The most beautiful squares in Paris. Place Concorde Place de la Concorde in Paris history

Place de la Concorde
One of the most visited attractions in Paris is the Place de la Concorde, which appeared in the 18th century, when Louis XV “The Favorite,” as his contemporaries called him, sat on the throne. The square is built in the shape of an octagon, surrounded by a deep moat. At the corners of this octagon there are eight statues - symbols of the main cities of France. In the center is a statue of Louis himself on horseback, given to him by his subjects in honor of his recovery. This statue should be thanked for the appearance of the square, because it was because of it that it was decided to build the square, since the king could not find a place where he could install this work.

Place de la Concorde is the place where French history was made. During the Great French Revolution, there stood not a statue of a radiant monarch, but a guillotine that decapitated more than a thousand Frenchmen. Bloody massacres became such a common thing for city residents that they went to the next beheading to look at a strange animal in a traveling circus. And after the next unfortunate man was beheaded, spectators looked into the tavern "At the Guillotine", which was very popular at that time. Then the square was called the Square of the Revolution, and after the bloody times passed, it turned into the Place de la Concorde, its name symbolizing reconciliation between enemies.

The bloody massacre during the revolution was preceded by another equally bloody story. At the wedding of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, a firecracker hit the crowd during the fireworks display. A fire started, a crush in which many people died...

Now about the composition of the square. It is built up only on the north side. The remaining three sides are open, allowing one to contemplate the vast space beyond. Several buildings overlook the square. The first is the Maritime Ministry. The young Guy de Maupassant, who at that time was a simple official, once came there to get a job. The second building is a palace donated by the king to the Crillon family. Now this is the most luxurious and prestigious hotel in Paris, which has seen a lot of interesting things in its time. For example, in one of its rooms in the early 20s of the last century, the scandalous poet Sergei Yesenin and his wife Isadora Duncan stayed. They were soon kicked out of the fashionable establishment because the poet behaved scandalously and disturbed the peace of the other guests.

In the 19th century, the Luxor Obelisk of Ramses II was erected here, which was presented to the King of France by the Viceroy of Egypt. To transport the obelisk to its destination, the ship Luxor was built. For two years the obelisk wandered towards Paris, and was installed in just a few hours.

Now about eight statues - symbols of French cities. The pedestals deserve more attention here. They are very large, so much so that in the 19th century they contained apartments that could be rented for several hundred francs a year. And there were those who wanted it. Now they are the entrances to the parking lot.

In front of the Champs Elysees you are greeted by the sculptures "Horses of Marly". But these are only copies of an amazing piece of art, and the original version is installed in the Louvre. There is a rather comical story associated with these sculptures. In the last century, a certain French Ostap Bender sold these horses to a stupid but very rich American. And he seriously tried to take the acquisition to the USA. Naturally, the French authorities prevented this blasphemy. This is what it is like - the Place de la Concorde in Paris: amazingly beautiful, majestic, bloody and fatal.

Photo of Place de la Concorde

Place de la Concorde on the map of Paris

Paid parking: Place de la Concorde

Place de la Concorde- one of the most beautiful in Paris - occupies a vast area between the Tuileries Garden and the Champs Elysees. The square was laid out in the middle of the 17th century according to the design of the architect Gabriel and at first bore the name of Louis XV. Like other “royal” squares, it was decorated with an equestrian statue of the monarch, but there was something fundamentally new in its layout: it was not built up with houses along the perimeter, thanks to which wide vistas opened up from any point of the square. We can say that the square is spatially connected with the rest of the city.

From the Revolution of 1789 to the July Monarchy

At the very beginning of the French Revolution, the monument to the king was toppled, and Place Louis XV was renamed Place de la Revolution and decorated with the Statue of Liberty. On January 21, 1793, King Louis XVI was beheaded on a site near the Champs-Elysees. A few days later, a scaffold with a guillotine was installed near the terrace of the Tuileries Garden. Queen Marie Antoinette, Charlotte Corday (who killed Marat), Duke of Orleans Philippe-Egalite, the king's favorite Madame du Barry, revolutionaries Camille Desmoulins, Saint-Just, Danton, and many Girondins were executed here. A year later, the victims of the Thermidorian coup led by Maximilian Robespierre were guillotined in the square. In total, 1,119 people were executed on the square during the Revolution. In 1795, the square, which witnessed numerous executions, received a conciliatory name - Place de la Concorde.

During the reign of the “King of the French” Louis Philippe (1830-1848), an ancient Egyptian obelisk, two fountains, equestrian groups and marble statues depicting the cities of France appeared on the square. In 1835, the architect Hittorf completed the design of the square, following Gabriel's planning principles. This is how the Place de la Concorde acquired its current appearance.

Luxor Obelisk

The obelisk decorating the square is a gift from the Egyptian Viceroy Mehmet Ali. It was brought to Paris from the Temple of Amun in Thebes. The age of the monument is approximately 3600 years. The obelisk is carved from pink granite. Its height is 23 meters, weight is 230 tons. On four sides it is covered with hieroglyphs glorifying the pharaohs Ramses II and Ramses III.

To transport the monumental “gift” from Egypt, the cargo ship Luxor was built. Cruise from Egypt to Toulon lasted two years and 25 days. For another three years, the obelisk lay on the banks of the Seine while lifting devices developed by the engineer Apollinaire Lebas were installed on the square. On August 16, 1835, the obelisk was installed on a granite pedestal in the presence of the royal family and a crowd of 200 thousand Parisians. By the way, the installation of the Luxor Obelisk took only... three hours. Individual episodes of transportation and installation are depicted on the pedestal. In 1999, the top of the Luxor obelisk was crowned with a gold tip, the casting of which took 1.5 kg of pure gold.

Giettorf fountains

On both sides of the obelisk, Hittorf installed two 9-meter-high fountains, imitating the fountains of St. Square. Peter's in Rome. The fountains are decorated with statues of Triton, Nereid and other mythical characters, as well as eighteen rostral columns. In the evenings the fountains are illuminated. Work on a major restoration of the fountains has recently been completed.

Buildings on the Place de la Concorde

It is no coincidence that the square is decorated with fountains on a “marine theme” - in its northern part stands the building of the Ministry of the Navy. And on the other side of Royale Street is one of the most luxurious Parisian hotels - the famous Hotel Crillon ( former palace Riot police). In their architecture, both buildings echo the palaces of the Louvre.

On February 6, 1778, in the building of the Aumont Palace, a cooperation agreement was signed between France and the North American United States (France was the first country to recognize the independence of America).

Two more buildings in the Tuileries Garden overlook the Place de la Concorde: on the corner of the Rue de Rivoli - the Gallery building contemporary art, and next to the Seine embankment is the Orangerie Museum, where the late works of Claude Monet and some of his contemporaries are exhibited.

At the corner of Place de la Concorde and rue Boissy-d'Anglas there is the US Embassy building, built in 1930-1933. In the 19th century, a mansion stood on this site, where the Russian embassy was located in 1828-1842.

Statues of eight cities of France

Under King Louis Philippe, eight monumental statues were installed on the Place de la Concorde, symbolizing big cities France: Lyon and Marseille (Petitot village), Bordeaux and Nantes (Gayonet village), Rouen and Brest (Cortot village), Lille and Strasbourg (Pradier village). From 1870 to 1914, when Alsace and Lorraine were occupied by the Germans, the Strasbourg statue, covered in black crepe, became a site of patriotic pilgrimage for the French.

Horses Marley

Since 1795, at the entrance to Champs Elysees there are two sculptural groups known as “Horses of Marley” (sk. Kustu). In 1984, the original sculptures, heavily damaged by exhaust gases, were transported to the Louvre, and in their place flawlessly executed copies were installed.

In the early 50s of the twentieth century, Marley's horses were “sold” by a swindler to a naive American with a tight wallet. To the great surprise of the latter, the French authorities did not recognize the deal as legal; they responded with a categorical refusal to the American’s attempt to take away the horses and advised him to hang the “bill of sale” in his bedroom.

Russian trace

At number 3 on Korolevskaya Street there is the famous Parisian restaurant "Maxim's", opened in 1891 by Maxim Gaillard in the house that belonged to the minister of Louis XVIII, the governor of Odessa, Duke Richelieu. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Prince of Wales, Count Orlov, Count Galitsyn, Marquise de Dion and others.

In February 1923, Sergei Yesenin and his wife Isadora Duncan stayed at the Crillon Hotel, but because of his scandalous behavior, Yesenin was expelled not only from the hotel, but also from France.

Place de la Concorde is considered the most beautiful in Paris. It is located extremely well: it offers views of the prospect of the Champs Elysees, the Tuileries Garden and the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower.

The square was founded by Louis XV. The choice of location was influenced by precise economic calculations: in 1755, this territory was not part of the city, the land was cheap. Architect Gabriel designed Place Louis XV as an octagon with an equestrian statue of the king in the center.

During the revolution, the monument was demolished, the Statue of Liberty was erected on the pedestal, and the square was given a new name - Revolution. Louis XVI was executed here, and then a guillotine was placed near the terrace of the Tuileries Garden, on which 1,119 people met their death: Duke of Orleans Philip, Charlotte Corday, Saint-Just, Demoulins, Danton, Robespierre. In 1795, with the cessation of civil strife, the square was named by its current name.

Under King Louis Philippe I, between the two revolutions (1830-1848), the square was renovated. The oldest of Parisian monuments was installed on it - a granite obelisk from the era of Pharaoh Ramses II. Egypt donated the monument, weighing 250 tons, to France, and a special ship, the Luxor, was built to deliver it here. The raising of the obelisk in front of the royal family and a crowd of two hundred thousand took three hours.

On both sides of the obelisk there are two nine-meter fountains - smaller copies of the fountains from Rome's St. Peter's Square. In the evenings they are illuminated unusually beautifully. From the north, the square is framed by buildings that resemble the Louvre in architecture - the French Ministry of the Navy and the Crillon Hotel. On the corner of Saint-Florentin Street stands a mansion that once belonged to Talleyrand - Russian Emperor Alexander I lived here in 1814. On Easter, the Emperor ordered the construction of an altar on the square and a thanksgiving service for the end of the bloodshed.

The square is also famous for the famous innovative painting by Degas (1876). It depicts the artist's friend Viscount Lepic crossing the square with his two daughters. The canvas ended up in Germany, after the fall of Berlin in 1945 - in the Hermitage, where it is now.

(Place de la Concorde)- one of the most beautiful squares in Paris, occupies a vast area between the Tuileries Garden and the Champs Elysees fields.

The square was laid out in the middle of the 17th century according to the design of the architect Gabriel and at first bore the name of Louis XV. Unfortunately, I was not able to photograph the entire square, since Paris was preparing for France Day and half was blocked off; stands were being erected for President Sarkozy, who was to host the parade there.

The square initially bore the name of Louis XV. Like other "royal" squares, it was decorated with an equestrian statue of the monarch, At the very beginning of the French Revolution, the monument to the king was toppled, and Place Louis XV was renamed Place de la Revolution and decorated with the Statue of Liberty. On January 21, 1793, King Louis XVI was beheaded on a site near the Champs-Elysees. A few days later, a scaffold with a guillotine was installed near the terrace of the Tuileries Garden. Queen Marie Antoinette, Charlotte Corday (who killed Marat), Duke of Orleans Philippe-Egalite, the king's favorite Madame du Barry, revolutionaries Camille Desmoulins, Saint-Just, Danton, and many Girondins were executed here. A year later, the victims of the Thermidorian coup led by Maximilian Robespierre were guillotined in the square. In total, 1,119 people were executed on the square during the Revolution. In 1795, the square, which witnessed numerous executions, received a conciliatory name - Place de la Concorde, or in other words, when there were no more dissenters, it became "Concorde"
Luxor Obelisk.
The obelisk decorating the square is a gift from the Egyptian Viceroy Mehmet Ali. It was brought to Paris from the Temple of Amun in Thebes. The age of the monument is approximately 3600 years. The obelisk is carved from pink granite. Its height is 23 meters, weight is 230 tons. On four sides it is covered with hieroglyphs glorifying the pharaohs Ramses II and Ramses III.

To transport the monumental “gift” from Egypt, the cargo ship Luxor was built. The sea voyage from Egypt to Toulon lasted two years and 25 days. For another three years, the obelisk lay on the banks of the Seine while lifting devices developed by the engineer Apollinaire Lebas were installed on the square. On August 16, 1835, the obelisk was installed on a granite pedestal in the presence of the royal family and a crowd of 200 thousand Parisians. By the way, the installation of the Luxor Obelisk took only... three hours. Individual episodes of transportation and installation are depicted on the pedestal. In 1999, the top of the Luxor obelisk was crowned with a gold tip, the casting of which took 1.5 kg of pure gold.

"Place de la Concorde" offers wonderful views of the Eiffel Tower and the Champs Elysees with the Arc de Triomphe, and on the other side is adjacent The Tuileries Garden, in the depths of which is the Louvre. Therefore, it is impossible to get lost, thanks to Parisian maps and a good guidebook in Russian, which are found at every step!

Under King Louis Philippe, eight monumental statues were installed on the Place de la Concorde, symbolizing the major cities of France: Lyon and Marseille, Bordeaux and Nantes, Rouen and Brest, Lille and Strasbourg On both sides of the obelisk there are two 9-meter-high fountains, imitating the fountains of St. Peter's in Rome. The fountains are decorated with statues of Triton, Nereid and other mythical characters. I really liked them, and if it weren’t for the construction on the square, it would have been an excellent panorama!

It is one of the most beautiful squares in French capital. Interesting feature– a direct connection with the city, it is not separated from Paris by buildings along the perimeter, so a wide view of the city panoramas opens up from everywhere.

Hotels near Place de la Concorde.

Historical information

Place de la Concorde appeared in the 17th century, it was laid out according to Gabriel's design. The first name is Place Louis XV. Its main decoration was an equestrian statue of the monarch, which was typical of all squares dedicated to kings. The name was changed during the revolution - the monument to the monarch was overthrown, and the name was changed to square. Revolutions.

This was followed by a series of bloody events directly related to the place de la Concorde. At the beginning of 1873, Louis XVI was beheaded; the execution took place near the Champs-Elysees. Then the scaffold with a guillotine was installed at the entrance to the Tuileries Garden. Charlotte Corday, Marie Antoinette, Madame du Barry, Danton, Saint-Just, the Duke of Orleans and other outstanding personalities ended their lives here. A year later, Maximilian Robespierre was executed here. During the revolution, more than 1,000 people were executed on this very small piece of land, but in 1875 it was decided to give it a name meaning reconciliation - Place de la Concorde.

The era of Louis Philippe's reign was marked by the appearance of a number of monuments at the place de la Concorde - marble statues with images of French cities, two fountains, an ancient Egyptian obelisk and equestrian statues. The square acquired its modern appearance thanks to the work of the architect Hittorf. He completed the layout, being careful not to deviate from Gabriel's operating principles.

The obelisk was brought to Paris from a temple dedicated to Amon in Thebes. It was presented to the capital of France by the Viceroy of Egypt Mehmet Ali. The monument was made of pink granite about 3600 years ago. Its weight is 230 tons, height 23 m. The granite stele is decorated on all sides with hieroglyphs telling about the deeds of Ramses II and Ramses III.

It was built especially for the transportation of this monument. cargo Ship Luxor, transportation took a little over two years. The obelisk had to lie on the banks of the Seine for three years, during which time lifts were installed on the Place de la Concorde. Finally, on August 16, 1835, the monument was erected on a granite pedestal. The installation was attended by the royal family and a huge crowd of townspeople. They installed it very quickly - in just three hours.

In 1999 The top of the obelisk was decorated with a golden tip. It was cast from pure gold and weighs one and a half kilograms.

Giettorf fountains

The Luxor obelisk is surrounded on both sides by fountains installed by Hittorf. Their height is 9 m, this is an imitation of the fountains from St. Peter's Square in Rome. They are decorated with 18 rostral columns and sculptures depicting mythical characters. In the evening the lights turn on and the water jets seem to come to life.

Famous buildings on the Place de la Concorde in Paris

The Ministry building is located in the northern part Navy. On the side of Royal Street (La rue Royale) lies the luxurious Parisian Hotel Crillon (formerly the Aumont Palace). The architecture of both buildings shows similarities with the Louvre.

There are two buildings in the Tuileries Gardens overlooking the Place de la Concorde. This is the Orangerie Museum on the Seine side and the Gallery of Modern Art on the corner of the street. Rivoli. In the museum you can see works by Claude Monet.

Statues of the Eight Cities

As mentioned above, under Louis Philippe, eight statues were installed on the square - symbols of major French cities: Marseille and Lyon (sculptor Petitot), Nantes and Bordeaux (sculptor Gaionet), Brest and Rouen (sculptor Cortot), Lille and Strasbourg (sculptor Pradier) . During the Nazi occupation, the statue of Strasbourg was covered with black crepe; it was a place of patriotic pilgrimage for the French people.

Horses Marley

Two sculptural groups installed at the exit to the Champs-Elysees in 1795. Today, in their place there are copies, and the sculptures themselves, badly damaged by time, were transported to the Louvre.

An interesting incident is connected with these sculptures. In the middle of the last century, a French swindler “sold” Marley’s horses to a rich American. But the French authorities did not allow the sculptures to be taken out of the country, to the great surprise of the American millionaire.

Trace of Russia

On Royal Street there is a restaurant called Maxim's. It was opened by Maxim Gaillard in 1891 in a house that belonged to the Duke of Richelieu, the governor of Odessa and the minister of Louis XVIII. Count Orlov, the Prince of Wales and Count Golitsyn loved to visit this restaurant.

Yesenin stayed at the Crillon Hotel with Isadora Duncan. But for his scandalous behavior, the poet was expelled from the hotel, and then from France.

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