The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous and easily recognizable monuments in Paris. It stands in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. This amazing structure seems smaller on the ground than it does when you reach the top (lots of stairs) and look around Paris. The views are amazing and the monument itself started in 1806 and completed in 1836 is nothing short of phenomenal. The carvings and attention to detail make this a monument you could spend the day taking pictures of. This is a definite ‘must’ stop in France and one that you wouldn’t want to miss.
The Arc de Triomphe honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.
