Place des Victoires

The Place des Victoires houses an impressive equestrian statue dedicated to King Louis XIV, commemorating the Treaties of Nijmegen from 1678-79. François de la Feuillade, a marshal of France and vicomte d'Aubusson, initially replaced the old buildings in the area. However, the king's household's Bâtiments du Roi took over, giving Jules Hardouin Mansart, the royal architect, the task of envisioning a more expansive complex surrounding a magnificent statue of the king.

Mansart's 1685 blueprint proposed cohesive façades for the square, influenced by designs seen in grand Parisian private residences. He utilized grand pilasters spanning two floors, set on a tall arcaded foundation, with the pilasters being rustic. These structures were topped with slanting slate roofs known as "mansard roofs", with dormer windows breaking their expanse. Interestingly, during the monument's initial reveal, the proposed façades were represented with painted canvases due to unfinished construction. By 1692, the square became the intersection for six roads, its circular design aiding in seamlessly blending these various pathways.

The initial statue showcased Louis XIV, glorified by Victory and stepping on Cerberus, all in shimmering bronze. Martin Desjardins, the artist behind it, had also been involved in projects at the Château of Versailles. However, as Louis XIV's presence in Paris dwindled post-1682 and subsequent wars diminished his European influence, the statue began to lose its appeal. This decline was so significant that by the 18th century, some even believed that the overt grandeur of the Place des Victoires might have indirectly contributed to wars. By the French Revolution in 1792, the statue had been dismantled.

In a symbolic gesture in 1793, the square was renamed as Place des Victoires-Nationaux, and a temporary wooden pyramid was placed where the statue once stood. Napoléon I, in 1810, replaced this with a statue of General Louis Desaix. Yet, after Napoléon stepped down, this statue was repurposed for another of Henry IV on the Pont Neuf.

Finally, in 1828, Charles X, the reinstated Bourbon king, commissioned the current statue, a creation of François Joseph Bosio. It portrays Louis XIV, styled as a Roman emperor, mounted on a majestic horse that stands on its hind legs. Today, a metal barrier surrounds this 12-meter-tall tribute.

The vicinity of Place des Victoires has evolved into an upscale district. Renowned fashion designers like Kenzo and Cacharel have established boutiques there, alongside ready-to-wear brands such as Maje and Zadig et Voltaire. The German Forum for Art History (Deutsches Forum für Kunstgeschichte) is located at the Place, while the French Institut national d'histoire de l'art can be found in the adjacent Galerie Colbert.