The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most familiar landmarks in Paris, France. It lies at the heart of Place de l'Etoile, a magnificent square at the centre of the city. Twelve avenues converge upon this square, which had led to its being nicknamed the Star Square. One of these avenues is the fabulous Champs-Élysées itself. In 1970 the square was renamed to Place Charles de Gaulle to honor the president of France, but it is commonly referred to by its original name. The Arc forms the centre of the historical axis, which starts at the Louvre Palace and runs by many landmarks and monuments along a grand itinerary leading out of Paris.

Napoleon’s architect Baron Haussmann remodelled Place de l'Etoile to a great extent. He added a ring-road around the houses at the square with the aim to alleviate road traffic, and imposed a uniform design on these houses. This uniformity accentuates the splendour of the Arc. Sadly, the traffic problems weren’t resolved.

Napoleon commissioned construction of the Arc in 1806 to commemorate the battle of Austerlitz. It was completed around three decades later. It features a neoclassical design and is over 50 metres high, making it the second-biggest Arch of Triumph in the world. The biggest one is in North Korea. It was built in 1982 in honor of Kim Il-Sung’s 70th birthday.

Many famous French sculptors and architects united efforts to produce this masterpiece. Among them were Lemaire, Etex, Cortot, Pradier and Rude. The astylar design is attributed to Jean Chalgrin and invokes associations with ancient Roman buildings. The major sculptures gracing the Arc are considered separate trophies as opposed to an integrated whole. The four sculptural groups at the foundations of the structure are Peace, Resistance, The Triumph of 1810 and Departure of the Volunteers of 1992. The first two were done by Etex.

The Triumph is by Cortot, and the last and best-known -- by Rude. This one is frequently referred to as La Marseillaise. It is an allegorical representation of France beckoning her people. The sword in this sculpture broke off in 1916, on the day that the Battle of Verdun reportedly began. At once the sculpture was covered up so this wouldn’t be intepreted as a bad omen. This battle proved to be one of the bloodiest in World War I.

Near the top of the Arc is an artistic fresco of soldiers, and above it are 30 shields bearing the names of victorious Napoleonic and Revolutionary battles. The names of 558 French generals are engraved on the inside walls of the Arc. The names of those killed in battle are underlined.

Under the Arc is the tomb of the Unknown Soldier of World War I. France and Germany signed a peace treaty on November 11, 1918, and there is a ceremony here each year on this day. The tomb is in memory of the nameless men who died in the war. They were never unidentified and were thus lost to history. It has come to represent the unidentified soliders who died in World War II as well. The tomb was placed here on Armistice Day in 1920. It has the first eternal flame in Western Europe since 391, the year that the fire of the Vestal Virgins was extinguished. France borrowed the idea from the tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey, London. Traditionally victory marches take place past the Arc. Among these were the French in 1918, the Germans in 1940, and the Allied Forces in 1944 and 1945.

The Tour de France competition ends at the Arc every year. This professional long-distance bicycle race was established in 1903 and has taken place every year since then, except during the world wars. It is one of three international Grand Tours. The other two are Giro d’Italia and Vuelta Espana.

Those touring the city on foot can reach the Arc through an underpass or by subway. The Arc has become an icon of pop culture, having played prominent roles in many Hollywood blockbusters. There is a small replica of it in Las Vegas.