Paris, France has many monuments and buildings for tourists to enjoy. The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel is often thought to be the same as the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile. However, these are two different monuments in reality. The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel is located in the Place du Carrousel, where the Tuileries Palace was once situated. The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel is essentially an arch which was built to commemorate Napoleon’s victories in the early 1800’s. The arch was constructed between the years 1806 and 1808.
Architecture
The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel is a masterpiece with many intricate details and decorative additions. It was designed by Charles Percier and Pierre François Léonard Fontaine. It was inspired by the various arches of the Roman Empire. Later on, the famous Marble Arch in London was designed on the basis of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. The arch is 19 meters high, 23 meters wide and 7.3 meters deep. There is a large central arch, which is 6.4 meters high, and is flanked by two smaller arches on either side. The arch is beautifully decorated with eight Corinthian style marble columns. There is also a quadriga on top of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. This is composed of the Horses of St. Mark. They were similar to those atop St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice. In 1828 they were replaced by another quadriga which was made by the sculptor Baron Francois Joseph Bosio.
On top of the arch there are eight statues of soldiers. Between the soldiers there are various bas-reliefs. Some of these include the Arms of the French Empire and the Arms of the Kingdom of Italy. There are also bas-reliefs of Napoleon’s various victories, including diplomatic and military wins. Some of these include when he entered Munich and when he came to Vienna. Additionally, there are depictions of the Peace of Pressburg, the surrender of Ulm and the Tilsit Conference.
