1989 Bicentennial Monument Paris

In July 1989, Paris celebrated the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution with one of the most ambitious architectural programmes in modern history. President François Mitterrand's Grand Travaux project delivered a series of extraordinary new monuments across the city — transforming Paris's skyline and cementing its reputation as the world's capital of contemporary architecture.

The Grande Arche de la Défense

The most iconic monument built for the 1989 Bicentennial is without doubt the Grande Arche de la Défense. Designed by Danish architect Johann Otto von Spreckelsen and completed in 1989, the Grande Arche is a hollow cube of white marble and glass, 110 metres high, standing at the western end of Paris's historic axis — the grand perspective that runs from the Louvre, through the Tuileries, along the Champs-Élysées, through the Arc de Triomphe, and out to La Défense.

The scale of the building is extraordinary — the entire Notre-Dame Cathedral could fit inside the arch. The structure houses government offices, a rooftop terrace with panoramic views over Paris, and a series of exhibition spaces

The Tomb Inside the Grande Arche

One of the lesser-known facts about the Grande Arche is that it contains a tomb. Johann Otto von Spreckelsen, the Danish architect who designed the building, died in 1987 — two years before its completion. A small memorial to the architect is housed within the structure, making the Grande Arche not only a monument to the French Revolution, but also a tribute to its creator.

Other Bicentennial Monuments Built in 1989

The Grande Arche was not the only major monument completed for the 1989 Bicentennial. President Mitterrand's Grand Travaux programme also delivered the glass Pyramid of the Louvre, designed by I.M. Pei — now one of the most recognisable symbols of Paris. The Opéra Bastille, built on the symbolic site of the original Bastille prison, also opened on 14 July 1989, exactly 200 years after the storming of the Bastille.

Visiting the Grande Arche

Address : 1 Parvis de la Défense, 92044 Puteaux

Metro : Grande Arche de la Défense (line 1)

RER : La Défense (line A)

Opening hours : Daily 10:00am – 7:00pm

Tickets : €15 adults | Free for under 6s