Place Denfert-Rochereau, square in Paris, France
Place Denfert-Rochereau is a rectangular square in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, roughly 145 m wide and 220 m long, divided by two tree-lined roads. At its center stands a large bronze lion on a stone pedestal, surrounded by paved walkways, benches, and Haussmann-era stone buildings along its edges.
The square took shape during the major rebuilding of Paris under Baron Haussmann in the second half of the 19th century and was named after General Pierre Denfert-Rochereau following his defense of Belfort in 1870 to 1871. The bronze lion at its center was installed in 1880 and underwent a full restoration in 2001.
The square takes its name from General Pierre Denfert-Rochereau, a hero of the 1870 defense of Belfort, a city in eastern France. Locals pass through it every day on their way to the market street nearby, the rue Daguerre, which is one of the liveliest outdoor food streets in the 14th arrondissement.
The square is easy to reach by public transit, as a major metro and RER B station sits directly on it, offering connections across the city and to the airports. Visitors arriving on foot from the Luxembourg Gardens can follow Boulevard Saint-Michel south for a pleasant walk of around 15 to 20 minutes.
The bronze lion on the square is a reduced copy of a monumental sculpture that Frederic Auguste Bartholdi carved directly into a rock face in Belfort, making this a rare case where the replica came before the original was widely known. Bartholdi is far better known today as the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty, yet this lion was one of his most personal works, created to honor a city he deeply admired.
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