Ordered by Napoleon in 1806 in honour of the French solders, the Arc de Triomphe was finished 30 years after the rein of Louis Philippe. 50 meters’ tall and 45 meters’ wide, it is decorated of important bas-reliefs describing the scenes of the revolutionary times.
The Arc de Triomphe is situated 2,2 kilometres to the North East of the square of the Concorde, at the beginning of the Avenue des Champs Elysees. The monument buries the unknown solders of World War I since 1920, La place de l’Etoile, where the Arc de Triomphe was implanted, founds a round point giving access to 12 avenues. Some of them carry the name of Napoleon’s victories (Wagram, Iena,Friedland), and illustrious generals of the Empire (Marceau, Hoche,Carnot), as well as the Grande Armee.
The Champs Elysees are only fields by the time Marie de Medicis decides to plan trees along the path in 1616. In 1667, Le Notre extends the perspective of the Tuileries, the Champs Elysees become a popular walking ground. In 1724, the avenue is extened until the hillock of Chaillot (now the square of Etoile). The avenue of the Champs Elysees didn’t belong to the city of Paris until 1828, then sidewalks and fountains are made.
The 5th of June 2005, to support the application of Paris as the host city of the 2012 Olympics, the avenue was turned into a great stadium.
|
