Arc de Triomphe

Arc de Triomphe review

Napoleon ordered the Arc de Triomphe's construction in 1809 as a monument to the achievements of his armies, but his empire began to collapse almost immediately; the arch was completed only in 1836. Still, it bears the names of Napoleon's victories, and is decorated on its flanks with a frieze of battle scenes and sculptures, including Rude's famous Le Départ des Volontaires (aka La Marseillaise). French troops finally got their victory march through it at the end of World War I; the annual Bastille Day military procession now starts here. Climb the stairs for wonderful views, a fully renovated interior and a new museum, which opened in 2008 with interactive displays.