Level 2: The Arc from Start to Finish

This is the second level above the arch, home to the staircase to the terrace, a gift shop, an exhibit on the history of the Arc de Triomphe and a related video. Inscriptions on the walls of both arches tell its story. There are chairs in the middle, so grab a seat if one is free.

Start with the inscription high on the wall by the big screen: "Built in 1806 to honor the glory of the French armies. Construction was long suspended, resumed in 1823, and completed in the summer of 1836 by Louis-Philippe I for the French armies." It sums up the monument's building history. The Arc was not fully planned from the start; decorations and reliefs were added over time until it was complete, and its meaning shifted with the times.

After Napoleon fell and was exiled to Elba and then Saint Helena, the monarchy returned and the Bourbon dynasty ruled from 1815 to 1830. Because the Arc honored Napoleon and the revolutionary army, it was politically awkward for the Bourbons, and work stalled or crawled for years. During the reigns of Louis XVIII and Charles X, the Arc was reinterpreted as a monument glorifying the king.

Work resumed in 1833 under Louis-Philippe I, known as the "Citizen King," and the Arc was completed in 1836. Its purpose and meaning swung back to honoring Napoleon and the revolutionary army, and most of the reliefs and sculptures you see today were carved in this period.

On the opposite wall are a statue of a French soldier from World War I and an inscription honoring the unknown soldiers of the world wars. Why is it here? The Arc was built to honor the revolutionary army and the Napoleonic Wars, but after World War I its meaning widened to include soldiers who died for France. Every November 11, Armistice Day for World War I, a ceremony remembering the war dead is held here.

That wraps up this level. Now for the final highlight: the terrace. Take the staircase to the left of the big screen, across from the gift shop.