Arc de Triomphe on the carousel square. Arc de Triomphe at Place Carrousel in Paris
(FR. Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel) - one of two Parisian triumphal arches, erected by order of Napoleon Bonaparte. A solemn monument in the Empire style was intended to perpetuate the victory of the French army in the battle against the troops of Russia and Austria near Austerlitz (December 1805).
| content: |
Place of construction of the arch was chosen Carrousel Square, which was located between the western wing of the Louvre and the imperial residence - the Tuileries Palace. The square inherited its name from the equestrian competitions held there (French carrousel), which enjoyed constant success at the court of Louis XIV. The architects were Pierre Fontaine and Charles Percier, who created the majestic landmark in 1807-1809. The arch is 19 meters high, 23 meters wide, and 7 meters deep.
Their project was based on ancient architectural forms that symbolized imperial power. Ancient Rome... The facades of the building are decorated with marble columns of the Corinthian order. Each of them corresponds to a statue of a soldier Of the Great Army... From the side of the Louvre, cuirassiers, dragoons, carabinieri and cavalrymen were located in a row. On the opposite facade you can see the grenadier, gunner, infantryman and sapper. The sculptures of the soldiers look unusual due to their realism and detailed uniforms. Such a pictorial approach stood out sharply against the background of the fashion for antique ideals that dominated that era.
There are four marble bas-reliefs above the small spans of the arch. They depict the key moments of Napoleon's military campaigns, the subjects of which were selected by the first director of the Louvre Museum, Baron Denon. On the front side, the already mentioned battle of Austerlitz and the surrender of the Austrian army at Ulm are presented. The other side shows the entry of the French into Vienna and the meeting of the two emperors in Tilsit, where Alexander I and Napoleon concluded a peace treaty.
The attic arches are decorated with stone bas-reliefs with heraldic symbols. On the main façade on the left is the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Italy, supported by allegorical figures of Power and Wisdom. To the right of the attic is the coat of arms of the French Empire with Peace and Abundance. On the back side the arches depict the same coat of arms surrounded by symbols of the arts and sciences.
clue: If you are looking for a cheap hotel in Paris, we recommend checking out this special offers section. Usually discounts are 25-35%, but sometimes they reach 40-50%.
The appearance of the symbols of Italy in the heart of Paris is no coincidence. As a result of a brilliant military campaign, the French conquered its northern territories, which turned into the Italian Republic, and then into the kingdom. Another important symbolic element was the quadriga that crowned the arch from the Cathedral of St. Mark. The gilded sculpture was brought as a trophy from Venice, where it, in turn, came from Constantinople. Interesting fact- Napoleon refused to install his statue on top of the arch, saying: “Not me, but others should immortalize me. To be an empty chariot. " After the defeat at Waterloo and the abdication of Bonaparte, the Austrians who occupied Paris returned the quadriga to Italy. During the Bourbon Restoration, a bronze copy was installed in its place, which has survived to this day. In it, the chariot is ruled by the symbolic figure of Peace, and on the sides are the statues of Victories.
During the days of the Paris Commune, the Tuileries Palace was burned down. Subsequently, the government of the Third Republic refused to restore the ruins, which became a symbol of the fallen monarchical power. Place Carrousel with its arch expanded and harmoniously blended into the historical axis of Paris. This line runs from the Louvre to the La Defense business district in western Paris and includes the Tuileries Gardens, Place de la Concorde, Champs Elysees and de Gaulle with the great Arc de Triomphe.
- group tour (no more than 15 people) for the first acquaintance with the city and the main attractions - 2 hours, 20 euros
- discover the historical past of the bohemian quarter, where famous sculptors and painters worked and lived in poverty - 3 hours, 40 euros
- acquaintance with historic center Paris from the birth of the city to the present day - 3 hours, 40 euros
The Arch on Carrusel Square is an Empire-style architectural structure that celebrates the victories of the great commander. The main gate to the Tuileries and the historical value of Paris.
A historical object and a beautiful landmark of Paris - the arch on Place Carrousel, was supposed to serve as the main gateway to, long before it was burned. In 1802, during the Peace of Amiens, a decision was made to build a dividing line between the Louvre and the Tuileries Palace.
The arch acquired its architectural form thanks to the desire of Napoleon Bonaparte to immortalize the power of his army in the monument. So, in 1808, an opening ceremony took place in honor of Napoleon's victory in the Battle of Austerlitz. The place was not chosen by chance - at that distant time, equestrian competitions were held on the square military army("Carrusel"), the arch was supposed to praise the daring and honor of the French and serve as a memorable reminder to raise their military spirit.
The creators of the historic building were two Frenchmen - Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine. This is the only case when someone else's ideas of architectural thought were taken as a basis - the famous arch in Piazza Carruzel repeats the shape of the triumphal arch in Rome. The famous chariot that adorns the top was taken out of Venice by Napoleon during his next campaign. After the emperor's abdication from the throne, the quadriga was returned to its original place, and an improved copy, made according to the project of F.Zh. Bozier. The new sculptural group consisted of four horses and two statues of Victory on the sides, and at the head of the chariot was the figure of Peace.
Arc de Triomphe at Place Carrousel in Paris
The architectural component of the object
The 19-meter arch on the Carrusel Square delights with its antique forms. In the era of the creation of the historical heritage site, antiquity was in vogue and it was decorated with marble Corinthian columns with statues of soldiers of the French army. The marble bas-reliefs of the arch adorn the images of the military battles of the great commander - the battle of Austerlitz, the battle of Ulm, the entry of Napoleon's army into Vienna, the conclusion of the peace treaty in Tilsit. The Arc de Triomphe was decorated with bas-reliefs and heraldry was applied to them - and Italy. The symbols of the Kingdom of Italy, like the Venetian quadriga, did not appear on the monumental structure by accident - the French army conquered its northern territories during the reign of Napoleon.
Expert opinion
Knyazeva Victoria
Guide to Paris and France
Ask an expertIt is noteworthy that initially the quadriga was supposed to be crowned with a statue of Napoleon himself, but the commander abandoned such an idea, saying that the arch should glorify his army, and not his excellency.
Arc de Triomphe today
Today, the historical heritage site serves as a kind of starting point for a walk along the famous royal axis of Paris. Passing the arch, the traveler will find himself in the Tuileries Garden, then the route rests on the Louvre - a magnificent palace French kings... Thousands of tourists come every year to admire historical heritage France and enjoy its sights.
Louvre Museum
The arch located on the Place de Carrousel deserves special attention - passing through it you can get not only to the Louvre and Tuileries, but also to walk along the Champs Elysees, wander around the Place de la Concorde, and also reach the main Arc de Triomphe. Paris is rich in architectural structures- five triumphal arches were erected in the city. Each of them carries an important historical value and can tell the world about many events of past centuries.
Paris is the most beautiful city in which you can wander the streets for days and admire the ubiquitous sights, among which there are often aesthetically attractive architectural structures. One of them is but not the one on the Square of the Stars (Etoile). She has a sister". This is the arch in Place Carrousel. We will talk about it.
A bit of history
What unites the "sisters" is the purpose of their construction - to glorify Napoleon's victories. They even began to build them at the same time, in 1806, only the main arch was ready 30 years later, and the one in Carrusel Square celebrated its opening in 1808, on August 15.
It was originally planned that the monument would act as an entrance gate to the house of the French kings, but the house of the French kings burned down long before its appearance, in 1871. They did not refuse to erect the monument, they just decided that the arch on Carrusel Square would be an independent object.
When preparations were under way for the execution of the project, and the ruins of the burnt palace had already been removed, the architects discovered that, thanks to the destruction of this huge house, a beautiful view of the Champs Elysees opened up. So the monument got the opportunity to become an additional decoration of Paris.
Arch location: where is Carrousel Square?
The arch is located in Place Carrousel, and it, in turn, is located in the First arrondissement of Paris. It is a dividing element between the Louvre and if you turn your back to the museum and the pyramid, you can see the famous arch. By the way, this was the name of the square, because earlier demonstration military equestrian dressages (carrousel), which were founded by the king of France Louis de Bourbon on the occasion of the birth of his son, took place on this place.
Description of the Carrousel arch and interesting details
Arch on Carrusel Square: architect
It would be more accurate to say the architects, since Pierre Fontaine and Charles Persier were involved in this project. They may have created a creation that is roughly called plagiarism in French, but they were actually talented people. Even their names are always written side by side, as the architects worked wonderfully together for two long decades and created such masterpieces that helped Napoleon to be the “father” of a great empire.
It is worth noting such an important feature: it is Charles Persier and Pierre François Leonard Fontaine who are the "parents" of the most beautiful, amazing and truly grandiose Empire style. It can be called natural or natural, because such pompous art was created purposefully.
The arch in Place Carrousel, whose style (as you might guess) is Empire style, is best achievement architects. It clearly shows how thoroughly Fontaine and Percier worked so that in world art this style was not just a trend in interior and exterior design, but had a well-defined aesthetics.
Description
In the capital of France, Paris, on Place Carrousel, there is a triumphal arch, built in the 19th century by order of Napoleon to perpetuate his military achievements.
For the first time in the history of France, architects did not create anything new, even if relying on the classics. They practically copied someone else's masterpiece, the arch of Septimius Severus, the Roman emperor of the late II - early III centuries.
The skill of the architects was enough to reproduce someone else's work, but not enough to demonstrate their own taste. The arch overloaded with bas-reliefs rather testifies to their ability to decorate furniture and interiors than to the ability to create masterpieces worthy of the center of Paris. However, for two hundred years, the Carousel arch has firmly grown into the surrounding landscape and has become an integral part of it.
Under Napoleon, she was crowned with four horses taken from St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice after the fall of the Venetian Republic. In this story, you can see a kind of historical justice. The famous quadriga, presumably the work of Phidias or Lysippos, was stolen by the Venetians themselves during the plunder of Constantinople by the crusaders in 1204.
However, after Napoleon's abdication, the horses had to be returned to Venice. Now they are hidden under the roof of the local cathedral on the top floor, and their former place on the facade was taken by copies.
The Carruzel Arch is crowned with another improved copy. The cart is driven by the symbolic figure of Peace, and on the sides there are gilded statues of Victory. All together, it is intended to glorify the Restoration - the restoration of the Bourbons to the French throne. Nevertheless, bas-reliefs and inscriptions in honor of Napoleon's victories survived under the Bourbons.
Eight soldiers, reminiscent of Lermontov's lines: "lancers with colorful badges, dragoons with ponytails" - depict the kind of Napoleonic troops. From the side of the Louvre, cuirassiers, dragoons, cavalrymen and carabinieri are standing from left to right. The inscription above them reads: “ French army that landed at Boulogne threatened England. Then a third coalition is formed on the continent. The French rush from the ocean to the Danube, Bavaria is liberated, the Austrian army is captured in Ulm. Napoleon enters Vienna and wins at Austerlitz. In less than a hundred days, the coalition is disbanded. ”
On the opposite side are a grenadier, an infantryman, a gunner and a sapper. Behind them is written: "At the behest of the winner of Austerlitz, the German Empire collapses, the Union of Rhine is born, the Bavarian and Westphalian kingdoms are created, Venice is annexed to the Iron Crown, all of Italy adopts the laws of its liberator."
Two more inscriptions are engraved on the narrow side facades of the arch. On the southern one, facing the Seine, it is written: “Glory to the great army, victorious at Austerlitz and in Moravia! December 2, 1805 - the anniversary of the coronation of Napoleon. " On the north: “Lord of the states of his enemy, Napoleon returns them to him. He signs the peace on December 27, 1805 in the capital of Hungary, occupied by a victorious army. "
Today, the Carruzel Arch stands alone, almost in an open field, and at one time served as a solemn framing of the main entrance to the Tuileries Palace, which the emperor chose as his residence.
The Arc de Triomphe at Place Carrousel is the first of three famous structures that stretch a distinct optical axis across Paris. At any point on this axis, you can see the arches lying on a nine-kilometer straight line - Carrousel, Triumphal on the Place Charles de Gaulle and the Greater Défense district.
The arch in front of the Tuileries Palace was ordered to be built by Napoleon Bonaparte in memory of his own victories in 1806-1808. The project was entrusted to the architects Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine, whom the emperor trusted: they were trendsetters, leading masters of the Empire style. This style embodied a sense of imperial power and military force... It was ideal for celebrating the success of the empire.
In their work on the project, Persier and Fontaine were inspired by ancient examples: the Romans were the first to build the triumphal gates for their victors. The Arch of Titus (81), the Arch of Septimius Severus (205) and the Arch of Constantine (315) are known in Rome. Napoleonic architects took the arch of Septimius Severus as a model, but somewhat reduced the dimensions (height 19 meters versus 21 meters in The eternal city). However, the Parisian building turned out to be no less solemn and ceremonial.
The facades of Carruzel are richly decorated with sculptures. The subjects for the compositions were selected by Dominique Vivant-Denon, a talented amateur Egyptologist who was appointed director of the Louvre by Napoleon. The reliefs depict Napoleon's entry into Munich and Vienna, the Battle of Austerlitz, the Congress of Tilsit, the fall of Ulm. The arch is also decorated with the heraldry of the French Empire and the Italian Kingdom.
The arch was crowned by the quadriga of St. Mark, made of gilded bronze. It is believed that Lysippos himself sculpted it in the 4th century BC. NS. At one time, four bronze horses adorned the hippodrome of Constantinople, during the Fourth crusade Doge Dandolo took it to Venice and installed it on the Basilica of San Marco. Napoleon, having conquered Italy, took, in turn, the quadriga to France to decorate the Carrusel arch with it. After the fall of Bonaparte, the French returned the sculpture to the Italians. Now on the arch stands a composition depicting the triumph of the Bourbons (authors - François-Frédéric Lemo and François Joseph Bosio).