Place de la Louve, Pedestrian square in Lausanne, Switzerland

Place de la Louve is a pedestrian square in the center of Lausanne. It has a rectangular shape, is fully paved, and slopes gently from the town hall annex to the street below.

The square was created in the 19th century when the Louve stream was covered over. In 1830 it was enlarged, and in 1857 it received its name. Later, an annex of the town hall was built along its north side.

The name comes from the stream that still flows beneath the square. The four stone fountains, added in 1998, follow the old course of the water, and their mossy cylinders have become a familiar sight for locals.

The square is easy to reach on foot from the nearby pedestrian streets. It is a good spot to pause and rest, with benches and a few swings, and you can also pass through a covered passage to reach the Palud square.

The fountains are built with different numbers of stone cylinders so that their tops line up despite the slope of the square. Also, in the parking garage below, a small window lets you see the underground river still flowing.