Grande Arche, Triumphal arch in La Défense business district, France.
The Grande Arche rises 110 meters high with a precise cubic shape, featuring white granite facades and glass panels that reflect the surrounding buildings.
President François Mitterrand commissioned this monument as part of the Grands Projets, completing its construction for the 1989 French Revolution bicentennial celebrations.
The structure extends the historical axis from the Louvre through the Arc de Triomphe, representing a modern interpretation of triumph focused on humanity rather than military victories.
Visitors can access the observation deck from 10:00 to 19:00 in winter months and until 23:00 during summer, with the rooftop offering views toward central Paris.
The building stands at a six-degree angle from the main axis to accommodate the underground infrastructure and houses government transportation agencies within its offices.
Location: La Défense
Inception: 1989
Architects: Johan Otto von Spreckelsen, Erik Reitzel
Official opening: July 14, 1989
Height: 110.9 m
Length: 112 m
Width: 107.9 m
Accessibility: Accessible en fauteuil roulant
Address: 1 1 Parvis de la Défense 92800 Puteaux 92800 Puteaux
Opening Hours: janvier 02-mars 31,octobre 01-décembre 31 10:00-19:00; avril 01-septembre 30 10:00-23:00
Website: https://lagrandearche.fr
GPS coordinates: 48.89280,2.23583
Latest update: November 20, 2025 18:26
Paris has reshaped its architectural landscape over recent decades by constructing distinctly contemporary buildings. La Défense's Grande Arche extends the city's historic axis, while Frank Gehry's Louis Vuitton Foundation unfurls its glass sails in Bois de Boulogne. The François Mitterrand Library rises with four towers shaped like open books along the Seine, symbolizing a confident embrace of modernity. However, Paris architecture is not limited to recent constructions. The city has reinvented old structures: La Samaritaine, a department store in Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles, was restored to its former glory after a lengthy renovation. The former Bercy wine warehouses have become a lively shopping district, the Viaduc des Arts hosts artisan workshops beneath its 19th-century arches, and the Centquatre turned a municipal funeral home into a cultural center. These renovations demonstrate how Paris combines heritage preservation with adaptation to contemporary functions.
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The arch is a symbol of the business district of La Défense, but it may lack a bit of grandeur in this axis towards the Arc de Triomphe!
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