Arc de Triomphe (“Triumphal Arch”) was built to honor people who fought and died for France during the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic wars. The names of 660 people are inscribed on its walls, including 558 French generals. The monument is located in the center of a configuration of 12 avenues with the main being Avenue des Champ-Elysees. The structure was designed by Jean Chalgrin in 1806 and commissioned in the same year. The building is 164 ft high, 148 ft wide and 72 ft deep. The design is a neoclassical version of the ancient Roman monument and inspired by the Roman Arch of Titus. The construction lasted 30 years under several architects. Under the arch is the tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. The monument has been a focus for major victory marches and parades for more than a hundred years.
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