French Revolution

Among the places of the French Revolution was the Place Louis XV (later called the Place de la Concorde). It was located between the Palais des Tuileries and the Champs Élysées. The square, which was originally a spot where market-gardeners grew cabbage and lettuce, was established and named in honor of King Louis XV. Ange-Jacques…

The French Revolution was a tumultuous ten-year period from 1789 to 1799 that had far-reaching social and political affects. During this time, there were many social and political groups at odds because of conflicting wants and needs. Exacerbating the situation was financial issues, frequent famines, and Enlightenment ideals. Because of the upheaval many deaths occurred:…

The Palais-Royal was original known as the Palais-Cardinal. It was the personal residence of Armand Jean du Plessis, known as Cardinal Richelieu. Designs were made by his architect — Jacques Lemercier — in 1629 and construction began in 1633. It took six years of hammering and pounding to complete and was not finished until 1639.…

The French Revolution was a tumultuous ten-year period that lasted from approximately 5 May 1789 to 9 November 1799 and forever changed France. Those people who experienced these tumultuous times saw monumental social and political change. It also ultimately created the Emperor Napoleon and did away with the ancien régime beheading its leader Louis XVI…

La Force prison was originally known as the Hôtel de la Force and was the private residence of Henri-Jacques Nompar de Caumont, duc de la Force. Near the end of Louis XIV’s reign, the hotel was divided into two parts: One part was called the Hôtel de Brienne, and the other part retained the name…

The Tuileries Palace (Palais des Tuileries) stood on the right bank of the River Seine and was home to many French monarchs, from Henry IV to Napoleon III. It began its existence in 1564, when it was built by Catherine de Medici in the tile yards (tuileries), from which the palace took its name. According…

Many places in France hold memories of the French Revolution and among the places perhaps most associated it is the Bastille. This impregnable building was originally built as a fortress and metamorphosed into a prison. It was located on the left bank of the Seine and served as a lightning rod for French revolutionaries who…

The Temple originally built in the twelfth century in Le Marais was a fortress built by the Knights Templar and owes its name to them. It was replaced with a grander and larger fortress in the thirteenth century in what is currently the third arrondissement, an administrative division within France. This medieval fortress, called enclos…