The Triumphal Arch in Paris or in French Arc de Triomphe is a colossal arch constructed in honor of the fallen soldiers that fought in the French Revolution and the following Napoleonic Wars. The Arch is a famous tourist attraction, in part due to its size and in part due to the beautiful view that one can enjoy from the top of the structure.
The Triumphal Arch is located on the Charles de Gaulle city square, a very large square connected to no less than 12 avenues. This is the reason why many people still call it Etoile square (Star square) due to its shape, where the square and 12 avenues look like a 12-pointed star.
The construction of the arch started in 1806 after Napoleons incredible victory of Austerlitz in which he defeated the joined Austrian and Russian forces. However, after the fall of Napoleon in 1814, the works on the arch were completely halted. The monument was only finalized during the reign of the last French king Louis-Philippe in 1836.
Beneath the Triumphal Arch there is a thumb of the Unknown Soldier from the First World War. The Unknown Soldier was to be buried in the Pantheon of Paris in 1919, but due to the public initiative the decision was changed and the soldier was buried beneath the arch in 1921.
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