The Arc de Triomphe Paris
Standing at the head of the Champs Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe was commissioned in 1806 by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte to honour his soldiers and was completed 30 years later. The rest of the "Place de L'Toile" was not finished until 1854 when Paris was redesigned and 5 additional streets were laid, adjoining the previously existing avenues. The Arc de Triomphe and its massive piers are decorated with scenes from the revolutionary era (including the First Empire). To the right on the side facing the Champs-Elysees is the Marseillaise by Rude (the departure of the volunteers to the front in 1792); to the left is Napoleon's Triumph of 1810 by Cortot. The resistance of 1814 and the Peace of 1815 are portrayed on the other side..

Still a monument to the France's military, the Arc is the burial place of the Unknown Soldier, and an eternal flame remembers those who lost their lives in both World Wars. Tourists are invited to visit the museum inside the arch and take an elevator ride to the top to enjoy a majestic view of Pairs. The safest and easiest way to approach the arch is via tunnel from the north side of the Champs Elysees.