FRA9 FILE · Museums & heritage
Place de la Concorde: history, obelisk and palaces
From Louis XV through the Revolution to the Luxor Obelisk: reading Paris’s great monumental square.
From Louis XV through the Revolution to the Luxor Obelisk: reading Paris’s great monumental square.
History of the monument
Created as Place Louis XV, it became Place de la Révolution and held the guillotine during the Terror before taking the name Concorde. The Luxor Obelisk, gifted by Egypt, was erected in 1836, shifting the symbolic centre from a king to an ancient monument.
How to read the architecture
Gabriel’s twin northern façades, statues of eight French cities, river and sea fountains and the obelisk create an open-air state room. Tuileries, Champs-Élysées and Madeleine axes intersect here.
Plans, archives and documents
Gabriel’s 1755 plan, Revolutionary execution records, obelisk transport drawings and Hôtel de la Marine restoration documents record the square’s layers of power.
The most coherent route
Start at the Tuileries gate, inspect obelisk and fountains, approach Hôtel de la Marine to the north, then use controlled crossings into the Champs-Élysées gardens. Never improvise across traffic islands.
Photography without losing the visit
Begin with a broad view that places the monument on its urban axis, then select two architectural or decorative details. Respect interior restrictions, worship and residents. A useful photograph also records scale, material and the relationship to the surrounding district.
Hours, tickets and access
Hours, security, free or paid access and temporary closures vary with ceremonies, weather, works and season. Check the official source below that morning, buy only from authorised ticketing and allow time for controls.
What to notice before leaving
Return to the façade or starting viewpoint after the interior: chronology, materials and symbols will now read more clearly. Use the related sites below to build a local route rather than crossing Paris between timed reservations.
