Place Vendôme

Place Vendôme is defined by its octagonal shape and the uniform stone facades that circle the square, creating a perfect, symmetrical enclosure. At its center stands the bronze Vendôme Column, which reaches upward as a monumental tribute to the French army’s victory at the Battle of Austerlitz. The square began as a project under King Louis the Fourteenth, who envisioned a grand public space to display his absolute power, though the land was originally purchased by his architect, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, for a failed real estate venture.