Place Stanislas, Nancy
Meurthe, Moselle tributary River kilometre 343
„Nancy ist eine der lieblichsten Städte Europas. Der bemerkenswerte Hauptplatz gilt weithin als das herrlichste städtische Monument – manche sagen, sogar das schönste der Welt“ (Nancy is one of the loveliest cities in Europe. Its remarkable main square is widely regarded as the most magnificent urban monument – some say even the most beautiful in the world), writes “1000 PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU DIE” (Copyright 2003 Patricia Schultz, Tandem Publishing).
Stanisław Leszczyński (Stanislas), Duke of Lorraine and former King of Poland, used the square to connect the 10th-century medieval town with the 16th-century “New Town”.
Between 1752 and 1755, the square and surrounding houses were built according to plans by Emmanuel Héré. The ironwork is by Jean Lamours.
Stanislas owed the Duchy of Lorraine to his son-in-law Louis XV, which is why the square was initially christened Place Royale. But the statue of the king in the middle of the square was removed during the French Revolution. In 1831, a statue of Stanislas was erected in its place; since then, the square has been called “Place Stanislas.”
