When was Place des Vosges built?

Work on the Place des Vosges started in 1605, by order of King Henry IV. The square was finished and opened in 1612. It is the oldest planned square in Paris.

At first, it was called Place Royale. It was opened because Louis XIII was engaged to Anne of Austria. The layout was meant to be consistent. There are 36 pavilions made of red brick and stone along the edge, and they were built to match one another.

Much later, in 1799 during the French Revolution, the name changed. The square was renamed to honour the Vosges department, noted as the first area to pay taxes to the new republic.