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Podcast: Today In History with The Retrospectors
Episode: Bienvenue à l'Arc de triomphe
Description: King Louis Philippe unveiled an iconic Parisian monument, the Arc De Triomphe, on 29th July, 1836. But, due to fears of an attack, only 11 people attended the event - six of whom were soldiers. Originally commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 after his victory at Austerlitz, the Arc was inspired by the ancient Roman triumphal arches. But progress was slow. By 1810, only the base of the pillars was completed, leading to a makeshift wooden and canvas structure for his wedding procession. In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the design evolved during some incredibly rocky decades of...