Place De La Concorde - Place De La Concorde

Place de la Concorde was originally named Place Louis XV, in the square there is a statue of this monarch riding a horse. During the French Revolution, the statue was demolished and the square was renamed Revolution Square. King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, Robespierre and 1,300 others were beheaded here in the years following the revolution. In 1795, the square was given its current name in an attempt to leave behind its tumultuous past.

Look for the 23-meter-high Egyptian obelisk in the center of the square. Hieroglyphs decorate this 3,000-year-old structure. Hieroglyphs record events from the reigns of Ramses II and Ramses III. If you look up to the sky, you will see a golden pyramid at the top. This pyramid was added in 1998 to replace the original golden top which is believed to have been stolen from ancient times.

Admire the two fountains at the north and south ends of the square, both designed by German architect Jakob Ignaz Hittorff. The northern fountain honors rivers, with many statues representing the Rhine and Rhône rivers. The southern fountain celebrates the oceans, with many statues representing the Mediterranean and Atlantic seas. Look for statues scattered around the edge of the square. These are statues representing major French cities, including Lyon, Bordeaux and Nantes.

Sit on the edge of the fountain and people-watch or take some pictures against the majestic buildings. Among the most interesting structures in the square are two identical buildings: the Hotel Crillon and the Hôtel de la Marine, the headquarters of the French Navy. Located on both sides of rue Royale, these are two buildings originally built by King Louis XV as palaces.

Concorde metro station serves visitors to Concorde Square. You can get here by walking west from the Louvre or walking east along the Champs-Élysées.

Address: Place de La Concorde, 75008 Paris, France