(c) Patricia Barry 2007 La Place de la Concorde Paris 9 Patricia Barry © 2007.

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(c) Patricia Barry 2007

La Place de la Concorde

Les Champs Elysées

• La Place de la Concorde located at the end of the Avenue des Champs Elysées

• It is part of the triumphal way between Le Louvre, Les Tuilleries, l’Arc de Triomphe and Versailles.

Place de la Concorde• Many people think that

the Place de la Concorde is the most beautiful square in Paris.

• It was designed Jacques Ange Gabriel in 1755 for King Louis XV

• It is octagonal in shape

• The square used to be called La Place Louis XV

• They were going to put up a statue of Louis XV mounted on his horse, surrounded by an ocatagonal moat.

Les Champs Elysées

• During the French Révolution the square was re-named “la Place de la Révolution”

• The statue of the king was replaced by the guillotine.

Les Champs Elysées

• It is here that King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Robespierre and thousands of French people were executed during the Reign of Terror.

Les Champs Elysées

• After the Révolution, the name “La Place de la Concorde” was chosen to symbolise the hope of a better future.

Les Tuileries

• The square backs on to the garden of the Tuileries.

• The King’s statue was never replaced after the Révolution.

The Obelisk

• The obelisk in pink stone came from the palace of Luxor in Egypt.

• It was the gift of the Egyptian ruler.

• It is about 3 300 years old.

• It was placed here in 1836.

The obelisk.

• The obelisk dates from 1300 BC/BCE

• It is 23 mètres high and weighs 230 tonnes.

• The sea voyage from Egypt to France was very difficult.

• The story is recounted on the base.

• Here is the story in pictures.

• At each corner of the octogon there are statues representing the great cities of France.

• Lille, Strasbourg, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nantes, Brest and Rouen.

• Each statue has a beautiful fountain.

The lamp posts.

• Here is one of the lamp posts in blue and gold.

L’Assemblée Nationale.

• The National Assembly is opposite the Place de la Concorde.

La Grande Roue

• This is the Big Wheel to celebrate the Millennium.

• It was located in the Place de la Concorde.

La Seine

• La Place de la Concorde is near the River Seine, on the right bank

• This photo was taken from the left bank

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