Arc Héré, Triumphal arch at Place Stanislas, France.

The Arc Héré is a pale stone triumphal arch on the north side of Place Stanislas, designed by Emmanuel Héré and built from 1753 to 1755. It has a tall central round-arched passageway flanked by two lower side arches, with fluted Corinthian columns dividing the facade. Above the side arches are gold-rimmed medallions, and a band of marble bas-reliefs runs across the upper section. The attic carries an inscription plaque and is crowned by a gilded lead group of Minerva, Pax and Fama around a medallion of Louis XV, with statues of Ceres, Minerva, Hercules and Mars on the roofline.

Emmanuel Héré designed the arch, built from 1753 to 1755 on the site of the Porte Royale erected under Louis XIV and demolished in 1752 by Stanislas. Three white marble bas-reliefs from that earlier gate were reused, with Apollo read as an allegory of Louis XV. The arch was linked to the ramparts by galleries and carried the military governor's walkway until the surrounding walls came down, in 1772 to the east and 1847 to the west.

The Latin inscriptions on the arch read "HOSTIUM TERROR / FOEDERUM CULTOR / GENTISQUE DECUS ET AMOR", praising Louis XV as terror of enemies, maker of treaties, glory and love of his people. Under the left bas-relief is "PRINCIPI VICTORI", under the right "PRINCIPI PACIFICO". In 1830 these were painted over in yellow with "LIBERTÉ ÉGALITÉ" and "LIBERTÉ FRATERNITÉ", restored in 1876.

The monument is located at the northern edge of Place Stanislas and is accessible from all sides with clear views of its details. Evening lighting illuminates the structure, offering different perspectives depending on when you visit.

The Louis XV medallion was carved in white marble by Jean-Baptiste Walneffer, destroyed during the Revolution, then replaced by a gilded lead portrait. In 1830 it was taken down again and stored, returning to the arch only on 26 March 1852.