28th May 2014
Place de la Concorde is one of the main squares of Paris. It is located where the Jardin des Tuileries ends and the where the Champs Elyse begins. Built in the 17th century decorated with fountains and statues, it was first named the Place Louis XV after the King at that time. An equestrian statue of the King occupied the centre of the place. During the French Revolution the statue was demolished and the guillotine was installed here and amongst others King Louis XVI and Mary Antoinette were guilotined here at this square. During the revolution the square was named Place de Revolution but after the turmoil of the revolution was over and as a gesture of reconciliation the square was then named Place de la Concorde.
Occupying the centre of the Place de la Concorde is the Obelisk which used to be at the entrance of the Luxor Temple in Egypt. Mehmet Ali - the Ottoman Viceroy of Egypt gave the 2 obelisks to the French King who installed it at the Place de la Concorde. The other obelisk was returned to Egypt. The obelisk is decorated with heiroglyphics dating back to the period of the Pharoah Ramesess 11. The top of the obelisk was beleived to have been stolen in the 6th BC and the French government added the golden pyramid that is seen there today.
The two fountains seen at Place de la Concorde was built during the time of Louis-Philippe by the German architect Hirtoff who was inspired by the fountains of Rome at Piazza Navona and Piazza San Pietro. The theme of the fountains is that of the 'rivers and seas'. Both fountains had same form - a basin, sixf figures of tritons holding fish spouting water,
No comments:
Post a Comment