After his great victory at Austerlitz in 1806, Napolean decided to build a huge triumphal arch in Paris. However by 1810, the giant arch at the Nevilly toll gate was still just a foundation. Therefore, the designers created a full scale replica for the conqueror. They first built a wooden frame, then covered it with painted paper. The entry of Napolean into the city was celebrated by fireworks throughout Paris. The actual Arc de Triomphe was opened in 1836. The arc is 162 feet high and 147 feet wide. It is a memorial to the wars of the French Revolution and to those wars of the French Empire under Napolean. The arc is 16 story war memorial that serves as a triumphal arc at the top of the avenue in Paris