Place Stanislas, Secrets and Transformations

Place Stanislas, secrets and metamorphoses

The Nancy audio-guided tour reveals to you another facet of Place Stanislas. Beautiful, harmonious and luminous, the darling of Nancy can also be surprising: it holds a treasure of anecdotes and secrets that reveal its eventful history.

From Louis XV to Stanislas

Originally, the square bore the name Royale and housed at its centre a statue of King Louis XV, to whom it was dedicated. During the Revolution, the royal statue was pulled down, and the square changed its name several times according to the eras. It was only in the nineteenth century that the statue of Stanislas was erected, which gave it its definitive name, in tribute to the builder duke. Its metamorphoses tell the eventful history of France.

What there is to see

Observing the square more closely, you spot a thousand details: the golden motifs of the gates of Jean Lamour, the fountains of Neptune and Amphitrite, the lanterns and the coats of arms. Each element tells a part of the history of the square and the city. It is an invitation to look at this masterpiece, which one thinks one knows, differently, and to uncover its secrets.

Practical information

Place Stanislas is in the heart of Nancy. Entirely pedestrian, it is freely accessible at all hours and on the level. Taking the time to observe its gates, its fountains and its central statue allows you to grasp all its historical and artistic richness.

What name did Place Stanislas originally bear?

It was called Place Royale and was dedicated to King Louis XV, whose statue stood at its centre before the Revolution.

Since when has the square borne the name of Stanislas?

Since the nineteenth century, when the statue of Stanislas was erected at its centre, in tribute to the duke who was its builder.