Place de l'Horloge (Clock Square), Avignon (must see)
Place Pierre-Vauboin is more well known as Clock Square. The buildings around the square form the shape of a half-moon. The half-moon shape was for military defensive reasons. The crescent minimized the chance of ambush.
At its center is the monumental clock which gives the square its name. The clock was started by the then mayor of Lyon, Edouard Herriot in April 1908. The square is possibly the busiest in Avignon. Cafes and restaurants are frequently overflowing. Street artists emerge with their easels around the square.
Patisseries and boulangeries crowd against each other. Cobble stone streets and alleys lead off the Place to Gothic churches, synagogues, bistros, galleries and night clubs.
The Roman forum of Avenio was located where the Clock Square is today. During the 12th and 13th centuries it was known as the Square of the Butchers. This was the place where butchers set up shop on market days. It was partially occupied by the convent of Saint-Laurent, the oldest convent in the city.
At various times work was initiated to expand the Square. Finally in the 18th century the square was enlarged on all sides. The renovations favored symmetrical facades. During the Terror of the Revolution, the guillotine was installed for a few months before being moved to the Palace Square.
The memories here are bittersweet. Today it is one more pleasant place to be.
At its center is the monumental clock which gives the square its name. The clock was started by the then mayor of Lyon, Edouard Herriot in April 1908. The square is possibly the busiest in Avignon. Cafes and restaurants are frequently overflowing. Street artists emerge with their easels around the square.
Patisseries and boulangeries crowd against each other. Cobble stone streets and alleys lead off the Place to Gothic churches, synagogues, bistros, galleries and night clubs.
The Roman forum of Avenio was located where the Clock Square is today. During the 12th and 13th centuries it was known as the Square of the Butchers. This was the place where butchers set up shop on market days. It was partially occupied by the convent of Saint-Laurent, the oldest convent in the city.
At various times work was initiated to expand the Square. Finally in the 18th century the square was enlarged on all sides. The renovations favored symmetrical facades. During the Terror of the Revolution, the guillotine was installed for a few months before being moved to the Palace Square.
The memories here are bittersweet. Today it is one more pleasant place to be.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Avignon. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Place de l'Horloge (Clock Square) on Map
Sight Name: Place de l'Horloge (Clock Square)
Sight Location: Avignon, France (See walking tours in Avignon)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Avignon, France (See walking tours in Avignon)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Avignon, France
Create Your Own Walk in Avignon
Creating your own self-guided walk in Avignon is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Avignon's Architectural Jewels
Centuries of history in Avignon are well seen in the stones of some of France鈥檚 best preserved architectural monuments. The city's architecture may well not be as diverse as elsewhere in the country, but it is really difficult to find another place whose history is just as complicated and dynamic as Avignon's.
Being one of only two cities on earth that can claim to be the... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Being one of only two cities on earth that can claim to be the... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Avignon Introduction Walking Tour
The thing about a wall around a city is to keep unwanted visitors out. But the massive walls encircling Avignon tend to keep visitors in. And the visitors don't mind it. Is this a mystery? Not when one considers what is inside the walls of Avignon. And forget driving. Park the car and walk.
First encounter is the Popes' Palace. This awesome mountain of a palace was built in the 1300s.... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
First encounter is the Popes' Palace. This awesome mountain of a palace was built in the 1300s.... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles