Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Place de l'Odéon, located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, is set in a semi-circle south of the Odéon theatre. Opened in 1779 under the name of Place du Théâtre-Français on the site of the Condé hotel, it successively takes the place names of the Comédie-Française and then of the Odéon in 1807. Five streets radiate symmetrically from its north side, while two lanes, Rotrou and Corneille, frame the theatre to the south. This route reflects rigorous urban planning, typical of the Parisian developments of the late 18th century.

The ground of the square is classified as historical monument by decree of November 24, 1948, recognizing its heritage value. This classification is part of a broader protection: the theatre of the Odéon is classified in 1947, and buildings bordering the square (nos. 1 to 8) are also protected. The square was the scene of significant events, like the arrest of Camille Desmoulins in 1794 during the Revolution, or the clashes of the Three Glories in 1830 between insurgents and royal troops. These episodes illustrate his central role in the political and social history of Paris.

The buildings of the square house emblematic places, such as the restaurant La Méditerranée (No 2), frequented by literary figures such as Louis Aragon, Eugene Ionesco and Jean Cocteau. No. 7 houses the publishing house Le Dilettante, while No. 1 keeps track of the disappeared Vergne bookshop and Café Voltaire. These elements underline the continued cultural importance of the square, linked to both theatre, publishing and Parisian intellectual circles since the 19th century.

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