The notion of triumph appeared in the time of the Roman Empire as the right to a solemn procession in the victorious palms. In honor of the winner, triumphal arches began to be erected. There were more than ten arches in ancient Rome alone, not to mention how many were built worldwide: New York, Pyongyang, Berlin, Barcelona, Moscow, and Saint Petersburg. But the largest arch in the world is the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was erected by the court architect Jean-Francois Chalgrin by order of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte on the square currently named after Charles de Gaulle.

The construction of this monumental architectural landmark and hallmark of Paris began after the victory in the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805 and continued for thirty years. You can see all stages of its construction in the museum inside the arch: from the moment the foundation stone was laid by Napoleon I to the grand opening by King Louis Philippe I. Almost fifty meters high and forty-five meters wide, the classical flat-topped arch in the Neoclassical style faces the famous Champs Elysees with its luxurious facade. The majestic landmark is decorated with delicate, graceful bas-reliefs praising Napoleon Bonaparte and the exploits of his brave army. Symbolical images of glory, winged maidens blowing fanfare, by the French sculptor James Pradier decorate the arcades. Four delightful sculptural groups and six bas-reliefs depicting important events of the empire and the revolution by different artists adorn the walls of the historical landmark. Surrounding the Arc de Triomphe, a hundred granite pedestals with iron chains celebrate the hundred days of Napoleon’s reign after his return from Elba Island. Today, inside the Arc de Triomphe, there is a screen for a more detailed view of all the bas-reliefs and an observation deck, where you can get overcoming three hundred steps of a narrow spiral staircase or using a small passenger lift.