Arc de Triomphe
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The Arc de Triomphe in Paris
The Arc de Triomphe, at the centre of the place de l'Étoile and the western end of the Champs-Elysées, is a very famous monument in Paris.
Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte commissioned it in 1806 after victory in the Battle of Austerlitz. It is a large arch but it is not possible to drive underneath it. Jean-François Chalgrin designed it and it has roughly 300 steps in the stairs which lead to the top. It has four main sculptures and six reliefs. Just beneath the vault of the arc there is the tomb of the unknown soldier. The names of French generals and battles are engraved on the walls.