Place de la Concorde

Type: Sightseeing

10Best Says

This impressive square in the heart of the city has seen an incredible amount of history. Created by Louix XV and completed in 1763, it eventually hosted the guillotine that put to death Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, Danton and Robespierre. Today, it features a variety of fountains and statues, along with the prominent Obelisk of Luxor, a gift from Egypt that stretches 23 meters (75 feet) into the sky. It was installed on the square in 1836 by King Louis-Philippe, nearly three years after its arrival in Paris from Egypt. This 3,300 year old obelisk is engraved with heiroglyphics that exalt the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II. METRO: Concorde

Address:

Paris, 75008

Website:

paris.fr

EXPERT TIPS BY: Paige Donner
Former Contributor

Historic Sites: "This square, the biggest in the French capital, was renamed Place de la Concorde in 1795 as a gesture toward reconciliation following the French Revolution. The Luxor Obelisk in the center is named such because it once marked the entrance to the Luxor Temple in Egypt."

Best for Historic Sites Because: During the French Revolution this square was renamed the Place de la Revolution. In 1793 Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette were executed here by guillotine.