Place des Vosges
M° Bastille, St-Paul |
In 1559,
Henri II was brought to the Hotel des Tournelles, where
he died from a wound incurred in a tourney. His death was
why Catherine de Medicis had the building destroyed.
Henri IV decided in 1605 to build a square, originally to
put up silk manufacturers. Finished in 1612, the square
had 9 pavilions on each side; the first to be constructed
were the pavilions of the King and Queen. It quickly
became a very fashionable place to be and nobles built
their sumptuous homes here in the Marais. Originally called the Place Royale, the Place des Vosges took its modern name around 1800 to honor the first provincial department to pay its taxes. One interesting place to visit here is #6 Place des Vosges, Victor Hugo's home for almost 16 years.
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