The Arc de Triomphe located at the end of the popular Champs Elysees in Paris honours the admirable sacrifices made by soldiers who fought for France during the Napoleonic wars. Here’s part of my travelogue when I went to visit this historical monument:

Decoding the Arch

Feel like you’ve entered into the latest Dan Brown novel as you invent your own perspective while gazing inside and out of the arch. Designed by Jean Chalgrin in the early 19th century, it features heroic nude Frenchmen fighting German warriors in chain mail. Surrounded by patriotic messages, viewing this monument is equivalent to viewing a historical epic film! I just gazed at the immense architectural design effort made by Chalgrin for at least ten minutes completely awestruck. Only to get slightly jumpy, when our tour guide told me to watch my step as I was actually standing a few feet away from the tomb of an unknown French soldier who died in World War I!

One of the highlights of the arch was the tomb of the ‘unknown soldiers,’ a fond and yet painful remembrance of the wars the French had fought over the years. There is an eternal flame right above it which denotes the thousand unnamed soldiers who were martyred in the war.  I did pay my deep respects for their sacrifices but quickly moved away as I’m not a huge fan of wars.

Getting into ‘grave details’

Our tour guide played a game with us where we had to try and see if we could find the four main sculptures on the arch, namely Le Depart, Le Triomphe, La Resistance and La Paix. We had a real tough time finding it; I only managed to spot two. Besides this, make it a point to gaze at the facades of French victories and the leaders!

It’s all about location!

Located on the right bank of the Seine, the monument thrives at the center of several popular avenues. Its design was inspired by the Roman Arch of Titus. Standing over a whopping 160 feet in height and nearly as much in breadth, the arch lies on the historic axis where most of the notable monuments of France lie. From the courtyard of the Louvre palace to the Arche de la Defense, yes, there is another arch in the vicinity, and very close by!

A strong and silent witness

The Arc de Triomphe was a witness to many historical events. Napoleon’s body actually passed under it before he was going to the Invalides to die and popular artist Victor Hugo was exposed under the arch prior to his burial at the Pantheon! In the olden times, this monument was considered so huge; Charles Godefroy flew his plane right through it! Surely, this monument’s stature is something else!

Getting there

The Arc De Triomphe is accessible through a walk via an underpass. You are not allowed to cross by road due to heavy traffic. The Arch contains a lift where you can access the level underneath the exterior observation level. If you’re not up for a lift, then get some exercise by climbing the whopping 284 stairs to reach the attic of the Arch which provides access to an information center and a gift shop. From the top, you can also get a panoramic view of the charming city of Paris. The Arc De Triomphe is also accessible by the metro through the Charles De Gaulle stop.

Don’t miss a minute, and explore this historical artifact located in the heart of Paris, you will not regret it!