It took a century to complete the Arch of Triumph in the center of Place Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (today, the "Etoile", which comes from the star-like shape of the Place, has been dropped) and the surrounding mansions.

During Louis XVI's reign, late in the 18^th century, the Champs-Elysees avenue came to a rather abrupt end in a remote field outside the city. Several projects for laying out this part of Paris were put forward. One of the first and most unusual included a giant elephant-fountain topped by a statue of Louis XV. But the idea was dropped when the equestrian statue of Louis XV in Place de la Concorde was built.

Several years later, one project featured a white marble obelisk. It was never erected, but the idea had a direct consequence on what came later: an embankment was built to facilitate installing the monument.

At the beginning of the First Empire (Napoleon I), four main avenues started at the Etoile: the Champs-Elysees, Avenue de Neuilly, Avenue de Saint-Cloud and the future Avenue Wagram. In 1806, Napoleon began building an Arch of Triumph to glorify the victories of the French armies. Interior Minister Champagny chaired the committee of architects and sculptors and Jean-Francois Chalgrin began work, drawing inspiration from the Arch of Titus in Rome. On his return from the glorious 1807 campaign, Napoleon wanted to pass under the arch (a wooden model had been built), like the Roman emperors returning victorious to Rome. The committee that welcomed him was asleep.and Napoleon is said to have named them "sleepiest of all".

Work on the arch was not finished until 1836, when it was inaugurated by Adolphe Thiers, President of the Council of Ministers. The final masterpiece is the largest monument of this type in the world. It is bigger than the Arches of Constantine and Septimus Severus in Rome, and weighs approximately 50,000 tons-seven times more than the Eiffel Tower. The foundations are 8 meters deep.

Baron Haussmann, Napoleon III's prefect of Paris, played an important role in the history of Place Charles de Gaulle. He reorganized the street plan and built several straight new avenues radiating from the arch. Most were named after First Empire marshals and their victories, and the large mansions surrounding the circle are known as the "marshals' mansions" (hotels des maréchaux). However, since they were built sixty years later, obviously none of the First Empire heroes ever owned any of them.

Click here to read Serban Brebenel's feature on Place Vendôme.
Click here to read Serban Brebenel's feature on Place de la Concorde.

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This article is republished with the authorization of Paris Eiffel Tower News - a great guide for a Paris vacation. Copyright (c) 2004 Paris Eiffel Tower News - All rights reserved.