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Porte St-Denis Review

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Porte St-Denis

Fodor's Review:

Not as grandiose as the Arc de Triomphe, but triumphant nonetheless, Paris's second-largest arch (76 feet) was erected by François Blondel in 1672 to celebrate the victories of Ludovico Magno (as Louis XIV is here styled) on the Rhine. The bas-reliefs by François Girardon include campaign scenes and trophies stacked on shallow pyramids. The arch faces Rue St-Denis, formerly the royal processional route into Paris from the north. Last used as such a route by Queen Victoria in 1855, it's now known primarily for its sidewalk queens of the night.

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