In the 14th century, countless houses huddled right up against the Palace of the Popes. In 1404, anticipating a second siege of his palace, Pope Benedict decided to clear the square and remove the housing.
Read moreShow less
Pope Benedict had the houses demolished and razed the narrow streets which wound their way to the palace (Rue du Maréchal, Rue des Champeaux and Rue Notre-Dame), which opened up a lot of space.
The ruins of the demolished homes lay scattered about up until 1603, when they were finally removed. The drawing from 1618 shows that the square was still very rough, but was beginning to be developed, as seen in the lane of mulberry trees that ran across the square up to the Petit Palais.
The...
The ruins of the demolished homes lay scattered about up until 1603, when they were finally removed. The drawing from 1618 shows that the square was still very rough, but was beginning to be developed, as seen in the lane of mulberry trees that ran across the square up to the Petit Palais.
The...
Openings
All year 2025 - Open everyday
