Place de la Libération
Place de la Libération features on the Gingerguide audio walk through Dijon. Give it roughly ~30 min: enough to look, hear a two to three minute story on the spot, and ask the AI guide whatever the story leaves open.
- Type square
- Suggested visit ~30 min
- Dijon Dijon guide
About Place de la Libération
Dijon's magnificent semicircular Baroque main square, designed in 1682 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart (architect of Versailles) for Louis XIV, one of the most harmonious urban spaces in provincial France.
The Place de la Libération is the focal point of central Dijon, a perfect semicircular Baroque space laid out in 1682 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the architect who designed the Palace of Versailles. Known until 1945 as the Place Royale, it was created to provide a fitting forecourt to the rebuilt ducal palace (already being converted into the Dijon town hall). The uniform arcaded facades that curve around the semicircle are themselves part of the design, giving the space a theatrical unity that few provincial French squares achieve. From the square, the Tour Philippe le Bon of the ducal palace is visible above the roofline. The central space is paved in stone and was originally occupied by an equestrian statue of Louis XIV (melted down during the Revolution). Today the square is the centre of Dijon's social life: the cafés and brasseries under the arcades are packed on warm evenings and during the city's festivals. At Christmas, it becomes the heart of Dijon's Christmas market, with the medieval Tour Philippe le Bon providing a spectacular backdrop.
Did you know? The Place de la Libération was designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart at the same time he was designing the Palace of Versailles, both projects were underway simultaneously in the early 1680s, making Dijon's main square a sister project to Versailles.
How long is a visit to Place de la Libération?
Set aside roughly ~30 min for Place de la Libération. That covers a good look and the narrated story, and because you set the pace you can always stay on.
Is Place de la Libération worth your time?
Place de la Libération is among the 18 narrated highlights the Gingerguide team chose for Dijon, so it is worth a look. Hear the story for the context, then ask the AI guide for anything more.
Nearby stops in Dijon
Hear the story of Place de la Libération
Preview the Dijon tour free in the Gingerguide app.