Place des Vosges
Place des Vosges is the oldest perfectly planned square in the center of Paris. It was the first example of the planned development of the city. In 1559, Henry II was assassinated during a jousting tournament near the Hôtel de Tournel, which was located on the north side of the current square. His widow, Catherine de’ Medici, ordered the palace demolished and the huge square became a place where horses were sold. In 1605, Henry IV ordered the square to be laid out in honor of the marriage of Louis XIII. Thirty-six mansions of pink brick and stone with arcades were erected, encircling the square in a ring. The houses were built according to the design – the width and height of the facades were the same, and the height of the roofs did not exceed half the height of the facade.
Henry IV named the square Royal Square, and soon many aristocratic families settled here. In 1800, the square was renamed Place des Vosges when the administrative department of the same name was the first to pay taxes to Napoleon. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the neighborhood fell into decline, but today there are still many chic stores and restaurants on Place des Vosges. Many famous people lived in the houses around the square: Cardinal Richelieu, Blaise Pascal, Madame de Sauvigny are just a few names. One of the most famous residents of the area was Victor Hugo – he lived on the second floor of the house number 6, where he wrote most of the novel “Les Miserables”. It is now home to his museum, and is the only one of the marvelous houses open to the public.
