Place des Vosges at Paris and King Louis XIII of France
One of the oldest and most beautiful planned squares in Paris, France, located
in the Marais district, between the 3rd and the 4th arrondissements, is the
Place des Vosges.
During the 17th. and 18th. centuries it was a fashionable and expensive
square to live for the Parisian nobility due to the location.
But the Place des Vosges also had an amazing royal history.
Some Royal History
At the beginning the Place des Vosges was known as the Place Royale. It
even was built in order of King Henry IV of France between
1605 and 1612.
This square of 140 meters by 140 meters emboided the first European
program of royal city planning.
It was built on the site of Hôtel des Tournelles and its gardens: it was
there on a tournament at the Tournelles, a royal residence, that King
Henry II was wounded and died. His wife, Catherine de' Medici gave the
order to demolish the Gothic complex and she moved to the Louvre
Palace.
In 1612, on the occasion of the engagement of King Louis XIII and
Anne of Austria the Place des Vosges was inaugurated with a grand
carrousel. The square became soon the prototype of the residential
squares of European cities that were to come.
In 1612 the housefronts of the Place des Vosges were all built to the
same design probably by Jean Baptiste Androuet du Cerceau. It were
red brick houses with strips of stone quoins over vaulted arcades that
stand on square pillars.
In the center, Cardinal Richelieu ordered an equestrian bronze statue
of King Louis XIII.
The square was often the place for the nobility to chat and served as a
meeting place for them until the revolution.
In the late 18th century, most of the nobility moved to the
Faubourg Saint-Germain, district, but the square managed to keep some
of its aristocratic owners.
In 1799 it was renamed when the département of the Vosges became
the first to pay taxes supporting a campaign of the Revolutionary Army.
The Restoration returned the old royal name to the place but the short-
lived Second Republic restored the revolutionary one in 1870.
Nowadays it is a wonderful and quiet place to walk in the busy Paris.
Famous residents
In the number 6 of the Place des Vosges, Victor Hugo lived here from
1832 till 1848, in what was then the Hôtel de Rohan (The Princess of
Guéménée line). Now it is a museum devoted to Victor Hugo.
At the number 7, Maximilien de Béthune, duke of Sully lived here. He
was a great minister during the reign of King Henry VI of France.
At the number 15, Marguerite Louis d'Orléans lived. She was the wife
of Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (Italy).
The number 21 was the house of Cardinal Richelieu. He lived there
from 1615 till 1627.
The pictures
These pictures were taken in 2017, when I visited Paris for the 3rd time.
It is always a pleasure to walk at the Place des Vosges and to relax in the
silence in the midst of a busy Paris.
in the Marais district, between the 3rd and the 4th arrondissements, is the
Place des Vosges.
During the 17th. and 18th. centuries it was a fashionable and expensive
square to live for the Parisian nobility due to the location.
But the Place des Vosges also had an amazing royal history.
 |
| Place des Vosges, Paris, France |
Some Royal History
At the beginning the Place des Vosges was known as the Place Royale. It
even was built in order of King Henry IV of France between
1605 and 1612.
This square of 140 meters by 140 meters emboided the first European
program of royal city planning.
It was built on the site of Hôtel des Tournelles and its gardens: it was
there on a tournament at the Tournelles, a royal residence, that King
Henry II was wounded and died. His wife, Catherine de' Medici gave the
order to demolish the Gothic complex and she moved to the Louvre
Palace.
In 1612, on the occasion of the engagement of King Louis XIII and
Anne of Austria the Place des Vosges was inaugurated with a grand
carrousel. The square became soon the prototype of the residential
squares of European cities that were to come.
In 1612 the housefronts of the Place des Vosges were all built to the
same design probably by Jean Baptiste Androuet du Cerceau. It were
red brick houses with strips of stone quoins over vaulted arcades that
stand on square pillars.
In the center, Cardinal Richelieu ordered an equestrian bronze statue
of King Louis XIII.
 |
| King Louis XIII at the Place des Vosges |
The square was often the place for the nobility to chat and served as a
meeting place for them until the revolution.
In the late 18th century, most of the nobility moved to the
Faubourg Saint-Germain, district, but the square managed to keep some
of its aristocratic owners.
In 1799 it was renamed when the département of the Vosges became
the first to pay taxes supporting a campaign of the Revolutionary Army.
The Restoration returned the old royal name to the place but the short-
lived Second Republic restored the revolutionary one in 1870.
Nowadays it is a wonderful and quiet place to walk in the busy Paris.
 |
| Place des Vosges Entrance - Paris - France |
Famous residents
In the number 6 of the Place des Vosges, Victor Hugo lived here from
1832 till 1848, in what was then the Hôtel de Rohan (The Princess of
Guéménée line). Now it is a museum devoted to Victor Hugo.
At the number 7, Maximilien de Béthune, duke of Sully lived here. He
was a great minister during the reign of King Henry VI of France.
At the number 15, Marguerite Louis d'Orléans lived. She was the wife
of Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (Italy).
The number 21 was the house of Cardinal Richelieu. He lived there
from 1615 till 1627.
The pictures
These pictures were taken in 2017, when I visited Paris for the 3rd time.
It is always a pleasure to walk at the Place des Vosges and to relax in the
silence in the midst of a busy Paris.
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