The historic Place de La Concord is more than 300 years old. It has been the center of several significant revolutionary movements in Paris, and was once the most macabre site in all of France. Originally named Place Louis XV after the king of the same name, the square was given its present moniker after being the site of an early 19th-century revolution against the French monarchy—its name symbolizing the close of an extremely disordered era of the city.

A granite monolith given to the French in 1829, a gift from Egypt Viceroy Mehemet Ali, dominates the octagon-shaped square. This towering obelisk of Luxor is more than 3,300 years old, and is decorated with hieroglyphics depicting the reign of Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II. On each side of the monument is a fountain, both installed along with the obelisk in 1833. At each point of the octagon perimeter is a statue that represents five major French cities – Lille, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Lyon, and Marseille.

The square looks much the same as it did in the early 1700s, but in its early years it did not serve as the aesthetic tourist attraction that it does today. In fact, the Place de La Concord saw more public executions than any other site in the city, if not the country. It was the forefront of death during the late 1800s, with a total of 2,800 executions occurring in just two years (1793-1795). Politicians, royalty, revolutionaries, and famous (or infamous perhaps) dignitaries such as Marie Antoinette, Danton, and Louis XVI lost their lives here to the guillotine. According to legend, the scent of blood surrounding the square was so strong that a herd of cattle once refused to cross the grounds.

Notwithstanding its grave history, the Place de La Concord is one of the largest and most beautiful squares in Paris. It is situated at the east end of the famed Avenue des Champs-Elysees. From the center of the square one can see the monumental Arc de Triomphe at the opposing end of the Avenue. The Place de La Concord also serves as the axis where the Champs-Elysees meets the Jardins des Tuileries, the “back yard” of the renowned Musee de Louvre. All aforementioned attractions are within walking distance, making for a great day of sightseeing.