Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville – Esplanade de la Libération
February 25, 2023
The public square in the 4th arrondissement of Paris that is now the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville (City Hall Plaza) was, before 1802, called the Place de Grève. The French word grève refers to a flat area covered with gravel or sand situated on the shores or banks of a body of water. The location presently occupied by the square was the point on the sandy right bank of the river Seine where the first riverine harbor of Paris was established.
Later it was used as a public meeting-place and also as a location where unemployed people gathered to seek work. This circumstance accounts for the current French expressions, être en grève (to be on strike) and faire (la) grève (to go on strike). In 1244 Louis IX of France ordered 24 cartloads of Talmudmanuscripts to be burned at the square.
Royal Execution Grounds
The principal reason why the Place de Grève is remembered is that it was the site of most of the public executions in early Paris. The gallows and the pillory stood there.
The highest-profile executions took place on the grève, including the gruesome deaths of the assassinsFrançois Ravaillac and Robert-François Damiens, as well as the bandit-rebel Guy Éder de La Fontenelle. In 1310 the Place de Grève was also the site of the execution of the Beguine heretic Marguerite Porete. On 22 February 1680, the famous French fortune teller, poisoner and alleged sorceress La Voisin was burned to death in the square.
The French Revolution
On September 14, 1788, anti-monarchy protests renewed, and in October 1788, protestors demanded money for fireworks; they also demanded that anyone in a carriage dismount and salute to Henri IV, and they burned effigies representing Breteuil, as well as Calonne and the Duchesse de Polignac. They then proposed burning Marie Antoinette in effigy, but the troops were deployed and they dispersed the crowds with great bloodshed in the "Place de la Grève."[1]
The southern end of the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, the end closer to the river, is on the right-bank side of the Pont d'Arcole, which crosses eighty metres of water to reach the island, Île de la Cité, in the middle of the Seine. At this point on the riverbank, the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville is formed by the convergence of three streets: two quays on the river, Quai de l'Hôtel de Ville, and Quai de Gesvres, and the rue de Renard. The rue de Renard, which passes in front of the Paris city hall, the Hôtel de Ville de Paris, forfeits its name for one city block, adopting instead "Place de l'Hôtel de Ville" addresses.
^Peter Kropotkin (1909). "Chapter 5". The Great French Revolution, 1789-1793. Translated by N. F. Dryhurst. New York: Vanguard Printings.
External links
Satellite image from Google Maps
February 25, 2023
place, hôtel, ville, esplanade, libération, public, square, arrondissement, paris, that, place, hôtel, ville, city, hall, plaza, before, 1802, called, place, grève, french, word, grève, refers, flat, area, covered, with, gravel, sand, situated, shores, banks, . The public square in the 4th arrondissement of Paris that is now the Place de l Hotel de Ville City Hall Plaza was before 1802 called the Place de Greve The French word greve refers to a flat area covered with gravel or sand situated on the shores or banks of a body of water The location presently occupied by the square was the point on the sandy right bank of the river Seine where the first riverine harbor of Paris was established Place de l Hotel de VilleShown within ParisLength155 m 509 ft Width82 m 269 ft Arrondissement4thQuarterSaint Merri Coordinates48 51 24 N 2 21 05 E 48 85667 N 2 35139 E 48 85667 2 35139 Coordinates 48 51 24 N 2 21 05 E 48 85667 N 2 35139 E 48 85667 2 35139From2 quai de Gesvres and quai de l Hotel De VilleTo31 rue de RivoliConstructionCompletionUnknownDenomination1803 Contents 1 The Place de Greve 1 1 Middle Ages 1 2 Royal Execution Grounds 1 3 The French Revolution 2 Location 3 Metro station 4 References 5 External linksThe Place de Greve EditMiddle Ages Edit Later it was used as a public meeting place and also as a location where unemployed people gathered to seek work This circumstance accounts for the current French expressions etre en greve to be on strike and faire la greve to go on strike In 1244 Louis IX of France ordered 24 cartloads of Talmud manuscripts to be burned at the square Royal Execution Grounds Edit The principal reason why the Place de Greve is remembered is that it was the site of most of the public executions in early Paris The gallows and the pillory stood there The highest profile executions took place on the greve including the gruesome deaths of the assassins Francois Ravaillac and Robert Francois Damiens as well as the bandit rebel Guy Eder de La Fontenelle In 1310 the Place de Greve was also the site of the execution of the Beguine heretic Marguerite Porete On 22 February 1680 the famous French fortune teller poisoner and alleged sorceress La Voisin was burned to death in the square The French Revolution Edit On September 14 1788 anti monarchy protests renewed and in October 1788 protestors demanded money for fireworks they also demanded that anyone in a carriage dismount and salute to Henri IV and they burned effigies representing Breteuil as well as Calonne and the Duchesse de Polignac They then proposed burning Marie Antoinette in effigy but the troops were deployed and they dispersed the crowds with great bloodshed in the Place de la Greve 1 Later on the Place de Greve saw the first use of the guillotine when robber Nicolas Jacques Pelletier was decapitated on 25 April 1792 Other notable executions included Charlotte Corday Jean Baptiste Carrier and Antoine Quentin Fouquier Tinville Location EditThe southern end of the Place de l Hotel de Ville the end closer to the river is on the right bank side of the Pont d Arcole which crosses eighty metres of water to reach the island Ile de la Cite in the middle of the Seine At this point on the riverbank the Place de l Hotel de Ville is formed by the convergence of three streets two quays on the river Quai de l Hotel de Ville and Quai de Gesvres and the rue de Renard The rue de Renard which passes in front of the Paris city hall the Hotel de Ville de Paris forfeits its name for one city block adopting instead Place de l Hotel de Ville addresses Metro station EditThe Place de l Hotel de Ville is served by the Hotel de Ville station of the Paris Metro on lines 1 and 11 References Edit Peter Kropotkin 1909 Chapter 5 The Great French Revolution 1789 1793 Translated by N F Dryhurst New York Vanguard Printings External links EditSatellite image from Google Maps Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Place de l 27Hotel de Ville Esplanade de la Liberation amp oldid 1072203037, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
