Arc de Triomphe

Imagine Napoleon Bonaparte (warrior, visionary, emperor) sailing into exile on the Isle of Elba, never to see the completion of the great monument that would seal his fame. A ceremonial arch, grander than any in Rome, glorifying the victories of the Grand Army across Europe. Successive leaders carried on Napoleon’s vision, but in time, the people made it a site of celebration, insurrection, and homage: Victor Hugo’s funeral; the daredevil antics of pilots from Charles Godefroy to the Patrouille de France; the Unknown Soldier from World War I; Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s monumental posthumous art event. The Arc is no longer just Napoleon’s, it belongs to history. Which of its secrets will you uncover?