Arc de Triomphe

14 juillet 2007

Arc de Triomphe

July 14th is the Bastille Day in France. It's a national holiday b'coz it's a birth of French Republic. Storming of Bastille (a prison) marked the begining of the French Revolution . It marked the end of Monarchy & the birth of a sovereign Nation(1792). Tricolor flag ( Blue-White-Red) represents Republic's three ideals - Liberty, Equality & Fraternity.

Napoleon Bonaparte decided to build a monument to glorify his Grand Army, just after his victory at Austerlitz. The construction of a triumphal arch was begun in 1806 by the architect Chalgrin & inaugurated in 1836. It's 50 meters tall and 45 meters wide. There are four releif sculptures at the bases of four pillars. These commemorate The Triumph of 1810 (Cortot), Resistance and Peace (Etex); and The Departure of the Volunteers in 1792 (Rude), also called La Marseillaise(French National Anthem). The names of major victories won during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods are engraved around the top of the Arch. Beneath the Arch is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and eternal flame commemorating the dead of the two world wars. Inside the Arch there is a small museum documenting its history and construction. From the roof of the Arch there are spectacular views of Paris.