Museums and monuments

Lyria's favourites: Arc de triomphe

Arc de triomphe

Paris | France

The cathedral of the republic.

Until the middle of the 19th century, the place de l'Etoile was nothing more than an empty space. It was around the mid-18th century that Paris authorities began wondering how to landscape the immense five-street crossroad at the top of the Champs Elysees. Napoléon Bonaparte, still glowing from his victory at the battle of Austerlitz, was the one to decide to construct a giant monument dedicated to the Imperial Army. The edifice was to take the shape of a triumphant arc, a vain allusion to his own military genius and to "epic" Antiquity. The scale of the project was awe-inspiring: 50 metres tall and 45 meters across. It was Jean François Chalgrin who began the designs, succeeded by architects Goust and Huyot under the directorship of Viscount Hericart de Thury.The one and only Arc of Triomphe, towering above a bustling centre of business and tourism as an architectural and artistic beacon, will be forever linked to the French "collective unconscious." It is monumental icon in both Paris's urban and cultural landscapes.

Map:Museums and monuments

Filter on the map







See more






Museums and monuments guide to Paris : all interests

image descriptionMuseums and monuments ...

The cathedral of the republic.


Paris

The world's most beautiful avenue.


Paris

image description ... for the children and with the family

Village in modern times.


Paris

A paradise of plants and natural science


Paris

image description ... tradition and folklore

Central and lively meeting-place in Paris.


Paris

image description ... culture

A temple of contemporary art.


Paris

image description ... nature and to unwind

From vineyard to garden…


Paris