Arc de Triomphe in Paris wrapped in fabric

Photo taken on Sept. 16, 2021 shows the wrapped Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. The entire Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs-Elysees in Paris is to stay wrapped in fabric for two weeks, an art installation conceived by the late artist Christo and inaugurated on Thursday by French President Emmanuel Macron. The 50-meter high, 45-meter long and 22-meter wide monument built by Napoleon, is now wrapped head to toe in 25,000 square metres of recyclable silvery-blue fabric and 3,000 meters of red rope. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

PARIS, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The entire Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs-Elysees in Paris is to stay wrapped in fabric for two weeks, an art installation conceived by the late artist Christo and inaugurated on Thursday by French President Emmanuel Macron.

"This is the achievement of a 60-year-old dream, a crazy dream come true," said Macron at the 50-meter high, 45-meter long and 22-meter wide monument built by Napoleon, now wrapped head to toe in 25,000 square metres of recyclable silvery-blue fabric and 3,000 meters of red rope.

The wrapping was conceived by Bulgarian-born Christo, who died last year. With his wife and co-designer Jeanne-Claude, the couple had wrapped the oldest bridge in Paris in 1985 and the German Parliament in 1995.

The realization of "Arc de Triomphe, Wrapped" was overseen by Christo's nephew in coordination with the Pompidou Museum and French authorities.

The project was self-financed by Christo through the sale of his work without any public or private funding. The installation will be on view till Oct.3.