Main squares in Nancy

The 3 main squares in Nancy, listed at the UNESCO World’s Heritage Site. The Place Stanislas is where the hotel sits and the two other squares are a few hundred meters away from the hotel.

We, the Grand Hotel de la Reine, are luckily set right at the heart of these amazing squares.

The place Stanislas

The place de la Carrière

The place d’Alliance

The Place Stanislas

It is sometimes called « the most beautiful square on the world ». The Place Stanislas pleases everyone with its golden gates made by Jean Lamour, its baroque architecture from Emmanuel Héré and its ponds by Barthélémy Guibal. This square is the emblem of Nancy as it’s also located in the
heart of Nancy.

A little bit of history

During the first middle of the XVIII century, Stanislas Leszczinsky, destitute king of Poland, access to the Duchy of Lorraine by chance. Duchy deprived from military and political power, he will spend his kingship taking care of its taste for good art and especially for architecture.

Even though he has the King Title, it is not to his own glory that he erected that place but to his sonin-law, Louis XV. Lorraine was still independent but was going to be tied to France again after Stanislas’ death. His death was the moment where the Treaty that surrendered Lorraine to Stanislas ended up.

His square becomes a political asset to accustom the population to the idea that his history from more than seven centuries will now be written under the French duty. This is why, on the Place Stanislas, you can rather find symbols of French monarchy (lilies, crowns, cockerels,…) than Lorraine ones.

At the beginning, a Louis XV statue was reigning on its centre. Destroyed during the revolution, it was then replaced by a French Allegory, herself even destroyed during the Restoration, and finally replaced by the gigantic Stanislas figure by the end of the XIX century. At first it was called the Royal square, then the Revolution Square, the People Square, Napoleon Square, to finally become our Place Stanislas. And this is how it seems to be staying: under the prosperity of its manufacturer.

Since 1983, the Place Stanislas is the master piece of a combination of three places UNESCO-listed at the World Heritage Sites all closed to each other. Located on the Place Stanislas the hotel will be the closest place to rest during your visit of Nancy. By one side the Old City and its medieval streets with bars and restaurants, on the other side the « New Town » with her Renaissance houses and its shops will make your stay in Nancy unforgettable.

On the Place Stanislas you will not only find cafés and restaurants but also the Beaux Arts museum, one of the oldest national museum, the National Opera and, as formerly said, the Grand Hotel de la Reine set in the Stanislas Intendant’s Place.

To read more about Nancy History the book « Le Grand Hotel de la Reine au Coeur de l’histoire » is on sale at the front desk of this hotel. (in French Version only).

The Place de la Carrière

From the three classified on the UNESCO World’s Heritage, the Place de la Carrière is the oldest one.

A little bit of history

It is located at the North of the Place Stanislas and creates an extension with the place.

Its origin comes back to XVI century, during the extension of the medieval city. The nobles had their hotels built on the Place de la Carrière and they also had horse-races, which is the reason why the square is called « Carrière » as it comes from an old French expression related to horse riding.

The oldest building is the hotel Beauvon-Craon, built by the architect Germain Boffrand for the Duchy Leopold at the very early XVIII century. This building will be then used as a model for Boffrand’s student: Emmanuel Héré.

Today throne here a more modest but achieved palace, circled by two hemicycles : at East an opening on the Pépinière Park, at West it allows an access to the Old City. All around Nancy, the front of the houses and building have been redone by Emmanuel Héré so that the city would be in a better harmony all together.

Every year in September, la Carrière welcomes the first literary exhibition « le Livre sur la Place » (“the Book on the Square”). And every winter, for the Saint Nicholas and Christmas festivity, the large wheel offers a breathtaking view on the historical city and brings joy to children and adults.

To read more about the history of Nancy the book « Le Grand Hôtel de la Reine au coeur de l’histoire » is on sale at the front desk of the hotel, in French Version only.

The Place d’Alliance

A bit farer, way more discreet as well, it is the little sister of the Place Stanislas.

A little bit of history

Way before Stanislas arrival in Lorraine, at the beginning of the XVIII century, Francois III, Duchy of Lorraine and Bar, deeply fall in love with the Austrian archduchess Marie-Thérèse, but France puts all of its political weight in order to prevent this marriage from happening.

Hundred kilometres away from here, a War of Succession is happening in Poland, confronting August III and a King formerly deposed, father-in-law of Louis XV : Our Stanislas Leszczinsky.

What could at first seem irrelevant will be then linked with the France will to annex Lorraine since at least a century. To end wars and give back Stanislas a title, we promise him the Lorraine, which at his death will have to be embed to the French Realm. In exchange, we promise Francois III, the
Toscane archduchy that in addition to his possibility to get married with the one he loved, the Emperor title of the Saint Empire. Money and military dissuasive measures will put an end to hesitation.

But, why on earth would we come back so far in time while the Place d’Alliance was built after the two other squares quoted above?

Stanislas wished to dedicate that square to his Saint, hence it is said to be a “Place Saint Stanislas” that we were about to name when the construction began inn 1751. If it was still named Place Saint Stanislas, we would maybe not have named her big sister “Place Stanislas” at the XIX century in fear of confusion. But the political events will give the square a new goal and thus another name.

At the XVIII century, France seems to have always been Austria enemy. However, a big upheaval happens during the middle of the century as both countries ally against Great Britain and against Prussia which was before allied with France. This is what is called “Reversal of Alliances”. For
Lorraine, at this time still independent it exposes to a major symbolical importance: this is the union of their former sovereign Francois and their next sovereign Louis XV. To mark the event, we change the plans: the pond that was supposed to be on the Palace of the honour court of the Carrière will be set on the new square, not named yet. We change the inscriptions for the occasion and we celebrate the new Alliance.

To learn more about the History of Nancy, read “Le Grand Hôtel de la Reine au coeur de l’Histoire” is on sale at the front desk of the hotel. (French Version only).