Fresh from victory at Austerlitz, Napoleon wanted a monument worthy of the Grande Armée. Construction began in 1806, but progress was slow. By the time Napoleon fell from power in 1814, his triumphal arch was still unfinished.
Arc de Triomphe history | From Napoleon’s victory to national remembrance
Commissioned to celebrate Napoleon’s military victories, the Arc de Triomphe took 30 years to finish—and Napoleon never saw it completed. Since 1806, it has evolved from a symbol of triumph into one of France’s most important places of remembrance.
Arc de Triomphe timeline
- 1806: Napoleon commissions the Arc after his victory at Austerlitz. Jean-François-Thérèse Chalgrin and Jean-Arnaud Raymond begin the project.
- 1810: With the real Arc barely underway, a full-size temporary version is built for Napoleon’s marriage procession with Marie-Louise of Austria.
- 1811: Chalgrin dies before seeing his design completed. Other architects take over the project.
- 1814–1823: Napoleon’s fall and the Bourbon Restoration bring construction largely to a halt.
- 1836: The Arc is finally completed under King Louis-Philippe—30 years after Napoleon commissioned it.
- 1840: Napoleon’s remains pass beneath the Arc on their journey to his final resting place at Les Invalides.
- 1919: The Arc becomes a focal point for celebrations marking the end of World War I.
- 1920–1923: The Unknown Soldier comes to rest beneath the Arc, followed by the establishment of the Eternal Flame.
- 1944: The monument becomes part of the celebrations marking the Liberation of Paris.
- 2021: Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s L’Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped transforms the monument for 16 days.
Arc de Triomphe’s history explained
Napoleon’s grand idea | 1806–1814
A monument that outlived Napoleon | 1814–1836
Political change brought work to a standstill, but Napoleon’s project survived him. Construction eventually resumed, and King Louis-Philippe completed the Arc in 1836, dedicating it more broadly to the French armies.
A stage for French history | 1840–1919
Once completed, the Arc became a natural setting for major national moments. Napoleon’s remains passed beneath it in 1840, followed over the decades by military processions, ceremonies, and events that gradually expanded its meaning beyond one emperor.
From victory to remembrance | 1920–1945
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier changed what the Arc represented. The Eternal Flame followed in 1923, turning a monument built to celebrate military victory into a place where France could also remember those lost to war.
A monument that keeps evolving | 1945–today
The Arc remains central to French commemorations, but its story hasn’t stopped there. In 2021, Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped the entire monument in shimmering fabric, briefly giving the nearly 200-year-old landmark a completely new look.
Why was the Arc de Triomphe built?
Napoleon commissioned the Arc de Triomphe in 1806, following his victory at the Battle of Austerlitz. Inspired by the triumphal monuments of ancient Rome, it was intended to honour the Grande Armée and turn France’s military achievements into a permanent Paris landmark.
From triumph to remembrance
The biggest change in the Arc’s story happened beneath it. After World War I, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was established to honour unidentified French soldiers who had died in the conflict.
The Eternal Flame followed in 1923, adding a living act of remembrance to a monument originally built around military victory. Together, they transformed the Arc into one of France’s most important commemorative sites.
🔎 See what’s inside the Arc de Triomphe
Frequently asked questions about Arc de Triomphe history
Napoleon commissioned it in 1806 to honour the Grande Armée and celebrate French military victories following his success at the Battle of Austerlitz.
Construction spanned 30 years, from 1806 to 1836, with interruptions due to political upheavals in France. Read more on its architecture here.
Jean-François-Thérèse Chalgrin shaped the original design, initially working alongside Jean-Arnaud Raymond. Other architects continued the project after Chalgrin died in 1811.
It bears the names of French generals, battles from the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and sculptural reliefs depicting key events.
Installed in 1921, it honors unidentified soldiers from World War I, with an eternal flame symbolizing remembrance.
The Arc has inspired countless paintings, photographs, and films, including a prominent role in Claude Lelouch’s short film C’était un rendez-vous.
Its sheer size, intricate sculptures, and historical inscriptions make it one of the largest and most symbolic arches in the world.
Yes, structures like the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang and the National War Memorial Arch in India were influenced by its design.
It was accidentally extinguished by a Mexican football fan who urinated on it during the 1998 World Cup, where France beat Brazil (3–0).
Yes, a small museum inside the Arc offers exhibits on its history. To learn more about the monument, pick up a free copy of an information booklet from the museum or opt for a guided tour of its exteriors.
It has undergone multiple restorations, including a significant cleaning in the 1960s and recent work in 2022 to preserve its structural integrity.
