Beneath the Arc is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the First World War，interred here on Armistice Day 1920，has the first eternal flame lit since the Vestal Virgins，fire was extinguishedextinguish vt.熄灭，消灭，压制，使黯然失色 in the year 391. It burns in memory of the dead who were never identified，now in both World Wars. France took the example of the United Kingdom，s tomb of The Unknown Warrior in Westminister Abbey. A ceremony is held there every November 11 on the anniversary of the armistice signed between France and Germany in 1918. The unknown soldier，s remains were originally decided in November 12，1919 to be buried in the Panthéon，but a public letterwriting campaign led to the decision to bury him beneath the Arc. The coffin was put in the chapel on the first floor of the Arc on November 10，1920，and put in its final resting place on January 28，1921. The slab on top carries the inscription ICI REPOSE UN SOLDAT FRAN？AIS MORT POUR LA PATRIE 1914~1918 (“Here lies a French soldier who died for his country 1914~1918”).
The Versailles Castle
凡尔赛宫
凡尔赛宫位于巴黎西南郊的凡尔赛市，距巴黎中心市区18公里。作为一个庞大的建筑群，凡尔赛宫不仅殿宇繁复、雄伟壮观，而且与花坛、水池、林木、广场和绿地等形成了绝妙的匹配，加之地势的高低起伏，就更为整个宫区平添了几许层次性和参差感，显得既魁伟严谨、蔚为大观，又错落有致、风韵可人，是典型的欧洲花园式宫殿建筑群。奥地利首都维也纳的王宫，就是在取样凡尔赛宫之后，才建成的王室宫苑。这个宫苑曾发生过西西公主的爱情故事，并因此而成为电影《西西公主》的背景地。从而使得全世界的人们都有缘一识奥地利王宫的楚楚芳容，也因此而令人联想到了巴黎凡尔赛宫的旖旎与曼丽。凡尔赛宫建于17世纪，它记载了法国的历史，云集了法国文明的精华，是法国路易十四时期最精美壮丽的建筑，同时也是路易十四居住和活动的最重要场所，它除了绝世的建筑景观，还是法国宫廷艺术的典型体现，珍藏有油画、壁画、挂毯、金银器皿等大量珍贵文物。在这些文物中，还有康熙皇帝与路易十四当年的通信文物。
凡尔赛宫占地111万平方米，其宫殿建筑主要由孟萨设计，而其花园林苑则主要由勒诺特设计。当法皇路易十三在1624年始建凡尔赛宫时，只是按照建在树林中的狩猎行宫的标准设计的。1661年，即位未久的路易十四欲将这座狩猎行宫改建扩建为豪华的王宫。他用了将近30年的时间，才使凡尔赛王宫的改建扩建工程竣工。从那时开始，已大体上形成了现在的宫苑规模。这就是说，作为一座雄伟豪华的王宫，凡尔赛宫已有300余年的历史了。300年来，凡尔赛宫几乎见证了法国历史演绎中的所有政治风云和重大事件。从路易十四到路易十六，再到路易·菲利浦，凡尔赛宫一直都是法兰西的历史枢纽和政治中心。这之后，普鲁士军队在1870年占领法国，并曾于次年在这里举行过德皇加冕典礼。1871年巴黎公社胜利后，梯也尔反动政府一度退守凡尔赛宫，并在这里策划了血腥的反革命阴谋，以此为基地向巴黎公社进行了疯狂反扑。在1871年至1878年的7年中，法国国民议会设在凡尔赛宫，1875年也是在凡尔赛宫庄严宣告了法兰西共和国的成立。直到1919年6月28日，法、英等国在这里同德国签订了着名的标志着第一次世界大战结束的《凡尔赛和约》。此后，凡尔赛宫逐渐退出政治舞台，也逐渐发生了功能性的转换——从政治中心变为旅游胜地。
作为旅游胜地的凡尔赛宫，无疑是具有非凡的魅力和诱惑力的。因为无论从政治意义、文化意义上说，抑或从建筑艺术、园林艺术上说，这里都是旅游者们的绝佳去处。人们在凡尔赛宫，不但可以观览巍峨的宫殿，而且可以徜徉雅致的林圃；不但可以鉴阅变革的历史，而且可以欣赏优美的艺术。难怪凡尔赛宫一年到头总也是车马盈门、人流如织，从世界各地来这里参观旅游的人每年至少都在200万以上。更重要的是，每一个参观者皆能从这里得到高雅的艺术享受，留下终生不可磨灭的深刻印象，乃至在艺术的陶醉与心灵的震撼中获致永恒的宁馨，播下绵长的忆念。
凡尔赛宫是一个庞大的建筑群。由其正宫的东西两头分别连通着南宫与北宫，从而形成对称的几何图案。正宫、南宫和北宫大多为三层长方形平顶建筑，这与传统的法国尖顶建筑和巴洛克圆顶建筑风格迥然不同，看上去显得格外凝重、肃穆、端庄、规范、气势恢宏。特别是在所有宫殿外壁的上方都敷设着极为精美的大理石人物雕像和各种各样的装饰图案，给人一种灵动和华贵的感觉。自然，凡尔赛宫的最大特点，还在于它具有极为精美的室内装饰和极为丰富的馆藏文物。几乎可以说，所有500多间大殿小厅的内部都装饰得金碧辉煌。那门窗，那穹顶，那灯具，那陈设，一律都堪为稀世珍宝，一律都属于天才的创造，一律都具有无穷的魅力。早在路易十六当政的18世纪末，凡尔赛宫的富丽堂皇就已达到了无以复加的极致，以至于引起人民的强烈不满。到了路易·菲利浦执政的1837年，遂将这座无比奢侈豪华的王宫改建为法兰西历史博物馆，主要用来收藏和展览绘画、雕塑以及其他珍贵的艺术品。现如今，人们参观凡尔赛宫所能看到的主要就是这些价值连城的稀世艺术珍品。在这些供人们观赏的艺术品中，主要有雕刻、挂毯、家具、灯饰、钢琴、钟表、玉器、瓷器、书柜、帘帏等。其中数量最多、价值最大的，当推那一幅接着一幅的油画艺术的精品与极品。
The Chateau de Versailles（The Versailles Castle） is one of the largest castles in the world.The Chateau de Versailles has more than 2，000 windows，700 rooms，1250 fireplaces，67 staircasesstaircase n.楼梯 and more than 1，800 acres of park. The paintings，tapestries，sculptures，furniture of this fabulous castle，have been executed by the best Italian and French artists of the time.
In 1623，King Louis XIII father of Louis XIV，the Sun King，built a hunting lodge，a little chateau of brick，stone，and slate. The king liked so much this little castle in the middle of such a good hunting park， that he soon had it enlarged by Philibert Le Roy.
From 1661 the young King Louis XIV had his architects，Louis Le Vau and Jules Hardouin Mansart embellish the early Versailles castle. From 1668 to 1670 was built a second building enveloping the old Versailles castle with new even style stone faades. After Le Vau，s death in 1670，Franois d，Orbay finished the work.
In 1682，the Chateau de Versailles became the official residence of the Sun King and his Court， replacing the Louvre and SaintGermain Castles.When the king moved into the Versailles castle in 1682，before the construction was finished，he insisted that the castle was for the people，and that his home be open to one and all. Gates of the Chateau stayed open all day long，and guards only checked for guns that could endanger the king. From 1678 to 1684， the terrace of the new chateau was transformed into the Hall of Mirrors，symbolizingsymbolize vt.象征，用符号表现 vi.作为……的象征，采用象征，使用符号 the power of the Sun King.The construction of North and South castle，s Wings，the Orangery，the Stables，the Royal Chapel was supervised by royal architect Jules HardouinMansart.The last construction started during the reign of Louis XIV is the Royal Chapel.It was completed in 1710 by Robert de Cotte.
Around 1770，during the reign of King Louis XV，the famous architect Gabriel built the Royal Opera of Versailles. He also transformed some of the facades of the Versailles Chateau on town side，in line with the rules of Classical Architecture and created a new colonnaded building. Finally，in 1820，a symmetricalsymmetrical adj.对称的，均匀的 pavilion was erected on the other side of the Great Courtyard of the Versailles castle.
Mansart also built during the reign of Louis XIV，in the place where was the former village of Trianon，a marble Castle called The “Grand Trianon” or “Marble Trianon”...Louis XV ordered to Gabriel a small castle： the “Petit Trianon”. In fact the “Petit Trianon” was offered to the Queen Marie Antoinette by the King Louis XVI when he acceded to the throne...Marie Antoinette also wanted a “village” of her own in the style of Normandy Cottages，the Queens Hamlet in a romantic English Garden.