Arc de Triomphe / Champs-Elysees France/Spain Miniterm 2006 May Liu

Arc de Triomphe  Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 as tribute to French Army  Finished in 1836  Chalgrin was architect, but finished by Joust  To reach the viewing platform, you have to climb 260 steps up a spiral staircase

Tribute to French Army  Napoleon wanted nation to remember not only him, but the victories of his armies  Engraved around top are names of major victories won in Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras

Arc de Triomphe  164 feet high, 148 feet long and 72 feet wide  Stands at the end of the Avenue des Champs Élysées  In the center of the Place de l'Étoile, formed by the intersection of 12 radiating streets

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier  Arch stands over remains of unknown soldier of WWI  Every Armistice Day (Nov. 11 th ), the president of the Republic lays a wreath

The View of Paris

Parade  Every French National Day (July 14 th ), a military parade down the Champs Elysees begins here

Champs-Elysees  Originally nothing more than some fields  In 1616: Marie de Medicis decided to put up a long tree-lined pathway  Today has cinemas, cafes, clubs, shops, food, and much more

“Elysian Fields”

East side, West side  East side: Place de Concorde  West side: Arc de Triomphe

Champs-Elysees

References         wnSoldierLarge.html wnSoldierLarge.html wnSoldierLarge.html 