Top Place Vendome is like a casket - it has an unusual octagonal shape. The reason was the economy.

In 1680, King Louis XIV bought was located here and the palace of the Duke of Vendôme a nearby convent des Capucines. Royal Superintendent structures were ordered to create in this area a place worthy of the Sun King. Superintendent invited the famous architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart.

According to the plan area of ​​the monarch were framing elegant mansions Academy, mint, library. In the center - the equestrian statue of the king. Louis demanded that the area has turned a unique and majestic, like himself.

Facades of buildings in the classical style were built quickly. However, parallel to the construction of Versailles and the constant wars depleted the treasury - the work stopped. For a time, the area with the equestrian statue of the king was surrounded by only a facade!

Then rose to the house, it was necessary to find buyers. Wishing not. The situation was saved Scotsman John Law, the inventor of paper money. Houses in the square were the first in the world of objects, which were paid for not with metal coins and pieces of paper. Build here has become fashionable.

I pondered over the economy and the architect Mansart. He changed the plan of the area, cut corners, and thereby increasing the area of ​​building. It Mansar guessed arrange additional housing under the roof. He boldly allocated attic window exquisite moldings, and the world got famous later attic.

During the French Revolution, instead of the equestrian statue of the Sun King set a huge guillotine. In 1810, Napoleon decreed the square was erected Vendome Column. It is an imitation of the Roman Trajan column made of metal cannon in 1250, captured by the French army at the Russian and Austrian.

On the famous Place Vendome Hotel "Ritz", which stayed Proust, Hemingway, Coco Chanel. Because of the hotel, "Ritz" went on his last trip to the tunnel d'Almè Princess Diana.

An interesting feature of the tourist area - a huge number of luxury jewelry stores.