From the top of its 50 meters, the Arc de Triomphe gives is visitors a unique point of view on the Champs-Elysées, up to the Tuileries garden. Same view on the west side, from the avenue de la Grande Armée, up to the modern towers of the Paris-La Défense quarter. From up there, you can see a huge star designed on the pavement, pointing at the twelve avenues leaving the rounded place. Building façades surrounding the square were designed by Jacques Hittorff, architect who also took part in the modernization of the Champs-Elysées and the place de la Concorde in the XIXth century.

The original purpose of the Arch has widened since its erection in 1836. Sculptures and bas-reliefs which ornate its pillars honor imperial as well as republican victories. The Arch, designed by architect Chalgrin, is decorated with four sculpture groups : on the east side, facing the Champs-Elysées, François Rude’s famous sculpture, « The Departure of the Volunteers », also known as « La Marseillaise », referring to the song these Marseilles volunteers were singing in 1792 ; on the left, « The Triumph de 1810 » by Corot ; on the west side, « The Resistance of 1814 », on the left, and « The Peace of 1815 », on the right, both by sculptor Etex. Under the arches are engraved the names of imperial and republican victories and of those many officers. In the center of the Arch, lies the star of the Légion d’Honneur, order founded by Napoléon in 1802.

The majectic architecture of the Arc de Triomphe made it naturally the monument of memory and symbol : privileged witness of the return of Napoléon’s ashes in December 1840, chapel of rest for Victor Hugo in May 1885, parade of victorious armies... Since January 1921 lies under the Arch the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, whose flame is revived every day in honor of the French soldiers who died for France during World War I. Every year, on July 14th, the Arc de Triomphe is also the starting point of the military parade on the Champs-Elysées.