Arc de Triomphe

The monumental arch at the heart of Paris's star-shaped intersection/Ancient Structures

The Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile stands at the western end of the Champs-Elysees in Paris, at the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle, where 12 avenues radiate outward in a star pattern. Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to honor his military victories, it was not completed until 1836 due to construction halts. At 50 meters tall, 45 meters wide, and 22 meters deep, it is the second-largest triumphal arch in existence. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, commemorating the unidentified dead of World War I, has been situated beneath it since 1921, with an eternal flame rekindled every evening at 6:30 PM.