What to see in Paris | La Grande Arche de La Defense

Unlike the latter, the Arche de la Défense has a history over a hundred years. It has just turned its first 24 years, having been inaugurated on July 14, 1989: its glasses that day reflected the amazing fireworks that lit up the sky in Paris to celebrate the 200 years of the Revolution.

La Grande Arche de la Défense is a monument and building in the business district of La Défense and in the commune of Puteaux, to the west of Paris
La Grande Arche de la Défense is a monument and building in the business district of La Défense and in the commune of Puteaux, to the west of Paris

La Defense district takes its name from the statue La Défense de Paris (“The Defense of Paris”), which was built in 1883 to commemorate the soldiers who had defended Paris during the Franco-Prussian War. And the Arc, whose full name would be the Grande Arche de la Fraternité weighs 300,000 tons, is 110 meters high and was built with Carrara marble and glass panels.

La Grande Arche was designed in 1983 by the Danish architect Johan Otto Von Spreckelsen whose project was selected during an international contest launched at the initiative of the French president François Mitterand.
La Grande Arche was designed in 1983 by the Danish architect Johan Otto Von Spreckelsen whose project was selected during an international contest launched at the initiative of the French president François Mitterand.
La Grande Arche de la Défense
La Grande Arche de la Défense

To visit it (you can get there by metro M1 or yellow with the RER A) where you need to pay 10 Euros each, which are discounted at 5 on Tuesday. In summer, the Arch is open from 10:00 to 20:00, while in the winter it closes at 19:00.

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By Ina K

Photos: Calvin J.  Damon Finlay , Bencito the Traveller

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