160 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[May, 



Fig. 2.— SECTION THROUGH THE CENTRE OF THE ARCHWAY. 



l-HE ARC DE L'ETOILE, AT PARIS. 



Between the commencement and the completion of this stupendous 



monumental structure, just thirty years elapsed— in the course of 



which memorable period, the Napoleon dynasty crumbled away 



with a celerity equal to that of its rise. Of the many desif?ns for it 



submitted to tlie then government, those of Raymond and of Chalfjrin 



iibtJined the preference. That by the former of these architects, 



proposed twelve coupled Corinthian columns on each of the sides, 



hUfiporting a magnificent entablature, on wliich w.)uW have been as 



many statues symboUical of the different cities that had been taken by 



the French, and between these, bas-reliefs of the chief victories. The 



interior would have been divided into four masses on its plan, by 



the principal archway or vaulting being intersected by the transverse 



one ; and the design further proposed that there should be seven balls 



in the upper part of the structure; viz., three smaller onesone.ch 



«iJe, and a larger one in the direction of the principal arch. 



Chalgrin's«plan was much more simple, though it re-embled the 

 other in its general disposition ; namely, in having two intersecting 

 vaults, and consequently an arch on each of Its four faces. 



Even before it was decided which of the two designs should be 

 ultimately adopted, preparations were made for carrying one or other 

 of them into execution, and the first stone was laid August 15th, 1806. 

 The foun.lations, which are 8 metres in depth, and 28 in breadth (or a 

 fraction more than 26 and 91 Englif.h feet, respectively) and are f .rmed 

 of blocks of Cyclopean masonry, «ere already far advanced when Ray- 

 mond, whose leading i'ieas it had been determined to adopt, resolved 

 rather to have nothing to do with the work, than consent to the altera- 

 tions it was pmposed to make in his designs. He accordingly gava 

 up his appointment as architect, in 1809 ; nor did lie long survive the 

 chagrin he felt on the occasion. 



Chalgrin, hitherto only adjunct to the principal architect, now 

 proceeded with the work" according to his own ideas, and with suoU 



