Arc de Triomphe- A Symbol of French Pride

The Arc de Triomphe is a massive arc that is centered in one of the busiest streets of the already bustling Paris. Originally built as a memorial to those who died in the Napolean Wars, the monument has become a collective memorial to all of France's wars. In 1921, the Tomb of the Unknown Soilder was buried to commemorate those who died in World War I. As much as the site has become one of collective commemoration, it has also become a key landmark of French pride. Both the French and the Germans have held victory marches past the church and it has become a place of high nationalism for France. Which is why, perhaps, it can also be seen as a logical site for terrorism. In 1995, a bomb exploded near the site and wounded 17 people. Overall the monument has become a large part of France's national importance.