The Place de la République is a square located in the Bellecour quarter, in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon. It belongs to the zone classified as World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
This place was created in the dense urban web of the Presqu'île at the same time as the rue Impériale (now named rue de la République) in the second half of the 19th century when major works were led by the Prefect of Rhône Claude-Marius Vaïsse. Between 1862 and 1871, it was named Place Impériale, then renamed Place de Lyon. When the rue de Lyon was renamed rue de la République (by prefectoral order of 5 September 1878), the place probably received its current name.[1]
Originally, there was a fountain at the center, flanked by two flower beds and trees at the east and the west. Then in the early 20th century, a statue of Sadi Carnot, planes were added, and removed in 1974 during the construction of the metro. In 1990, an underground car park was created.[2]
From the Place Bellecour, the rue Childebert (reference to Childebert I) is just in front of the square. Other three streets are directly connected to the square : the rue Jean de Tournes, the rue Stella et the rue du Président Carnot. A traboule / shopping mall from the rue du Président-Édouard-Herriot also provides an access to the square : the Passage de l'Argue. The square is rectangular and a total of 11 streets lead to it.[2]
The Place de la République is now composed of two kiosks, a glass carousel, two large plane trees, benches (at north). In the middle of the square, there is a large rectangular pool with many water jets and all around, stores of all types. To the north and the south, there are two three-floor houses which include wolves and monsters in their architecture. There is a more modern and higher building at the corner of the rue Childebert.[3] However, the large fountain at the center of the square is harmful because pedestrians can not cross diagonally the square.[2]
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