7 facts about de la Place Concorde, in Paris 

7 Facts about de la Place Concorde, in Paris 

 Between the Tuileries and the Champs Elysees, in Paris on the right bank of the Seine, is the Place de la Concorde. One of the most fascinating things about it is that it is the finish line for the famous Tour de France every July, and if you are lucky, you will witness the military parade here do its magnificent march during Bastille Day.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

There is a lot to see in France, most of these things being in Paris, home of culture, fashion, and food. And if there is something you should look out for, is de la Concorde. It is very hard to miss since it is the second-largest squares in Paris and the largest in Paris. The place has so much to offer, places to photograph, seats to relax as you enjoy the scenery, some of the things which date back centuries. Here are seven things that will fascinate you about de la Concorde, which will make you want to visit! Enjoy!

1. Place of many names

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It was previously known as Place Louise XV as well as Place de la Charte. It was named after the then monarch Louise XV. When a fire destroyed and melted the statue dedicated and named after King Louise XV, in 1792, and after that, the square was renamed Place de la Revolution, the Revolution Square. The 21-acre square was then renamed Place de la Concorde after the Reign of Terror in 1795, reflecting on Peace and Harmony. The place has been renamed very many times, which means it is rich in history because every name and change of name had a reason behind it.

2. Always a place of a large gathering 

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De la Concorde has always been a place of gatherings- big ones. The square is 21 acres, and the biggest in Paris, the second biggest in France. The square has always been a place of meeting- this even being the place where people died by guillotine and as irony would have it, King Louise XVI and his wife Mary Antoinette were executed at the very place where his namesake was named after, by guillotine! More than 1, 200 people were executed using the guillotine in this place.

3. Amazing 3,300-year-old Obelisk  

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The tall pillar that will lead you to the Place de la Concorde, is called an obelisk, introduced to this planet by the Egyptians. They end in a pyramid-like shape at the top and was known to symbolize the sun god Ra, and were originally erected at the entrances of temples in Egypt. There are many popular obelisks in the world, including the popular one in Washington DC, which was built in 1884. The obelisk which is at the Place de la Concorde was raised between 1833 and 1836, by the order of King Louse Phillippe, which was a gift from the Egyptian government to the French government in 1829. The 23-meter-high and 250 tons Obelisk took three years to arrive and also had a lot of technicalities in its transportation and so if you look clearly, you will see some hieroglyphics on it that explain how it got to France. The original obelisks had gold caps on top, and because the one in Paris did not have it, having probably been stolen in the 6th Century BC, the French government placed one on it in 1993!

4. The beautiful fountains

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There are two beautiful fountains at the Place de la Concorde. The green and gold fountains were designed by Jacques Hittorf in the 1830s. The one on the north was dedicated to the rivers in France. It shows honor that is attached to the harvesting of various flowers, agricultural produce as well as matters navigation. The southern fountain represents the oceans- the Mediterranean, and the Atlantic, and this one honors the harvesting of corals and fish as well as commerce and astronomy. The fountains have stone basins that have six tritons (Greeks gods of the Sea) holding fish spewing out water, allegorical figures.

There is also a sculpture, made to depict two horses standing side-by-side, which were designed and placed there in 1740, but were later moved to de la Concorde in 1795. They are now, however, at the Louvre’s courtyard. They were first at the Champs Elysées. 

5. Chef designer

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Ange-Jacques Gabriel was the designer behind the Place de la Concorde. The designer submitted three designs in 1731 to the Municipal Council of Bordeaux which had to deliberate on a proper artistic impression of the proposed design.

6. Historic Buildings 

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The design incorporates several neoclassical buildings which have served different purposes over history. The Hotel de Crillon, for example, is one of the best hotels around since the 20th Century, it is an important part of the square and the whole city since before the French Revolution.

De la Concorde has different monuments, buildings, and features around it. A few things have changed, but it still is rich in history. There is the Champs Elysées to the west, the Tuileries Gardens, which has the Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume as well as Musee de l’Orangerie to the east, the Naval Ministry and the famous Crillon Hotel are two outstanding buildings in the north. There are building like the one that houses the embassy of the United States of America at the corner. Others are Rue de Rivoli building, Palais Bourbon, the Pont de la Concorde bridge which crosses the River Seine. 

7. Popular for movies 

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Just like different monuments that are the face of cities and countries, like the Eifel Tower or the Statue of Liberty; the de la Concorde is an iconic place. It has also been featured in different music or movie scenes that you might recognize. The Devil wears Prada has a scene set there, Koffi Olomide, has also shot a song ‘Tendrement’, here, books like Angel, Star Trek novels also have a depiction of the place, Seven Ancient Winders novels by Matthew Reiley among others. Some concerts have taken place there!