Parvis des droits de l'homme, Public square and viewpoint in 16th arrondissement of Paris, France

Parvis des Droits de l'Homme is a public square in front of the Palais de Chaillot in the 16th arrondissement, offering direct views of the Eiffel Tower across the Seine. The space sits on elevated terrain and is bordered by classical buildings on one side and open vistas on the other.

The esplanade was created in the mid-1930s together with the Palais de Chaillot, on the site of the concert hall of the old Palais du Trocadéro. In 1940 Adolf Hitler crossed it during his visit to Paris, a moment captured in a well-known photograph. The name Parvis des droits de l'homme was given in 1985 on the initiative of President François Mitterrand, recalling that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted at the Palais de Chaillot on 10 December 1948.

The name, given in 1985 on François Mitterrand's initiative, recalls that the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the Palais de Chaillot on 10 December 1948, with René Cassin among its main drafters. A slab sealed at the entrance in 1985 quotes Article 1 of the 1789 Declaration: "Men are born and remain free and equal in rights." A second slab, sealed on 17 October 1987 at Father Joseph Wresinski's initiative, led to the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

The area is easy to reach on foot, with several metro stations nearby providing direct access. You will find plenty of cafes and restaurants around it if you need a break.

The paving doubles as the roof of the Théâtre national de la danse, housed in the space beneath the esplanade. Skateboarders and roller skaters use the slab even though it was not designed for that purpose. Eight gilded bronze allegorical statues stand against the palace, seven female figures and one young boy.