Europe in a Historical Perspective - Arc de Triomphe

In all the cities I went there were large cathedrals, historical museums, and historical monuments.  The history that took place in Europe is widely respected and celebrated.  It seems that all important events are marked by a artifact to pay tribute to that piece of history.  In Paris this is all especially true, but was also true in Munich, Zurich, and Vienna.  In Paris there were several bridges, arcs, museums, statues, obelisks, or plaques that described the event that took place there.  The Arc de Triomphe was one of my favorite historical pieces.  It stands as a reminder of those that died in the French Revolution.