Description
Arc de Triomphe
The history of the site
Construction of the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, often simply called the Arc de Triomphe, began in 1806 and was completed in 1836. It was in the aftermath of the Battle of Austerlitz that the idea for the monument germinated in the mind of Napoleon Bonaparte, who declared to the French soldiers: " You will only return to your homes under triumphal arches. "But what was he referring to? Quite simply, the triumphal arches erected under the Roman Empire to commemorate a victorious general parading at the head of his troops.
By an imperial decree dated February 18, 1806, Napoleon ordered the construction of this arch dedicated to perpetuating the memory of the victories of the French armies.
The Pprogram of your visit
Free visit of the monument
