Paris. A walk around the Place de la Concorde

Place de la Concorde

I thought it might be interesting to take a closer look at the Place de la Concorde today so took the Metro to the Concorde station and spent some time wandering around the great square.  It is the largest square in Paris, covering more than 21acres. To the west is  the Champs-Élysées  and to the east the Tuileries Gardens.

Designed and built during the reign of Louis XVI, during the French Revolution  it was renamed "Place de la Révolution". The new revolutionary government erected the guillotine in the square, and it was here that King Louis XVI was executed on 21 January 1793. Other important figures guillotined on the site, often in front of cheering crowds, were Queen Marie Antoinette,  Charlotte Corday, Madame du Barry, Georges Danton, Camille Desmoulins, Antoine Lavoisier, Maximilien Robespierre, Louis de Saint-Just and Olympe de Gouge.

On the gates to the Tuileries Gardens, there are two lovely equestrian statues. Perched on both sides of the gate are sculptures called the "Chevaux Ailée", "Winged Horses", created by Antoine Coysevox. These are copies. The originals are in the Louvre Museum.

Winged Horse

Winged Horse

At the north end of the Place de la Concorde, two magnificent identical stone buildings were constructed. Separated by the rue Royale, these structures remain among the best examples of Louis XV style architecture. The western building became the opulent home of the Duc d'Aumont and was later purchased by the Comte de Crillon, whose family resided there until 1907. The famous luxury Hôtel de Crillon, which currently occupies the building, took its name from its previous owners; it was the headquarters of the German High Command during World War II.

Hôtel de Crillon

Looking past the Hôtel de Crillon one can see right up the Rue Royale to La Madeleine,

The Madeleine from Place de la Concorde

or, looking to the right, the rooftops along the rue de Rivoli.

Rue de Rivoli from Place de la Concorde

Two fountains adorn the square.  The north fountain was devoted to the Rivers, with allegorical figures representing the Rhone and the Rhine, the arts of the harvesting of flowers and fruits, harvesting and grape growing; and the geniuses of river navigation, industry, and agriculture.

The North Fountain

 Detail from The North Fountain

The south fountain, closer to the Seine, represented the seas, with figures representing the Atlantic and the Mediterranean; harvesting coral; harvesting fish; collecting shellfish; collecting pearls; and the geniuses of astronomy, navigation and commerce.

Because it was a warm day, many Parisiens and tourists were enjoying the sun in the Tuileries.  Many sat around the large pond and fountain, encircled by statues representing mythological figures and events. Others just sat on the grass or on chairs which have a sort of depressed seat which encourages laying back in a seated position.

Around the pond

A seat in the sun

What could be nicer than to sit with a good book and a good baguette and watch the world go by.