"Grande Arche, La Défense, Paris" by Christian Heindel is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
"Grande Arche" by Thomas Münter is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The Grand Arche of Defense in Paris, France is part of the Triumphal Way. This line of monuments and buildings starts at the Louvre, includes the Arc de Triomphe, and finally ends with the Grand Arche.
It was designed by architect Johan Otto V. Spreckelsen who won the competition of 424 entries. Completed in 1989, the Grand Arche marked the 200 year anniversary of the French Revolution.
It is large enough to fit the Notre-Dame Cathedral inside, rises to a height of about 360 feet, and weighs about 33,000 tons. A recent restoration project costing 200 million euros was recently completed. Now visitors can once again ride an elevator to the top. Other features include a restaurant, 100-meter footbridge, and indoor and outdoor exhibition spaces.
See more unique French architecture here or explore another crazy building here.
