When people travel to Paris, one of the first things they usually asked is, “did you see the Eiffel Tower?” and the answer is always yes. But, did they see the Arc de Triomphe? It is one of Paris’ most famous monuments, built in 1806, and took nearly 30 years to finish!
The Arc de Triomphe has a fascinating story of how it came to be. In 1806, French Emperor Napoleon commissioned the construction of the Arc de Triomphe. He wanted to honour the soldiers returning home after conquering most of Europe. Charles Godefroy, a French Aviator, flew his plane through the arches to honour those who fought in the war. (Click here to see the video!) 
If you look closely, you can see that the inside of the walls list 660 names of soldiers who served during the First French Empire and the French Revolution. Below the Arc is also the gravesite for The Unknown Soldier where people pay their respects to the unidentified soldiers in the war. If you’re brave enough to climb the stairs, you can overlook what seems like the entire city of Paris. At night, some people will climb the Arc and watch the fireworks show by the Eiffel Tower, lighting up the city with glowing colours. Day or night, visiting the Arc de Triomphe is a memorable experience that you do not want to miss. What historical building do you want us to write about next? Let us know below or on Twitter!
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