Bienvenue à l'Arc de triomphe

King Louis Philippe unveiled an iconic Parisian monument, the Arc De Triomphe, on 29th July, 1836. But, due to fears of an attack, only 11 people attended the event - six of whom were soldiers. 

Originally commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 after his victory at Austerlitz, the Arc was inspired by the ancient Roman triumphal arches. But progress was slow. By 1810, only the base of the pillars was completed, leading to a makeshift wooden and canvas structure for his wedding procession. 

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the design evolved during some incredibly rocky decades of French history; discover how the wide boulevards around it ‘curbed’ further insurrections; and consider what would have become of London’s equivalent, Marble Arch, if it had passed through quite so much political upheaval… 

Further Reading:

• ‘History of the Arc de triomphe’ (Official Website): https://www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr/en/discover/history-of-the-arc-de-triomphe

• A Guide To Visiting Arc De Triomphe (& How To Get Inside) (MSN, 2023): https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/a-guide-to-visiting-arc-de-triomphe-how-to-get-inside/ar-AA1hMQBS

• ‘Paris' Arc de Triomphe wrapped in fabric 60 years later’ (CBS, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPQBeKOsphs

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