Place de la Concorde

Paris, France

The octagonal Place de la Concorde is the largest square in Paris. It is situated between the Tuileries and the Champs-Elysées. In 1763, a large statue of king Louis XV was erected at this site to celebrate the recovery of the king after a serious illness. The square surrounding the statue was created later, in 1772, by the architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel. It was known as the place Louis XV.

In 1792, during the French revolution, the statue was replaced by a another, large statue, called Liberté (freedom) and the square was called Place de la Révolution. A guillotine was installed at the center of the square and in a time span of only a couple of years, 1119 people were beheaded here. Amongst them many famous people like King Louis XVI, Marie-Antionette, and Obelisk at Place de la Concorde, Paris revolutionary Robespierre, just to name a few. After the revolution the square was renamed several times until 1830, when it was given the current name Place de la Concorde.

In the 19th century the 3200 years old obelisk from the temple of Ramses II at Thebes was installed at the center of the Place de la Concorde. It is a 23 meters tall monolith in pink granite and weighs approximately 230 tons. In 1831, it was offered by the Viceroy of Egypt to Louis Philippe. The obelisk is covered with hieroglyphs picturing the reign of pharaohs Ramses II & Ramses III. Pictures on the pedestal describe the transportation to Paris and its installation at the square in 1836.

At each corner of the octagonal square is a statue representing a French city: Bordeaux, Brest, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Rouen and Strasbourg. They were installed in 1836 by Jacob Ignaz Hittorf, who redesigned the Place de la Concorde between 1833 and 1846. That same year a bronze fountain, called La fontaine des Mers was added to the square. A second one, the Elevation of the Maritime fountain, was installed in 1839. Both fountains were designed by Hittorf.

References:

Comments

Your name



Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Pranav Sanghadia (2 months ago)
I visited this place during the Christmas holidays, we walked to this place from our hotel in the evening, the Obelisk lights up at night, it looked beautiful!!! You can walk around and also see the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de triumph. A good place to take pictures and safe for kids and family.
Benjiamin Nicolau (2 months ago)
I'm not a great lover of architecture or antiquities, but once you leave the Louvrè museum your eyes will fall on the Parisian Caroselle and walking towards that part you will immerse yourself in a stupendous park full of fountains and sculptures that will prevent you from continuing, but if if you manage to get further down than the rides you will find yourself in front of some wonderful pieces of history plated in gold and sculpted by hand, truly breathtaking. But the most incredible thing is that it's all free. It's really something to do that I highly recommend!
Zongle (3 months ago)
A notable square in Paris, situated at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées and is known for its iconic Egyptian obelisk, fountains, and historical significance. The square has witnessed numerous pivotal events in French history, including the execution of King Louis XVI during the French Revolution, offering splendid views of landmarks.
K T (5 months ago)
Must come during the Rugby World Cup. Lovely atmosphere and busy like crazy when France is playing, and the entrance is free. Beer, hot dog, sausage, hamburger and fries are also reasonably priced.
Luan Oosthuizen (6 months ago)
I visited here during the Rugby World Cup 2023. I watched a few rugby games here and the atmosphere was electric. Easy to navigate your way here and many possibilities to buy something to eat or drink. It is also nearby other iconic landmarks as well as local restaurants and pubs.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.