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Why you'll love the Concorde
Located at the end of the gardens of the Louvre (The Tuileries), at the base of the Boulevard of the Champs Elysée, and across the river from the National Assembly, the Concorde should be seen mostly for what it represents in history.
Start with a 3,000 year old Egyptian monument “given” to France and end with the place where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were guillotined (plus including thousands of other people); this “place” is monumental in France’s history.
Other than its not so happy past, the Concorde is a beautiful monument in itself. It is made of beautiful rose granite with a gold top. Eight of the main cities of France are represented by eight beautiful fountains around the monument. If you look carefully, there are images on the obelisk which tells the story of how it was brought to France.
A little
bit of history about the Concorde
The obelisk of the Concorde stands firmly in the center of the Place de la Concorde. This “place” is the biggest of Paris. During its life, the “place” has seen many name changes to reflect its changing importance from Place Louis XV, to Place of the Revolution, Place de la Concorde, Place Louis XVI, and back to Place de la Concorde.
Take Metros 1, 8, or 12 to stop CONCORDE and use exit Place de la Concorde/rue Royale/Côté des n° Impairs.
With its gold top and golden fountains, this monument is best seen with the light morning sun or an evening sunset.
For those interested, the American Embassy is 2 Avenue Gabriel which is right off The Place of the Concord (as you exit the metro station, just look ahead for the American Flag).
It all started in 1763 when the Place Louis XV was constructed to showcase a new statue for the present king, Louis XV. During the French Revolution, this “place” became the place of the guillotine where over 2,800 people, as well as Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, were all guillotined.
After the revolution, the “place” underwent many changes. The obelisk (which has a varied history or either being stolen in Egypt or a gift from the viceroy of Egypt), was placed in the center of this “place” and is still standing today. In the end, Place de la Concorde is meant to symbolize the end of a troubled era and the beginning of a more peaceful future.
