"The Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to mark his victory at the 1805 Battle of Austerlitz. Construction began on his birthday (August 15th) the same year, as a kind of gift to himself."
"It took 30 years to build. That's not because the French builders were especially slow - construction was halted when Napoleon abdicated in 1814. Work on the half-finished arch resumed on the orders of King Louis XVIII in 1823."
"Designer Jean-François Chalgrin, who died in 1811, still got to see how it would look, as a full-size replica of the completed design was erected at the site in 1810 for the arrival of Austrian archduchess Marie-Louise."
"The design is Neoclassical, and inspired in part by the Arch of Titus in the Roman Forum. In contrast to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the top of the Arc de Triomphe is quite plain."
The Arc de Triomphe in Paris, commissioned by Napoleon in 1806, commemorates his victory at the Battle of Austerlitz. Construction began on his birthday but faced delays due to Napoleon's abdication. It resumed under King Louis XVIII and was completed in 1836. Designer Jean-François Chalgrin made adjustments based on a replica erected in 1810. The design is Neoclassical, influenced by the Arch of Titus. Unlike the Brandenburg Gate, the top of the Arc de Triomphe remains plain, with a quadriga added later between 1882 and 1886.
Read at The Local France
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