The History of Place Vendôme
Today, people come from all over the world to buy Jewellery at Place Vendome. It is the home of some of the finest jewellery in Paris (Chanel, Dior, Chaumet, Van Cleef & Arpels). For jewellery lovers and collectors, it is important to make their pilgrimage here. It is one of the most beautiful squares in Paris, located not far from Place de la Concorde, The Tuileries Gardens, The Paris Opera House, and Rue de Rivoli. Anything that anybody could possibly want to see in Paris is not far from Place Vendome. If you walk down Rue de Rivoli to Concorde, you even have a dreamy view of the Eiffel Tower. It is the best place in the city for Jewellery Brands to plant roots. We know it by its big column with a man on the top of it, but a lot of people don’t even know who it is, when it was built, or when the square was even built. So you can get the most out of your experience, I give you the history of Place Vendome. According to French Moments, The square was built in 1699 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart. Before the square was named Place Vendome, it was called “Place Louis Le Grand” after Louis the 14th. After that, the square was named “Place des Piques” after the French Revolution in 1789. And in 1871 was finally named Place Vendome thanks to the Hotel de Vendome. In the initial stages of the project, the plan was to build a square with a stature of Louis the 14th in the centre. As a result of overspending, that did not happen and the King chose to give the land to the creator of Place Vendome, Jules Hardouin-Mansart. He worked on the project and put up a monument of Louis the 14th dressed up like Julius Ceaser. Today, you will notice the Ministry of Justice in the square, that played a large part in the Revolution as it used to be the Royal Chancellery. When the Monarchy Fell in the Revolution, the Republic took over that spot. The monument of the king was taken down as the Monarchy fell to the Republic.
The History of Place Vendôme: Post Revolution + Haussmann
French Moments goes on to discuss the history of Place Vendome after the Revolution. Rue Napoleon was created and was designed to be Paris’s most beautiful street. There was to be a monument at the centre of the square modelled after Trajan’s Column in Rome. The monument was ordered to be built with the bronze from the cannons that were taken from the battle of Austerlitz. Place Vendome started to transition into an icon for Luxury Products when Marie-Antoine Careme opened his first bakery and cooked for all of the European Courts. When Napoleon III restored the second empire is when the luxury industry grew into what it is today. The Galleries Lafayettes were built no far at all from Place Vendome, The Boulevard Haussmann was built into a Grand Boulevard, and Charles Frederick Worth opened the first house of Haute Couture. The influence of the work of Haussmann turned the square into a hub for luxury products and created the jewellery capital of Paris that we all know and love today.
The History of Place Vendôme: High Jewellery with Jaubalet
Like every other High Jewellery Brand in Paris, Maison Jaubalet has taken its seat amongst the greats in the capital of High Jewellery at Place Vendome. Along with being here comes the tradition to make High Quality Jewellery that will last you for a lifetime, but innovation to improve technique and keep Place Vendome the world’s bets place to find jewellery. We take our place here very seriously and we invite you to make an appointment to come to our showroom and experience the magic of Place Vendome for yourself.
