Located in the 8th arrondissement, Place de la Concorde is the biggest square in Paris, measuring over 8 hectares! Formerly known as Place de la Révolution, its current name was chosen at the time of the French Directory to mark the national reconciliation following the dark events of the Terror. Indeed, it is here that 1,119 people were guillotined during the French Revolution, including King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette.
Located at the bottom of one of the world's most famous avenues, the Champs-Élysées, this immense square at the heart of the capital is accessible via the Concorde Metro station. Octagonal in shape, it is remarkable in particular for having a pink granite obelisk from Luxor, adorned with hieroglyphs, at its centre. Embellished by the architect Jacques-Ignace Hittorff between 1836 and 1846, Place de la Concorde also impresses visitors with its two monumental fountains, the Fountain of the Seas and the Fountain of the Rivers, and its majestic façades, including that of the prestigious Hôtel de Crillon, a listed Historic Monument.
During the festive season at the end of the year, don't miss the chance to have a go on the Concorde's big wheel. It offers untrammelled views of the Champs-Élysées, the Tuileries Garden, the Louvre Palace and the Christmas illuminations!
