France, Paris: Arc de Triomphe
By glenda. Filed in Architecture, Civil War, Europe, France, History, military, Monument, Nature, Paris, Trafalgar Costsaver European Delight, Travel |
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Yup, the symbol of France is still there and still majestic. The Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile is situated at the center of Place Charles de Gaulle at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. Etoile means star and that refers to the twelve avenues which radiate from the arch.
The Arc de Triomphe honours those who fought and died for France in wars so it became the rallying point of French troops who paraded through it after successful military campaigns and for the annual Bastille Day Military Parade. After the interment of the Unknown Soldier from WWI, however, parades have avoided marching through the actual arch and go around its side, out of respect for the tomb and its symbolism. Both Hitler in 1940 and de Gaulle in 1944 observed this custom. After WWI, in an event captured on newsreels, Charles Godefroy flew his Nieuport biplane under the arch’s primary vault.
The bas relief shown in pic 2 represents Liberty under the figure of a winged woman pushing against the enemy invasion.
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