Roosevelt Arch, Montana, USA

The Roosevelt Arch is located at the north entrance to the Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Montana, U.S.A., and was the first major entrance to the national park. President Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone himself in a historic 1903 ceremony. A little known fact is that the cornerstone actually covers a time capsule which contains a picture of Roosevelt, local newspapers, a Bible, and other items.

Around the world, people have built arches as memorials to momentous events, as ways to honor people who influenced history, or to create a beautiful architectural structure that people can enjoy for generations to come. Both fabulous and functional, these upside down smiles serve as a reminder both of humanity's architectural design savvy and our of our space in history in time. Arches all have a story to tell. Here's a list of a dozen of our favorite awesome arches around the world.

Gateway Arch

Located on the west bank of the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri, The Gateway Arch is a finest display of a flattened catenary arch. Standing at 630 feet tall, it is currently the largest arch in the world, and is the tallest monument in the Western Hemisphere. The arch is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, which was established to commemorate the Louisiana Purchase and westward expansion and the debate over slavery raised by the Dred Scott case.

Arcade du Cinquantenaire

This monumental triple arch in Brussels, Belgium’s Cinquantenaire is known for its unique architecture. The arch, which features personifications of Belgian provinces, columns echoing the original layout of Avenue de Tervuren, a bronze quadriga sculptural group at the top, was erected as part of a plan to beautify Brussels.

Arch of Constantine

The Arch of Constantine is one of Rome’s premiere tourist destinations, located between the iconic Palatine Hill and the Colosseum. This triumphal arch commemorates Emperor Constantine’s victory over Maxentius in 312, though most of the reliefs on the arch predate that battle. The marble arch has three archways and its inscriptions have long interested scholars, who discuss the meaning of the phrase divine inspiration, which appears twice on the monument.

Gateway of India

Mumbai’s Gateway of India, located in the city’s downtown Colaba area on the coast of the Arabian Sea, is perhaps the city’s most visited landmark. It was built to commemorate King George V’s and Queen Mary of England’s historic 1911 visit to India. The foundation stone for the Gateway of India was laid on 31 March 1911 and was completed in 1924, marking one of the largest architectural undertaking sin the history’s modern history. The Gateway later became ceremonial entrance to India for Viceroys and the new Governors of Bombay. It is now a place frequented by travelers and used for organized large gatherings.

Arc de Triomf

The Arc de Triomf is located in Barcelona, Spain, at the top of the Passeig de Lluís Companys promenade. This arch is both memorial or triumphal arch and was constructed to serve as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair. Neo-Mudéjar in style, the arch is made of red brickwork and stone carvings.

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Siegestor

The Siegestor is located in Munich, Germany between the Ludwig Maximilian University and the Ohmstraße. Though originally a symbol of the Bavarian army’s military might, the arch now symbolizes peace and continued coexistence. The arch was heavily damaged during WWII and was supposed to be demolished in the aftermath of the war. After debate, the arch was partially reconstructed with a new inscription reading: "Dedicated to victory, destroyed by war, urging peace.”

Roosevelt Arch

The Roosevelt Arch is located at the north entrance to the Yellowstone National Park in Gardiner, Montana, U.S.A., and was the first major entrance to the national park. President Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone himself in a historic 1903 ceremony. A little known fact is that the cornerstone actually covers a time capsule which contains a picture of Roosevelt, local newspapers, a Bible, and other items.

Patuxai

Located in Vientiane, Laos, the Patuxai is a war monument dedicated to the Laotian soldiers who struggled for independence from France in 1954. Completed in 1968, the monument is a typical depiction of Laotian design: The arch is decorated with statues of mythological creatures like kinnari, half bird and half female creatures who watch over humans in times of danger, and a Naga King, the serpent king. It also has two concrete stairways, viewing galleries, and kiosks.

Monument to the Revolution

Mexico’s Monument to the Revolution located in Plaza de la Republica in downtown Mexico City is considered the tallest triumphal arch in the world. The arch uniquely blends both Art Deco and Mexican socialist realism architecture. Built to commemorate the 1910 Mexican Revolution, the monument also serves as a mausoleum for five heroes of the Mexican Revolution.

Rua Augusta Arch

The Rua Augusta Arch is located in Lisbon, Portugal’s Praça do Comércio, Commerce Square, on the banks of the Tagus River. The arch was built to commemorate the devastating earthquake of 1755, that killed much of the local population and destroyed much of the city’s infrastructure. The arch has six columns and depicts noteworthy Portuguese historical figures, including the acclaimed nautical explorer Vasco da Gama, who was the first recorded European to reach India by sea. The arch stands at the end of the main street in Baixa, Lisbon’s downtown area, which is a must-visit for all travelers stopping in the European capital and sits near a beer museum.

Arc de Triomphe, Paris

Paris, France’s Arc de Triomphe is one of the iconic city’s most well-known landmarks. Located in Place de l'Étoile at the west side of Champs Elysees, the arch commemorates those who fought for France and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The names of said soldiers are inscribed on the arch itself. The arch currently stands at the center of one of the craziest intersections in Europe.

Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate is an 18th-century neoclassical monument in Mitte, Berlin, and one of the best-known landmarks of Germany. The gate was commissioned by King Frederick William II as a sign of peace and was completed in 1791. Having suffered damage during WWII, the arch was restored in 2002. Atop the Brandenburg Gate stands a statue known as “Quadriga,” the goddess Victoria, the goddess of victory, driving a chariot pulled by 4 horses. to symbolize German might. The statue remained in place until Napoleon Bonaparte and his Grand Army conquered Berlin just over a decade later. Napoleon ordered the Quadriga dismantled and shipped back to Paris almost immediately. The horse and goddess were hastily packed up in a series of crates and moved across the continent. Napoleon, perhaps preoccupied with the crumbling of his recently established empire, appears to have forgotten about the statue, and it languished in storage until 1814, when Paris itself was recaptured after Napoleon’s defeat. Now back in place, the German Victoria now looks over Pariser Platz, and the three buildings that flank the arch: the European Commission building, the American embassy, and, perhaps most ironic of all, the French embassy.

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