Place des Vosges
Quick Summary
The Place des Vosges is a historic square in Paris, France, located in the Marais district. Construction began in 1607 on the site of a former royal palace and was completed in 1612. It was originally named Place Royale, but was renamed Place des Vosges in 1800.
The square is known for its distinctive architecture: three-story red brick houses with white stone quoins and window surrounds, featuring arcades on the ground floor that create a covered walkway. This design was influential and set a precedent for later royal squares in Paris, such as the Place des Victoires and Place Vendôme.12
Originally a fashionable residential area for nobles, the Marais district, including Place des Vosges, later became a slum. However, an urban renewal project in the late 20th century revitalized the area, preserving its beauty and historical character.1
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
architectureGroup housing…privately, as in the 17th-century Place des Vosges in Paris, where aristocratic mansions were designed uniformly around a square, or in the 18th-century flats in English towns and spas. Although most domestic architecture of the 20th century employed the style and techniques of the past, the exceptions are more numerous…
Read More…privately, as in the 17th-century Place des Vosges in Paris, where aristocratic mansions were designed uniformly around a square, or in the 18th-century flats in English towns and spas. Although most domestic architecture of the 20th century employed the style and techniques of the past, the exceptions are more numerous…
Read More
Western architecture17th centuryThe Parisian Place des Vosges (1605), with its well-proportioned facades, shadowed arcades, and balanced colour scheme, was the beginning of a series that culminated with the circular Place des Victoires (1685) and the Place Vendôme (1698), both in Paris. Italian city squares tended to be either open,…
Read MoreThe Parisian Place des Vosges (1605), with its well-proportioned facades, shadowed arcades, and balanced colour scheme, was the beginning of a series that culminated with the circular Place des Victoires (1685) and the Place Vendôme (1698), both in Paris. Italian city squares tended to be either open,…
Read More