe de l'Étoile,[a] often simply called theArc de Triomphe, is one of the most famous monuments inParis, France. It is located at the western end of theChamps-Élysées, at the centre ofPlace Charles de Gaulle—formerly known as Place de l'Étoile—named for the star-shaped configuration formed by the convergence of twelve radiating avenues.Paving stones of different colors trace a stellar pattern on the plaza's surface, with its points reaching toward the centre of each avenue. The monument is situated at the intersection of threearrondissements: the16th (to the south and west), the17th (to the north), and the8th (to the east). Commissioned to honor those who fought and died for France during theFrench Revolutionary andNapoleonic Wars, the Arc bears the names of French victories and generals engraved on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies theTomb of the Unknown Soldier fromWorld War I, marked by aneternal flame commemorating unidentified fallen soldiers.
The central cohesive element of theAxe historique (historic axis, a sequence ofmonuments and grandthoroughfares on a route running from the courtyard of theLouvre to theGrande Arche de la Défense), the Arc de Triomphe was designed byJean-François Chalgrin in 1806; itsiconographic programme depictsheroically nude warriors and set the tone for public monuments with triumphant patriotic messages. Inspired by theArch of Titus inRome, the Arc de Triomphe has an overall height of 49.54 m (162.5 ft), width of 44.82 m (147.0 ft) and depth of 22.21 m (72.9 ft), while its large vault is 29.19 m (95.8 ft) high and 14.62 m (48.0 ft) wide. The smaller transverse vaults are 18.68 m (61.3 ft) high and 8.44 m (27.7 ft) wide.
Paris's Arc de Triomphe was the tallesttriumphal arch until the completion of theMonumento a la Revolución inMexico City in 1938, which is 67 m (220 ft) high. TheArch of Triumph in Pyongyang, completed in 1982, is modeled on the Arc de Triomphe and is slightly taller at 60 m (197 ft). TheGrande Arche inLa Défense near Paris is 110 m (361 ft) high, and, if considered to be a triumphal arch, is the world's tallest.[6]
Avenues radiate from the Arc de Triomphe inPlace Charles de Gaulle, the former Place de l'Étoile.
The Arc de Triomphe is located on the right bank of theSeine at the centre of a dodecagonal configuration oftwelve radiating avenues. It was commissioned in 1806, after the victory atAusterlitz by EmperorNapoleon at the peak of his fortunes. Laying the foundations alone took two years and, in 1810, whenNapoleon entered Paris from the west with his new bride, ArchduchessMarie-Louise of Austria, he had a wooden mock-up of the completed arch constructed. The architect,Jean-François Chalgrin, died in 1811 and the work was taken over byLouis-Robert Goust.[7]
It is said that on the day theBattle of Verdun began in 1916, the sword carried by the figure of theRepublic inLa Marseillaise sculptural group broke off. The relief was immediately hidden bytarpaulins to conceal the accident and avoid any undesired ominous interpretations.[11]
On 7 August 1919, three weeks after the Paris victory parade marking the end of hostilities in World War I,Charles Godefroy flew hisNieuport biplane under the arch's primary vault, with the event captured on newsreel.[12][13][14]Jean Navarre was the pilot who was tasked to make the flight, but he died on 10 July 1919 when he crashed nearVillacoublay while training for the flight.
Following its construction, the Arc de Triomphe became the rallying point of French troops parading after successful military campaigns and for the annualBastille Day military parade. Famous victory marches around or under the Arc have included theGermans in 1871, the French in 1919, theGermans in 1940, and theFrench and Allies in 1944[15] and 1945. A United Statespostage stamp of 1945 shows the Arc de Triomphe in the background as victorious American troops march down the Champs-Élysées and U.S. airplanes fly overhead on 29 August 1944. After theinterment of the Unknown Soldier, however, all military parades (including the aforementioned post-1919) have avoided marching through the actual arch. The route taken is up to the arch and then around its side, out of respect for the tomb and its symbolism. BothAdolf Hitler in 1940 andCharles de Gaulle in 1944 observed this custom.
By the early 1960s, the monument had grown very blackened from coal soot and automobile exhaust, and during 1965–1966 it was cleaned throughbleaching. In the prolongation of the Avenue desChamps-Élysées, a new arch, theGrande Arche de la Défense, was built in 1982, completing the line of monuments that forms Paris'sAxe historique. After theArc de Triomphe du Carrousel and the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, the Grande Arche is the third arch built on the same perspective.
On 12 July 1998, whenFrance won theFIFA World Cup for the first time after defeatingBrazil3–0 at theStade de France, images of the players including double goal scorerZinedine Zidane and their names along with celebratory messages were projected onto the arch.[17]
In late 2018, the Arc de Triomphe suffered acts of vandalism during theyellow vests protests.[18] A crowd of demonstrators sprayed the monument with graffiti and ransacked its museum.[19] In September 2021, the Arc was wrapped in a silvery blue fabric and red rope,[20] as part ofL'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped, a posthumous project planned by artistsChristo and Jeanne-Claude since the early 1960s.[21]
View of the Arc de Triomphe from theAvenue d'Iéna, 2012.
Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs, withJohn Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State, under the Arc de Triomphe in 2015.
On the attic above the richly sculptured frieze of soldiers are 30 shields engraved with thenames of major French victories in theFrench Revolution andNapoleonic wars.[23] The inside walls of the monument list thenames of 660 officers, among which are 558 French generals of theFirst French Empire;[24] the names of those killed in battle are underlined. Also inscribed, on the shorter sides of the four supporting columns, are the names of the major French victories in the Napoleonic Wars. Battles that took place during theHundred Days are not included.[25]
For four years from 1882 to 1886, a monumental sculpture byAlexandre Falguière topped the arch. TitledLe triomphe de la Révolution ("The Triumph of the Revolution"), it depicted a chariot drawn by horses preparing "to crush Anarchy and Despotism".[26]
Inside the monument, a permanent exhibition, conceived by artistMaurice Benayoun and architect Christophe Girault, opened in February 2007.[27]
A ceremony is held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every 11 November on the anniversary of theArmistice of 11 November 1918 signed by theEntente Powers andGermany in 1918. It was originally decided on 12 November 1919 to bury the unknown soldier's remains in thePanthéon, but a public letter-writing campaign led to the decision to bury him beneath the Arc de Triomphe. The coffin was put in the chapel on the first floor of the Arc on 10 November 1920, and put in its final resting place on 28 January 1921.[29] The slab on top bears the inscription:Ici repose un soldat français mort pour la Patrie, 1914–1918 ("Here rests a French soldier who died for the Fatherland, 1914–1918").[29]
The four main sculptural groups on each of the Arc's pillars are:
The Departure of the Volunteers of 1792, also calledLa Marseillaise, byFrançois Rude (southern façade, right). This sculptural group celebrates the cause of theFrench First Republic during theBattle of Valmy. Above the volunteers is the winged personification ofLiberty. The group served as a recruitment tool in the early months ofWorld War I and encouraged the French to invest in war loans in 1915–1916.[31]
The Resistance of 1814, byAntoine Étex (northern façade, right). This group commemorates the French Resistance to the Allied Armies during theWar of the Sixth Coalition.
The Peace of 1815, byAntoine Étex (northern façade, left). This group commemorates theTreaty of Paris, concluded in that year.
The Arc de Triomphe is accessible by theRER andMétro, with the closest stop being theCharles de Gaulle–Étoile station. Due to heavy traffic on the roundabout of which the Arc is the centre, pedestrians use two underpasses accessible from theChamps-Élysées and theGrande Armée avenues. A spiral stairway with 240 steps leads visitors to the museum level in theattic of the monument, where large models of the Arc and interactive exhibits on its history, construction, and cultural significance are displayed. Another 40 steps lead to therooftop terrace, offering a panoramic view of Paris.[34] Elevators providing access to the museum and rooftop terrace are available.[35]
The location of the Arc, as well as the Place de l'Étoile, is shared between threearrondissements: the16th (to the south and west), the17th (to the north), and the8th (to the east).
While many structures around the world resemble the Arc de Triomphe, some were actually inspired by it. Replicas that used its design as a model include theRosedale World War I Memorial Arch in Kansas City, United States (1924); theArcul de Triumf in Bucharest, Romania (1936); theArch of Triumph in Pyongyang, North Korea (1982); and a miniature version at theParis Casino in Las Vegas, United States (1999).[36]
^Melville Wallace,La vie d'un pilote de chasse en 1914–1918, Flammarion, Paris, 1978. The film clip is included in The History Channel'sFour Years of Thunder.
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