Grande Arche

Grande Arche is a hollow cube covered in white Carrara marble and gray granite in the La Défense business district west of Paris. Glass and polished stone panels cover the outer faces, while the central opening is large enough to fit Notre-Dame Cathedral inside.

François Mitterrand commissioned Danish architect Johann Otto von Spreckelsen to design this monument in 1983 for the bicentennial of the French Revolution. Construction began in 1985 and was completed in 1989, though Spreckelsen left the project in 1986 due to health issues and Paul Andreu oversaw its completion.

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.

The building sits at the western end of the historical axis and can be reached by taking metro line 1 or RER line A to La Défense station. The top floor remains closed to visitors currently, but the esplanade around the base offers free access and good views of the proportions.

The entire structure stands at a tilt of roughly six degrees from the historical axis to avoid disturbing the tunnels and infrastructure below the plaza. This slight rotation is barely noticeable to the eye but made construction possible at this location.

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: Wheelchair accessible

Address: Parvis de la Défense

Opening Hours: January 02-March 31,October 01-December 31 10:00-19:00; April 01-September 30 10:00-23:00

Website: https://lagrandearche.fr

GPS coordinates: 48.89280,2.23583

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:43