| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
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 Interactive map of Place Stanislas | |
| Location | Nancy,Lorraine,Grand Est,France |
| Part of | Place Stanislas,Place de la Carrière [fr] andPlace d'Alliance [fr] inNancy |
| Criteria | Cultural: (i), (iv) |
| Reference | 229bis |
| Inscription | 1983 (7thSession) |
| Extensions | 2016 |
| Area | 7 ha (17 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 159 ha (390 acres) |
| Coordinates | 48°41′37″N6°10′59″E / 48.69361°N 6.18306°E /48.69361; 6.18306 |
  Place Stanislas Location of Place Stanislas in Grand Est  Place Stanislas Place Stanislas (France) Show map of France | |
ThePlace Stanislas is a largepedestrianisedsquare in theFrench city ofNancy, in theLorraine historic region. Built between 1752 and 1756 on the orders ofStanislaus I, formerKing of Poland andGrand Duke of Lithuania, thenDuke of Lorraine, the square is one of the oldest examples of an architecturally consistent monumental public square and is an excellent example of 18th-century urban architecture.[1] Since 1983, the architectural ensemble comprising the Place Stanislas, the extension of its axis, the Place de la Carrière and the Place d'Alliance, has been aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site.[1]
After theWar of the Polish Succession in 1737, theDuchy of Upper Lorraine, of which Nancy was the capital, was given toStanislaus I Leszczyński (Stanisław in Polish,Stanislas in French), formerKing of Poland and father-in-law toKing Louis XV of France. An earlier ruler,Leopold, Duke of Lorraine, had undertaken much reconstruction in Lorraine, which had been ravaged by a series ofwars. He had recruited numerous artists and architects for this work, includingGermain Boffrand, who trainedEmmanuel Héré. Hence, Stanislaus found a pool of talent and experience to draw from on his arrival.[2]
The square was a major project in urban planning, conceived by Stanislaus I of Poland as a way to link the medieval old town of Nancy and the "new" town built in the 17th century underCharles III, Duke of Lorraine. The square was also intended as aplace royale to honour Stanislaus' son-in-law,Louis XV. The design created a large urban square orplace that linked two handsome existing buildings: theHôtel de Ville (city hall, now centred on its grand square) and theHôtel du Gouvernement, the seat of the duchy. The seat of city government and the seat of Ducal government[3] thus faced each other as complements through a series of rational, symmetrical but variedurban spaces, unequalled inEurope at the time.
The square and the surrounding buildings, unified by their colossal orders, were designed by the royal architectEmmanuel Héré de Corny (1705–1763).[1] Construction began in March 1752,[1] and ended in November 1755.[failed verification] Barthélémy Guibal and Paul-Louis Cyfflé created a bronze statue of Louis XV that was erected in the center of the square. It was removed during the iconoclasm of theRevolution, when it was replaced with a simple winged figure. The square was renamed the 'Place du Peuple', and later the 'Place Napoléon'.
In 1831, a bronze statue of Stanislaus was placed in the middle of the square; since then it has been known as the 'Place Stanislas'.
The square has always been used for public assemblies and festivities. It has undergone several makeovers in its history and, in a low period of appreciation, served as acar parking area for nearly a quarter of a century, between 1958 and 1983.
The city has since reserved it for pedestrian use. In 2004 and 2005, the city undertook a massive restoration of the square, based on the original 18th-century plans. The ten-month project cost approximately 9 million euros. It was financed by a combination of city and local, regional, national and private funds.[4] The inauguration of the new Place Stanislas, in May 2005, coincided with the square's 250th anniversary.
The Place Stanislas is 125 metres (410 ft) long and 106 metres (348 ft) wide. It is paved with light ochre stones, with two lines of darker stones forming a diagonal cross motif. The square is surrounded by an architecturally harmonious ensemble of buildings, most notably these:
TheArc Héré, atriumphal arch built byEmmanuel Héré de Corny, stands in the centre of the fourth side, leading to the adjoining Place de la Carrière, where the main axis is developed as a doubleavenue of trees, with symmetrical buildings facing each other down its length.
The far end is defined by the hemi-cycles ofcolonnades that enclose the sides and are carried across the pre-existing façade of thePalais du Gouvernement.
The four corners and the west and east sides of the square feature gildedwrought iron gates and lanterns, created byJean Lamour (1698–1771); who was also responsible for the wrought ironbalustrade on the main staircase in the Hôtel de Ville, and the balcony across the centre of its main façade. The north-west and north-east corners also feature ornate fountains designed by Barthélémy Guibal (1699–1757). Because of these gates, Nancy is nicknamed City with Golden Gates (Ville aux Portes d'Or).
The statue in the centre of the Place Stanislas, created byGeorges Jacquot, represents Stanislas standing, dressed in flowing robes, holding a sword in his left hand and pointing towards the north with his right hand. The inscriptions on the high marble pedestal read:
| • South face: | Stanislas Leszczynski, Roi de Pologne, Duc de Lorraine et de Bar, 1737–1766 |
| (Stanislas Leszczynski, King of Poland, Duke of Lorraine and Bar, 1737–1766) | |
| • North face: | À Stanislas le Bienfaisant, la Lorraine Reconnaissante, 1831, Meurthe-Meuse-Vosges |
| (To Stanislas the Benefactor, Lorraine [is] grateful, 1831, Meurthe-Meuse-Vosges) |
TheHôtel de Ville (City Hall), also known asPalais de Stanislas (Stanislas's Palace), is the largest building in the square at 98 metres long, and occupies the whole south side of the square. Built in 1752–1755, it has served as the city hall since its construction. It was designated as amonument historique on 12 July 1886.[6]
Le pavillon Jacquet, occupé par des marchands et des particuliers.("The Jacquet House: occupied by merchants and private citizens.")
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