This is the largest square in Paris, and it has one of the bloodiest histories of any public space in Europe. During the Revolution, the guillotine stood here, and between January 1793 and May 1795, an estimated 1,300 people lost their heads on this spot — including Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Danton, and Robespierre. The square was called Place de la Révolution at the time. Renaming it "Concorde" (harmony) afterward was a spectacular exercise in optimism.
The Egyptian obelisk at the center is 3,300 years old and originally stood at the entrance to the Luxor Temple. It was a gift from Egypt's ruler Muhammad Ali to King Charles X in 1829. Transporting a 230-tonne, 23-meter granite monolith from Luxor to Paris took four years, a specially built ship, and an engineering effort that was the moonshot of its era. The hieroglyphs describe the reign of Ramesses II. The gold-leaf cap on top was added in 1998.
The two monumental fountains flanking the obelisk were designed by Jacques Ignace Hittorff in 1840, modeled after the fountains in St. Peter's Square in Rome. They represent river navigation and maritime navigation, and at night, when they're illuminated, they're among the most beautiful urban water features in the world.
Stand in the center of the square and you're at the crossroads of Parisian history: the Tuileries to the east, the Champs-Élysées to the west, the National Assembly across the river to the south, and the Madeleine church to the north. Every direction is a different chapter of French civilization.
Verified Facts
An estimated 1,300 people were guillotined at Place de la Concorde during the French Revolution
The Luxor Obelisk is 3,300 years old, weighs approximately 230 tonnes, and stands 23 meters tall
The obelisk was transported from Luxor to Paris between 1829 and 1833 on a specially built vessel
The gold-leaf pyramidion cap on the obelisk was added in 1998
Get walking directions
Place de la Concorde, 8th Arr., Paris, 75008, France
