Place des Vosges

Place des Vosges

The Place des Vosges is a beautiful

and elegant square located in the Marais district in Paris. It is the oldest square in Paris and was the first example of planned development of the city. Henri II was killed in 1559 in the square near the Hotel des Tournelles, his widow, Catherine de Medici, had a palace on the Place des Vosges. Henri IV, in 1605, built 36 rose-pink brick and stone arcaded mansions, in honor of the marriage of Louis XIII. Henri IV called the square, Place Royal and at that time, many of the houses were occupied by aristocratic family. In 1800 it was renamed Place des Vosges, when the department’s administrative area, became the first in the country to pay taxes to Napoleon. For two centuries the Marais went into decline but currently this residential area square has glamorous places, elegant shops and interesting restaurants. Throughout history the Place des Vosges had many famous people like Cardinal Richelieu, Blaise Pascal and Madame de Sevigné but the most famous of all was Victor Hugo, who lived at number 6, where the masterpiece Les Miserables was written. The house is now a museum. The Place des Vosges is located very near the Bastille. Hotels in Paris

Metro Station: Bastille; Chemin Vert; Saint-Paul;

Where is the Place des Vosges on Map of Paris

Where is Place des Vosges on Map of Paris