Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Paris

The Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel is a triumphal arch in central Paris, located between the Louvre Museum and the Tuileries Garden. Built by order of Napoleon between 1806 and 1808, it commemorates his military victories, particularly the Battle of Austerlitz. Though smaller than the famous Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Élysées, it is elegant and historically significant.

Location and Significance

The arch marks the beginning of the historical axis of Paris, a straight line extending through the Tuileries Garden, Champs-Élysées, the larger Arc de Triomphe, and ending in the La Défense business district. Originally, it served as the ceremonial gateway to the Tuileries Palace, which was burned in 1871 during the Paris Commune and demolished in 1883.

Architecture

Designed in the Empire style by architects Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine, the arch was inspired by the Arch of Constantine in Rome. It is 19 meters high with three spans, and features eight pink marble columns (four on each side). The tops of the columns are adorned with statues of soldiers of Napoleon’s Grande Armée, such as cuirassiers, dragoons, grenadiers, and artillerymen.

The arch was originally crowned with the famous Horses of Saint Mark, taken from Venice by Napoleon. After his fall they were returned to Venice in 1815, and in 1828 they were replaced by a new quadriga by the sculptor François Joseph Bosio, showing Peace riding in a triumphal chariot. The arch is decorated with bas-reliefs depicting Napoleon’s campaigns of 1805, making it both an artistic and historical landmark.

Most visitors pass through the arch when walking from the Louvre toward the Tuileries Garden and the Champs-Élysées, enjoying its elegance and historical significance.