Place de la République

The Place de la République (German Republic Square ) is one of the largest and most important places of the French capital Paris. It is located on the border of the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements, and has an area of ​​about 280 by 120 meters.

History

Against 1200, the Porte du Temple Temple was built south under Philip II. The city gate was added as part of the city wall of Charles V in the 14th century, when Bastide extended with turrets and drawbridge, and was from 1380 at the site of present-day mouth of the Rue du Temple in the Place de la République. After several modifications, the Porte du Temple was demolished around 1683. Instead of the city's fortifications ran from about 1680 a promenade with trees lining the streets, the later Grands Boulevards Boulevard Saint -Martin and Boulevard du Temple. From the middle of the 18th century focused theater and entertainment sites such as the Wauxhall and the diorama of the photographic pioneer Louis Daguerre. 1811, under Napoleon Bonaparte, the place took shape after the engineer Pierre -Simon Girard a fountain ( Fontaine du Château d' eau ) built. The place was accordingly named Place du Château d' eau.

To the northeast of the fountain a large barracks of the Republican Guard was built during the Second Empire during the Paris urban redevelopment under Baron Haussmann in 1858. The architect was Gabriel Davioud. At the barracks and the east subsequent Magasins - Réunis Haussmann did in 1865 to create the space in its present rectangular shape. The fountain was moved to the Place de la Fontaine- aux- Lions and 1867 replaced by a large fountain, also from Davioud. In addition to the already existing boulevards Saint -Martin du Temple and now led the newly laid roads Boulevard de Magenta and Boulevard du Prince -Eugène (now Boulevard Voltaire) to the square.

During the Paris Commune the heavily fortified by the Communards place on May 25, 1871, stormed by the army of Versailles.

The Monument de la République was opened in the center of the square on July 14, 1883. The work of sculptor Leopold Morice and his brother, the architect Francois consists of a 9.5 -meter high bronze statue on a more than 15 meter high pedestal. Bronze reliefs on the pedestal represent episodes in the history of the Republic dar. 1889, the Place du Château- d'Eau was eventually renamed Place de la République. Furthermore, military parades were held.

The place in 1904 was connected to the network of the Paris Métro. The traffic on the square steadily increased. 2011 60 percent of its surface were determined to car traffic.

Reconstruction in 2012

In fall 2011, construction began on the space redesign. In February 2012, several access roads were diverted or blocked. It is planned to permanently rid the northeast side of the square of traffic and to make the space with new water features, plantings and a new lighting more attractive and safer for pedestrians and cyclists. In the spring of 2013, the work should be completed.

Traffic

The Métro République station under the square is an important railway junction. Here trains to lines 3, 5, 8, 9 and 11

Bus lines 20, 56, 65, and 75 of the RATP also use the Place de la République.

On the square lead four large boulevards: clockwise, these are the Boulevard de Magenta ( in the north), the Boulevard Voltaire (southeast), the Boulevard du Temple (south) and the Boulevard Saint Martin (west). In addition, the Rue du Faubourg du Temple (North East ), Avenue de la République (east) and the Rue de Temple ( West ) take the square.