Discover Paris: 13 Amazing Fun Facts About the Arc de Triomphe!

1. Not a Traffic Cone

Did you know the Arc de Triomphe is not a giant traffic cone nor the nucleus plopped in the world's largest roundabout, but instead a proud French monument erected by big man on campus, Napoleon Bonaparte? Voilà: Commissioned in 1806 by Emperor Napoleon, this iconic Parisian landmark celebrates his Grande Armée's victories, shelters France's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier since 1921, and houses an eternal flame reanimated nightly at half past six. Names of 128 battles and respective generals adorn its walls, and it presides at the end of the Champs Elysees—one must simply navigate the traffic maelstrom of Place de l'Etoile and an underground tunnel to explore its historic grandeur.
Source => albomadventures.com

2. Slow and Steady Architecture

They say Rome wasn't built in a day, but nobody told that to Jean-François Chalgrin while he was designing the Arc de Triomphe: Turns out it took so long to complete that poor Chalgrin passed away before its inauguration, leaving a relay race of architects to cross the finish line and earning the architectural marvel a "slow and steady wins the race" stamp of approval.
Source => introducingparis.com

Did you know it took a "mere" 180 years to build the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, featuring stunning stained glass windows and unforgettable memories? Discover the fascinating story behind this Gothic masterpiece!

=> Fun Facts about Notre-Dame

3. Breezing Through Paris

Whoever said "the sky's the limit" clearly didn't tell Charles Godefroy, the daredevil who took "breezing through Paris" to a whole new level: In 1919, just three weeks after the World War I victory parade, he audaciously flew his biplane under the primary vault of the Arc de Triomphe, leaving onlookers in awe while making aviation history with a stunt that was immortalized in newsreels.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. A Royal Stroll

Even the Queen needed a French vacation: Queen Victoria took a royal stroll under the Arc de Triomphe in 1855 during her visit to Paris for the Universal Exhibition, joining an exclusive guest list of historical figures that includes Napoleon III and the hearse carrying Napoleon's corpse.
Source => napoleon.org

5. Casket of Carnations

Roses are red, violets are blue, a bouquet of carnations led to a tomb so true: Under the Arc de Triomphe lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, chosen by a 19-year-old veteran who laid a bouquet of red and white carnations on the sixth casket out of eight, making it a poignant tribute to French soldiers who went missing or could not be identified in World War I.
Source => france-amerique.com

6. Napoleonic Party

Feeling a Napoleonic need for attention, the Arc de Triomphe proudly stands as the life of the party that was commissioned over two centuries ago: this iconic Parisian marvel, designed by Jean Chalgrin, took 30 years to complete and now houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, whose annual ceremony on November 11th pays homage to the end of World War I.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Serious About Flames

Who knew the French took their flames as seriously as their baguettes and berets? Gather round, folks, for the hottest tradition in Paris since croissant-baking: Every evening at 6:30 P.M., the Arc de Triomphe witnesses an eternal flame rekindled at its base, honoring the sacrifice of an unknown French soldier from World War I. This fiery ceremony has been burning bright since November 11, 1923, when French Minister for War, Andre Maginot, lit the inaugural inferno – a symbol of remembrance that's kept France's patriotic passion ablaze for almost a century.
Source => thingstodoinparis.com

8. Real-life Frogger

If navigating Paris traffic wasn't thrilling enough, try dodging zooming cars while attempting to conquer the labyrinth of the notorious Étoile roundabout: The Arc de Triomphe, standing triumphantly at its center, can be safely reached using underground passageways from Champs Elysees or Avenue de la Grande Armée – saving tourists from a hectic game of real-life Frogger.
Source => zigzagonearth.com

9. Outshining Siblings

Like a middle sibling trying to outshine their more accomplished kin, Napoleon's other Arc found itself sandwiched between the much larger and more famous monuments in Paris: The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel may not be the tallest, the widest, or even the Arc-iest of the bunch, but it still boasts a commendable 19-meter height and a 23-meter girth while celebrating Napoleon's military victories. Though you can't scale its majestic heights or explore its inner sanctums, the eight magnificent Corinthian marble columns and statues of soldiers strike a victorious pose, making it a must-see masterpiece during your Louvre-bound escapades.
Source => tripadvisor.com

10. Size Matters: Arch Edition

If you thought the Arc de Triomphe was just playing copycat to Rome's Arch of Titus, you'd be arch-ly mistaken, not to mention missing out on one colossal size difference: As it turns out, the Arc de Triomphe may share design principles with the Arch of Titus, but it stands tall at a whopping 50 meters, dwarfing Rome's Arch at a mere 15 meters. Not to mention, our glorious Parisian Arc doffs its hat to Napoleon's military conquests with intricate reliefs like the battles of Aboukir and Austerlitz.
Source => buffaloah.com

11. Neigh-borhood Rivalry

Hold your horses and get ready for some serious neigh-borhood rivalry: The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is not only the most prestigious all-aged horse race in the world, but also the second-richest turf race with a whopping €5,000,000 purse for the 2022 edition, held at the Longchamp Racecourse in Paris.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Perfume of Gratitude

If the Arc de Triomphe were a fancy bottle of French perfume, Napoleon Bonaparte would be the ultimate fragrance connoisseur: he commissioned this grand arch as a love letter to his soldiers in 1806, spritzed with gratitude and a touch of hero worship. But, like a fine perfume, it took time to mature: spanned over 30 years, in fact. And of course, no historic perfume bottle is complete without a dramatic accessory – enter the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which lies nestled at the base, a somber contrast to that grand Parisian view you can get at the top: Perfect for capturing those Instagram-worthy fireworks on Bastille Day!
Source => 360cities.net

13. Overcompensating Roundabout

Whoever said "size doesn't matter" clearly never took a trip to Paris' most colossal roundabout: At the epicenter of this whirlpool of French automobiles stands the mighty Arc de Triomphe. Commissioned by the vertically challenged Napoleon Bonaparte, who was overcompensating just a tad, this monumental marvel was completed in 1836 and elegantly stretches its stony limbs at the western end of the Champs-Élysées – forming a dramatic part of the capital's Axe historique. So if you're ever caught round and around in Paris, take a moment to gawk at this titanic tribute to French military victories before getting dizzy again.
Source => en.wikipedia.org