Arc de Triomphe

News & exhibitions

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History of the place

At the end of the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe shelters the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Its terrace reveals twelve radiating avenues and the historic axis of Paris.

Napoleon I commissioned the Arc de Triomphe in 1806 to celebrate the French armies. Designed by Jean-François-Thérèse Chalgrin, it was not completed until 1836 under Louis-Philippe. Its reliefs and inscriptions recall military campaigns of the Revolution and Empire.

The Unknown Soldier was buried beneath the arch in 1921. The remembrance flame, first lit in 1923, gives the site an essential commemorative role. From the terrace, the twelve avenues of the Étoile and the Champs-Élysées axis reveal Paris’s great urban perspectives.

Visiting tips

1. 01

   Reach the monument through the underground passage: never cross the roundabout roadway.

2. 02

   Reaching the terrace involves an ascent; check lift and accessibility conditions before visiting.

3. 03

   Allow time at the foot of the arch for the sculptures and tomb, not just the panorama.

4. 04

   Ceremonies may affect access. Respect remembrance areas and check the day’s visitor information.