Grande Arche, Triumphal arch in La Défense business district, France.
Description
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.
History
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.
Culture
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.
Practical
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.
Did you know?
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.
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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...
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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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