The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile (, , ; ) is one of the most famous monuments in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, standing at the western end of the

Champs-Élysées The Avenue des Champs-Élysées (, ; ) is an avenue in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France, long and wide, running between the Place de la Concorde in the east and the Place Charles de Gaulle in the west, where the Arc de Triomphe is lo ...

at the centre of

Place Charles de Gaulle Place Charles de Gaulle (), historically known as the Place de l'Étoile (), is a large road junction in Paris, France, the meeting point of twelve straight avenues (hence its historic name, which translates as "Square of the Star") including ...

, formerly named Place de l'Étoile—the ''étoile'' or "star" of the juncture formed by its twelve radiating avenues. The location of the arc and the plaza is shared between three

arrondissements An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands. Europe France The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissements'', ...

16th 16 (sixteen) is the natural number following 15 and preceding 17. 16 is a composite number, and a square number, being 42 = 4 × 4. It is the smallest number with exactly five divisors, its proper divisors being , , and . In English speech, ...

(south and west), 17th (north), and

8th 8 (eight) is the natural number following 7 and preceding 9. In mathematics 8 is: * a composite number, its proper divisors being , , and . It is twice 4 or four times 2. * a power of two, being 2 (two cubed), and is the first number of t ...

(east). The Arc de Triomphe honours those who fought and died for France in the

French Revolutionary The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are consider ...

and

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. The central cohesive element of the ''

Axe historique The ''Axe historique'' (; "historical axis") is a line of monuments, buildings, and thoroughfares that extends from the centre of Paris, France, to the west. It is also known as the ''Voie Triomphale'' (; "triumphal way"). The Axe Historique ...

'' (historic axis, a sequence of monuments and grand thoroughfares on a route running from the courtyard of the Louvre to the

Grande Arche de la Défense La Grande Arche de la Défense (; "The Great Arch of the Defense"), originally called La Grande Arche de la Fraternité (; "Fraternity"), is a monument and building in the business district of La Défense and in the commune of Puteaux, to the we ...

), the Arc de Triomphe was designed by

Jean Chalgrin Jean-François-Thérèse Chalgrin (1739 – 21 January 1811) was a French architect, best known for his design for the Arc de Triomphe, Paris. Biography His neoclassic orientation was established from his early studies with the prophet of neocla ...

in 1806; its

iconographic Iconology is a method of interpretation in cultural history and the history of the visual arts used by Aby Warburg, Erwin Panofsky and their followers that uncovers the cultural, social, and historical background of themes and subjects in the visu ...

programme pits heroically nude French youths against bearded Germanic warriors in

chain mail Chain mail (properly called mail or maille but usually called chain mail or chainmail) is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. It was in common military use between the 3rd century BC and ...

. It set the tone for public monuments with triumphant patriotic messages. Inspired by the

Arch of Titus The Arch of Titus ( it, Arco di Tito; la, Arcus Titi) is a 1st-century AD honorific arch, located on the Via Sacra, Rome, just to the south-east of the Roman Forum. It was constructed in 81 AD by the Emperor Domitian shortly after the death of ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Italy, the Arc de Triomphe has an overall height of , the width of and depth of , while its large vault is high and wide. The smaller transverse vaults are high and wide. Three weeks after the Paris victory parade in 1919 (marking the end of hostilities in World War I),

Charles Godefroy Charles Godefroy (29 December 1888 at La Flèche (Sarthe) – 11 December 1958 at Soisy-sous-Montmorency, (Val d'Oise), north of Paris) was a French aviator who became famous for flying through the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in 1919. World War I H ...

flew his

Nieuport Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars. History Beginnings Originally formed as Nieuport-Duplex in ...

biplane under the arch's primary vault, with the event captured on newsreel. Paris's Arc de Triomphe was the tallest

triumphal arch A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crow ...

until the completion of the

Monumento a la Revolución The Monument to the Revolution ( es, Monumento a la Revolución, links=no) is a landmark and monument commemorating the Mexican Revolution. It is located in the Plaza de la República, near to the heart of the major thoroughfares Paseo de la R ...

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

in 1938, which is high. The Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang, completed in 1982, is modeled on the Arc de Triomphe and is slightly taller at . The

Grande Arche La Grande Arche de la Défense (; "The Great Arch of the Defense"), originally called La Grande Arche de la Fraternité (; "Fraternity"), is a monument and building in the business district of La Défense and in the commune of Puteaux, to the west ...

in La Défense near Paris is 110 metres high. Although it is not named an Arc de Triomphe, it has been designed on the same model and from the perspective of the Arc de Triomphe. It qualifies as the world's tallest arch.

History

Construction and late 19th century

Paris - Orthophotographie - 2018 - Place Charles-de-Gaulle 02

The Arc de Triomphe is located on the right bank of the

Seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributarie ...

at the centre of a dodecagonal configuration of twelve radiating avenues. It was commissioned in 1806, after the victory at

Austerlitz Austerlitz may refer to: History * Battle of Austerlitz, an 1805 victory by the French Grand Army of Napoleon Bonaparte Places * Austerlitz, German name for Slavkov u Brna in the Czech Republic, which gave its name to the Battle of Austerlitz a ...

Emperor Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

at the peak of his fortunes. Laying the foundations alone took two years and, in 1810, when Napoleon entered Paris from the west with his new bride, Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria, he had a wooden mock-up of the completed arch constructed. The architect,

, died in 1811 and the work was taken over by

Jean-Nicolas Huyot Jean-Nicholas Huyot (December 25, 1780, Paris – August 2, 1840, Paris) was a French architect, best known for his 1833 continuation of the Arc de Triomphe from the plans of Jean Chalgrin. Biography Son of a builder, Huyot attended the Écol ...

. During the Bourbon Restoration, construction was halted, and it would not be completed until the reign of

King Louis-Philippe Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate monarch of France. As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, he distinguished himself commanding troops during the Revolutionary Wa ...

, between 1833 and 1836, by the architects Goust, then Huyot, under the direction of Héricart de Thury. The final cost was reported at about 10,000,000 francs (equivalent to an estimated €65 million or $75 million in 2020). On 15 December 1840, brought back to France from

Saint Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...

, Napoleon's remains passed under it on their way to the Emperor's final resting place at Les Invalides. Before burial in the

Panthéon The Panthéon (, from the Classical Greek word , , ' empleto all the gods') is a monument in the 5th arrondissement of Paris, France. It stands in the Latin Quarter, atop the , in the centre of the , which was named after it. The edifice was b ...

, the body of

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...

was displayed under the Arc on the night of 22 May 1885.

20th century

The sword carried by the ''Republic'' in the ''Marseillaise'' relief broke off on the day, it is said, that the

Battle of Verdun The Battle of Verdun (french: Bataille de Verdun ; german: Schlacht um Verdun ) was fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916 on the Western Front in France. The battle was the longest of the First World War and took place on the hills north ...

began in 1916. The relief was immediately hidden by

tarpaulin A tarpaulin ( , ) or tarp is a large sheet of strong, flexible, water-resistant or waterproof material, often cloth such as canvas or polyester coated with polyurethane, or made of plastics such as polyethylene. Tarpaulins often have reinforce ...

s to conceal the accident and avoid any undesired ominous interpretations. On 7 August 1919,

successfully flew his biplane under the Arc. Jean Navarre was the pilot who was tasked to make the flight, but he died on 10 July 1919 when he crashed near Villacoublay 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 annual Bastille Day military parade. Famous victory marches around or under the Arc have included the

Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...

in 1871, the French in 1919, the

Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...

in 1940, and the French and Allies in 1944 and 1945. A United States

postage stamp A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the fa ...

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 the interment 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. Both

Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

in 1940 and de Gaulle in 1944 observed this custom. Avenue des Champs-Élysées 01

By the early 1960s, the monument had grown very blackened from coal soot and automobile exhaust, and during 1965–1966 it was cleaned through

bleaching Bleach is the generic name for any chemical product that is used industrially or domestically to remove color (whitening) from a fabric or fiber or to clean or to remove stains in a process called bleaching. It often refers specifically, to ...

. In the prolongation of the

Avenue des Champs-Élysées Avenue or Avenues may refer to: Roads * Avenue (landscape), traditionally a straight path or road with a line of trees, in the shifted sense a tree line itself, or some of boulevards (also without trees) * Avenue Road, Bangalore * Avenue Road, Lon ...

, a new arch, the

, was built in 1982, completing the line of monuments that forms Paris's ''Axe historique''. After the ''Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel'' and the ''Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile'', the ''Grande Arche'' is the third arch built on the same perspective. In 1995, the

Armed Islamic Group of Algeria The Armed Islamic Group (GIA, from french: Groupe Islamique Armé; ar, الجماعة الإسلامية المسلّحة, al-Jamāʿa l-ʾIslāmiyya l-Musallaḥa) was one of the two main Islamist insurgent groups that fought the Algerian gove ...

placed a bomb near the Arc de Triomphe which wounded 17 people as part of a campaign of bombings.

21st century

In late 2018, the Arc de Triomphe suffered acts of vandalism as part of the

Yellow vests protests The Yellow Vests Protests or Yellow Jackets Protests or Yellow Vests Revolution (french: Mouvement des gilets jaunes, ) are a series of populist, grassroots weekly protests in France that began on 17 November 2018. At first the protestors advo ...

. The vandals sprayed the monument with graffiti and ransacked its small museum.

L'Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped

In September 2021, the arc was wrapped in a silvery blue fabric and red rope, a posthumous project planned by artists

Christo and Jeanne-Claude Christo Vladimirov Javacheff (1935–2020) and Jeanne-Claude Denat de Guillebon (1935–2009), known as Christo and Jeanne-Claude, were artists noted for their large-scale, site-specific environmental installations, often large landmarks and ...

since the early 1960s. File:Arc de Triomphe 1811.jpg, The wooden Arc de Triomphe built on the occasion of the entry into Paris of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

and

Marie Louise Marie Louise or Marie-Louise may refer to: People *Marie Louise of Orléans (1662–1689), daughter of Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, queen consort of Charles II of Spain *Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel (1688–1765), daughter of Charles I, Landgrave ...

in 1810 File:Funérailles de Victor Hugo, 31 mai 1885.jpg, State funeral of

, 31 May 1885 File:Godefroy flight.jpg,

flying through the Arc de Triomphe in 1919 File:Collier's 1921 Vol 4 Frontispiece -- Paris.jpg, A colourized aerial photograph of the southern side, published in 1921 File:Avenue des Champs-Élysées in 1939.jpg, Arc de Triomphe in 1939 File:Crowds of French patriots line the Champs Elysees-edit2.jpg,

Free French Free France (french: France Libre) was a political entity that claimed to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third Republic. Led by French general , Free France was established as a government-in-exile ...

forces on parade after the liberation of Paris on 26 August 1944 File:Arc Triomphe.jpg, Night view of the Arc de Triomphe, 2007 File:Arc de Triomphe, Paris 3 October 2010.jpg, The Arc de Triomphe saw from the

Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower ( ; french: links=yes, tour Eiffel ) is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower. Locally nicknamed "'' ...

, 2008 File:Secretary Kerry, French Foreign Minister Fabius, Ambassador Hartley Pause After 70th Anniversary VE Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony in Paris (17421255431).jpg,

Laurent Fabius Laurent Fabius (; born 20 August 1946) is a French politician serving as President of the Constitutional Council since 8 March 2016. A member of the Socialist Party, he previously served as Prime Minister of France from 17 July 1984 to 20 Marc ...

, Minister of Foreign Affairs, with

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...

, U.S. Secretary of State, under the Arc de Triomphe in 2015 File:Bastille Day Parade 170714-D-PB383-005 (35087624434).jpg,

Bastille Day Bastille Day is the common name given in English-speaking countries to the national day of France, which is celebrated on 14 July each year. In French, it is formally called the (; "French National Celebration"); legally it is known as (; "t ...

military parade, 2017

Design

Monument

Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile - Projet Chalgrin - 02

The

astylar Astylar (from Gr. ''ἀ-'', privative, and ''στῦλος'', a column) is an architectural term given to a class of design in which neither columns nor pilasters are used for decorative purposes; thus the Riccardi and Strozzi palaces in Florence ...

design is by

(1739–1811), in the Neoclassical version of

ancient Roman architecture Ancient Roman architecture adopted the external language of classical Greek architecture for the purposes of the ancient Romans, but was different from Greek buildings, becoming a new architectural style. The two styles are often considered one ...

. Major

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

sculptors of France are represented in the sculpture of the ''Arc de Triomphe'': Jean-Pierre Cortot;

François Rude François Rude (4 January 1784 – 3 November 1855) was a French sculptor, best known for the ''Departure of the Volunteers'', also known as ''La Marseillaise'' on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. (1835–36). His work often expressed patriotic the ...

; Antoine Étex;

James Pradier James Pradier (born Jean-Jacques Pradier, ; 23 May 1790 – 4 June 1852) was a Genevan-born French sculpture, sculptor best known for his work in the neoclassicism, neoclassical style. Life and work Born in Geneva (then Republic of Geneva), Prad ...

and

Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire (9 January 1798, Valenciennes - 2 August 1880, Paris) was a French sculptor, working in a neoclassical academic style. Life and career He was a pupil of Pierre Cartellier, and won the Prix de Rome for sculpture ...

. The main sculptures are not integral

frieze In architecture, the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Paterae are also usually used to decorate friezes. Even when neither columns nor ...

s but are treated as independent trophies applied to the vast

ashlar Ashlar () is finely dressed (cut, worked) stone, either an individual stone that has been worked until squared, or a structure built from such stones. Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, generally rectangular cuboid, mentioned by Vitruv ...

masonry masses, not unlike the gilt-bronze

appliqué Appliqué is ornamental needlework in which pieces or patches of fabric in different shapes and patterns are sewn or stuck onto a larger piece to form a picture or pattern. It is commonly used as decoration, especially on garments. The technique ...

s on Empire furniture. The four sculptural groups at the base of the Arc are ''The Triumph of 1810'' (Cortot), ''Resistance'' and ''Peace'' (both by Antoine Étex), and the most renowned of them all, ''Departure of the Volunteers of 1792'' commonly called ''

La Marseillaise "La Marseillaise" is the national anthem of France. The song was written in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg after the declaration of war by France against Austria, and was originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du R ...

'' (François Rude). The face of the allegorical representation of France calling forth her people on this last was used as the belt buckle for the honorary rank of

Marshal of France Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1 ...

. Since the fall of Napoleon (1815), the sculpture representing ''Peace'' is interpreted as commemorating the Peace of 1815. In the attic above the richly sculptured frieze of soldiers are 30 shields engraved with the names of major French victories in the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

and

Napoleonic wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...

. The inside walls of the monument list the names of 660 people, among which are 558 French generals of the

First French Empire The First French Empire, officially the French Republic, then the French Empire (; Latin: ) after 1809, also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Eu ...

; The names of those generals 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. The battles that took place in the period between the departure of Napoleon from Elba to his final defeat at Waterloo are not included. For four years from 1882 to 1886, a monumental sculpture by

Alexandre Falguière Jean Alexandre Joseph Falguière (also given as Jean-Joseph-Alexandre Falguière, or in short Alexandre Falguière) (7 September 183120 April 1900) was a French sculptor and painter. Biography Falguière was born in Toulouse. A pupil of the � ...

topped the arch. Titled ''Le triomphe de la Révolution'' ("The Triumph of the Revolution"), it depicted a chariot drawn by horses preparing "to crush Anarchy and Despotism". Inside the monument, a permanent exhibition, conceived by artist

Maurice Benayoun Maurice Benayoun (aka MoBen or 莫奔) (born 29 March 1957) is a French new-media artist, curator, and theorist based in Paris and Hong Kong. His work employs various media, including video, computer graphics, immersive virtual reality, th ...

and architect Christophe Girault, opened in February 2007.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Beneath the Arc is the

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier A Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or Tomb of the Unknown Warrior is a monument dedicated to the services of an unknown soldier and to the common memories of all soldiers killed in war. Such tombs can be found in many nations and are usually high-prof ...

from

. Interred on

Armistice Day Armistice Day, later known as Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth and Veterans Day in the United States, is commemorated every year on 11 November to mark the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiègne, Fran ...

1920, an eternal flame burns in memory of the dead who were never identified (now in both world wars). A ceremony is held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every 11 November on the anniversary of the

Armistice of 11 November 1918 The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...

signed by the Entente Powers and Germany in 1918. It was originally decided on 12 November 1919 to bury the unknown soldier's remains in the

, 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. The slab on top bears the inscription ICI REPOSE UN SOLDAT FRANÇAIS MORT POUR LA PATRIE 1914–1918 ("Here lies a French soldier who died for the fatherland 1914–1918"). In 1961, U.S. President

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy paid their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, accompanied by President

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...

. After the 1963

assassination of President Kennedy John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated on Friday, November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. CST in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza. Kennedy was in the vehicle wi ...

, Mrs. Kennedy remembered the eternal flame at the Arc de Triomphe and requested that an eternal flame be placed next to her husband's grave at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

in Virginia.

Details

* The four main sculptural groups on each of the Arc's pillars are: ** ''Le Départ de 1792'' (or ''

''), by

. The sculptural group celebrates the cause of the

French First Republic In the history of France, the First Republic (french: Première République), sometimes referred to in historiography as Revolutionary France, and officially the French Republic (french: République française), was founded on 21 September 1792 ...

during the 10 August uprising. Above the volunteers is the winged personification of Liberty. This group served as a recruitment tool in the early months of

and encouraged the French to invest in war loans in 1915–1916. ** ''Le Triomphe de 1810'', by Jean-Pierre Cortot celebrates the

Treaty of Schönbrunn The Treaty of Schönbrunn (french: Traité de Schönbrunn; german: Friede von Schönbrunn), sometimes known as the Peace of Schönbrunn or Treaty of Vienna, was signed between France and Austria at Schönbrunn Palace near Vienna on 14 October ...

. This group features

, crowned by the goddess of Victory. ** ''La Résistance de 1814'', by Antoine Étex commemorates the French Resistance to the Allied Armies during the

War of the Sixth Coalition In the War of the Sixth Coalition (March 1813 – May 1814), sometimes known in Germany as the Wars of Liberation, a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, and a number of German States defeated F ...

. ** ''La Paix de 1815'', by Antoine Étex commemorates the

Treaty of Paris Treaty of Paris may refer to one of many treaties signed in Paris, France: Treaties 1200s and 1300s * Treaty of Paris (1229), which ended the Albigensian Crusade * Treaty of Paris (1259), between Henry III of England and Louis IX of France * Trea ...

, concluded in that year. File:Paris July 2011-16a.jpg, ''Le Départ de 1792''
(''

'') File:Paris July 2011-17a.jpg, ''Le Triomphe de 1810'' File:Paris July 2011-15a.jpg, ''La Résistance de 1814'' File:Antoine Étex, Der Friede von 1815, Halbrelief, Arc de Triomphe, Paris.jpg, ''La Paix de 1815'' * Six

relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...

s sculpted on the façades of the Arch, representing important moments of the

and of the

Napoleonic era The Napoleonic era is a period in the history of France and Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly, the second being the Legislative ...

include: ** ''Les funérailles du général Marceau'' ( General Marceau's burial), by Henri Lemaire (Southern façade, right). ** ''La bataille d'Aboukir'' (The Battle of Aboukir), by

Bernard Seurre Bernard-Gabriel Seurre or Seurre the Elder (11 July 1795 – 3 October 1867) was a French sculptor. His younger brother Charles Émile Seurre (1798–1858) was also a sculptor. Life Born in Paris, Bernard Seurre was a student of the sculpto ...

(Southern façade, left). ** ''La bataille de Jemappes'' (The Battle of Jemappes), by

Carlo Marochetti Baron Pietro Carlo Giovanni Battista Marochetti (14 January 1805 – 29 December 1867) was an Italian-born French sculptor who worked in France, Italy and Britain. He completed many public sculptures, often in a neo-classical style, plus re ...

(Eastern façade). ** ''Le passage du pont d'Arcole'' (The Battle of Arcole), by

Jean-Jacques Feuchère Jean-Jacques Feuchère (24 August 1807 – 26 July 1852) was a French sculptor. He was a student of Jean-Pierre Cortot, and among his students was Jacques-Léonard Maillet. Selected works * Relief panel ''Le Pont d'Arcole'', Arc de Triom ...

(Northern façade, right). ** ''La prise d'Alexandrie'' (The Fall of Alexandria), by John-Étienne Chaponnière (Northern façade, left). ** ''La bataille d'Austerlitz'' (The

Battle of Austerlitz The Battle of Austerlitz (2 December 1805/11 Frimaire An XIV FRC), also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of the most important and decisive engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. The battle occurred near the town of Austerlitz i ...

), by Théodore Gechter (Western façade). File:Paris Arc de Triomphe Mort de Marceau 2.jpg, ''Les funérailles du général Marceau'',
20 September 1796 File:Paris Arc de Triomphe Bataille d'Aboukir.jpg, ''La bataille d'Aboukir'',
25 July 1799 File:Bas-Relief Jemmapes.jpg, ''La bataille de Jemmappes'',
6 November 1792 File:Paris Arc de Triomphe passage du pont d'Arcole.jpg, ''Le passage du

pont d'Arcole The Pont d'Arcole is a bridge in Paris over the River Seine. It is served by the Metro station Hôtel de Ville. History The need for a bridge communicating between place de Grève (now Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville) and the île de la Cité ha ...

'',
15 November 1796 File:Paris Arc de Triomphe prise d'Alexandrie.jpg, ''La prise d'Alexandrie'',
3 July 1798 File:Bas-Relief Austerlitz.jpg, ''La bataille d'Austerlitz'',
2 December 1805 * The names of 158 battles fought by the

and the

are engraved on the monument. Among them, 30 battles are engraved on the attic: Batailles gravées sur atique ADT

* 96 battles are engraved on the inner façades, under the great arches: Batailles gravées sous grandes arcades

* The names of 660 military leaders who served during the

and the

are engraved on the inner façades of the small arches. Underlined names signify those who died on the battlefield: File:Paris Arc de Triomphe inscriptions 2.jpg, Northern pillar File:Paris Arc de Triomphe inscriptions 3.jpg, Eastern pillar File:Paris Arc de Triomphe inscriptions 7.jpg, Southern pillar File:Paris Arc de Triomphe inscriptions 6.jpg, Western pillar * The great arcades are decorated with allegorical figures representing characters in Roman mythology (by

): File:Paris Arc de Triomphe 06.jpg, File:Paris Arc de Triomphe 07B.jpg, File:Figure allégorique 2 grande arche.jpg, File:Figure allégorique 1 grande arche.jpg, * The ceiling with 21 sculpted

roses A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be e ...

: File:Paris Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile Bogen 3.jpg * Interior of the Arc de Triomphe: File:Paris (75), arc de Triomphe, soldat d'un monument aux morts à l'intérieur 5.jpg,

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

monument File:DecorSculpteMB.jpg, Permanent exhibition about the design of the Arch * There are several plaques at the foot of the monument: File:De Gaulle speech plaque in Arc de Triomphe.jpg,

De Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Governm ...

speech plaque File:Proclamation of Republic plaque in Arc de Triomphe.jpg, Proclamation of the

Republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...

plaque

Access

The ''Arc de Triomphe'' is accessible by the RER and Métro, with exit at the

Charles de Gaulle–Étoile Charles de Gaulle–Étoile () is a station on Line 1, Line 2 and Line 6 of the Paris Métro, as well as on Île-de-France's commuter rail RER A. It lies on the border of the 8th, 16th and 17th arrondissements of Paris. Originally calle ...

station. Because of heavy traffic on the roundabout of which the Arc is the centre, it is recommended that pedestrians use one of two underpasses located at the ''Champs Élysées'' and the ''Avenue de la Grande Armée''. A lift will take visitors almost to the top – to the attic, where a small museum contains large models of the Arc and tells its story from the time of its construction. Another 40 steps remain to climb to reach the top, the ''terrasse'', from where one can enjoy a panoramic view of Paris. The location of the arc, as well as the Place de l'Étoile, is shared between three