Grevskaya square is one of the most terrible and mysterious places in Paris. Now, as before, this is a favorite place of Parisians, only the reasons for gathering people on it are completely different. What is so attractive about this place, which is mentioned in many French literary works?
Location of the square
Now the name of the square is Hotel de Ville, but we will return to this later. Getting to Grevskaya Square is not difficult even for a child. Any taxi driver will take you there in a matter of moments, you just need to give the address Place de l'Hotel de Ville.
If you plan to save money and get on the metro, then this is also easy, because the station is called the Hotel de Ville. And she is in the 4th district of Paris.
History of Grevskaya Square
The studied place began to exist even when Paris was not Paris. And there was Lutetia on the island of Cité. That was the name of the sandy beach in the middle of the Seine. And if earlier it was an island on the river, then soon the river began to flow in the city. Since the population of old Lutetia could no longer accommodate on the island completely, they decided to occupy the nearby territories.
And if earlier it was just a beach, a marina, then soon the place became a real port. Indeed, it was thanks to the Seine that Paris began to grow rapidly and develop. The hay gave the city everything it needed: water, food, the opportunity to trade, and more.
And this very coast becomes almost the center of Paris in those days. Everything happened on the study area. From trade to execution. But we will return to this main phenomenon of Grevskaya Square a bit later. In the meantime, consider 2 versions, thanks to which this place got its name.
Version one
The name "Grevskaya" square was received because of the word la greve, which means "sandy beach". That is, since earlier it looked like an ordinary sandy beach, then, accordingly, the name came from the same place. Specifically, the name "Grevskaya Square" itself received this place when it already ceased to be just a shore, but became a concentration of the inhabitants' life.
The guild of merchants (navigators) also took their origin there. They quickly took almost all power into their own hands, gaining a powerful and influential economic, and even political, status. The motto and coat of arms of the reputable guild has become part of the coat of arms of Paris itself, where to remain today. This is a small boat with a sail, swinging in the waves, and underneath it is the inscription Fluctuat nec mergitur, which is translated from Latin as follows: "It is unstable, but not sinking."
When in the XIII century. the guild took control of the city into their own hands, they built a city government building on the sandy shore, which became known as the town hall over time. It was then that this place became the main one in the city, since it was there that all the most important city events took place.
Second version
Another hypothesis for the appearance of the name "Grevian" came from the word aire la greve, which means "on strike" in translation. This version appeared later than the first, but it definitely has the right to exist. And the reason was the frequent strikes of the townspeople.
The square was almost the home of the non-working population. They often raised strikes to express their disagreement about any aspect of life. They gathered on the upper part of the coast, where there was a small platform.
Hotel de Ville
Its present name "Hotel de Ville" Grevskaya square in Paris received at the beginning of the XIX century. Despite the fact that the French are very sensitive to history and keep all its manifestations, in this case they parted with the old name without regret.
And all because of the very terrible reputation that the square has acquired over 5 centuries of terrible executions. That terrible aura that surrounded this place, in theory, was supposed to leave with the old name. Indeed, even in philosophy, the phenomenon of Grevskaya Square is interpreted as a symbol of medieval justice. At least that's what the French hoped for. However, writers of world-famous works did not allow this to be done. In their stories, Grevskaya Square comes to life again and conveys the horror of the events of that time.
Through the mouths of writers
Grevskaya Square was often recalled by writers in their works. Victor Hugo described her as a gloomy, terrifying place. It was here that Esmeralda was executed from the book Notre Dame de Paris. In the novel "The Last Day of the Sentenced to Death" she is also often mentioned.
Dumas described the square in the book Viscount de Brazhelon and Two Diana. Immediately burned at the stake, like a sorcerer, Joffrey de Peirac from the cult book "Angelica" A. and S. Golon.
Events in the square
Perhaps the main thing that Hotel de Ville became famous for was executions. Everything was on Grevskaya Square. Quartering, torture, wheeleding, gallows, decapitation, burning at the stake and much more.
Each execution was accompanied by the howling and hooting of an excited crowd. These bloody spectacles lasted more than 5 centuries. There was a “royal box” in the town hall, from where the kings and their retinue watched the execution.
By the way, for the nobles the punishment was less terrible and quicker than for the common people. If the former, depending on their severity, were quickly deprived of their heads, the latter were subjected to longer torture.
Heretics were burned at the stake. As a matter of fact, and books. So, in 1244, 24 carts with Talmud scrolls were brought to the square, which were collected from all over France. They were burned with a huge number of people.
A special execution awaited the regicide. In history, it is noted that even the corpse was executed. It was the notorious Jacques Clement, who killed Henry III. By deceit, he entered the king and stabbed him with a poisoned dagger. The guards managed to seize and kill him. But the next day, his dead body was brought to the square, where they quartered and burned.
In 1792, a guillotine appeared on Grevskaya Square. And her first victim was the thief Jacques Pelletier. And already at the beginning of next year, at the end of January, Louis XVI himself was executed. To the cries of "Long live the revolution, " the executioner Sanson raised the monarch's severed head above the crowd. In total, he carried out 2, 918 executions, after which he resigned and died quietly at the age of 67.
Many representatives of the royal dynasty were guillotined. Many revolutionaries suffered the same fate. It happened that in the era of terror more than 60 people were executed per day. The last time a guillotine blade cut off the head of Hamid Jandubi in September 1977. In 1981, she ceased her mission and went straight to the museum.
It is noteworthy that, in addition to terrible executions, mass festivities were also held on the square. One such holiday was St. John's Day. So in the center of the square a tall pillar was installed, which was decorated with garlands. And a sack was hung at the very top, in which a dozen live kittens or a fox rushed about in fear. And around the pillar was laid firewood for a large bonfire, the first of which was to be set on fire by the king himself.
The building of the city hall then and today
As we wrote earlier, the first building was built in the XIII century on the orders of the prefect of the Guild of Navigators Etienne Marcel. But in the 1530s, King Francis I started a new construction. He was so impressed by the architecture of Italy that the new building was decided to be executed in the Renaissance style, but France, which was sick with "Gothic", did not allow these plans to be fully realized. Therefore, both the Gothic and the Renaissance mixed in the new building. The construction that began in 1533 dragged on for a long 95 years. However, this building was not preserved as such, since in 1871, during the Bloody Commune, the building was burned.
For a very long time, no one touched the ruins and even wanted to leave it so that the protesters would edify them. But the excellent location gave impetus to a new round. And in 1982, the mayor's office of Paris appeared, which has survived to this day. Now it is a palace with a rich interior design that delights both the residents themselves and guests of the French capital.
More than 100 statues of prominent figures, historians, politicians, artists adorn the facade of the building, which is 110 meters long. And 30 statues are allegories to French cities.
The interior design of the halls is made in the Empire style, which explains the huge crystal chandeliers on the painted ceilings, multi-colored stained-glass windows, stucco molding and luxurious frescoes.
