The name of the quarter where the Place des Vosges is located, Marais, means “a swamp.” Louis IX gave the swampy area to the Knights Templar in the 13th century, but in a century, the land was withdrawn back in favor of the French crown. For a short while, the Hotel des Tournelles stood on the unnamed square. There lived King Henry II and his wife Catherine de’ Medici. Then it was demolished, as the king died there being mortally wounded in one of the knightly tournaments. In place of the palace, the city equestrian market was located here for two centuries. It was Henry IV who gave a new life to the square, ordering to demolish everything and name it Place Royale. Impressed by the Renaissance that swept across Europe, in 1605, the king commissioned a project for the square’s development but did not live to see its completion, being killed by a religious fanatic. His project turned out to be genuinely royal: of a square shape with a side of 140 meters. On the edges, it was built up with 36 houses designed in the same architectural style. Brick-red buildings with gray vertical inserts stood on graceful but solid arches, forming an arcade below for walking in the rain or heat. On the square, there were fountains, flower beds, neat alleys. Louis XIII decided to celebrate his engagement with Anna of Austria, and two of the houses (they stand out with slightly higher garrets) have since been called the Pavilions of the King and the Queen. Cardinal Richelieu settled here in one of the mansions. By his order, a monument to Louis XIII was erected in the center of the square. Louis XIII, in the character of a Roman soldier, sat on an orgulous horse. It was this bronze monument that Robespierre ordered to be melted into a cannon during the French Revolution. A little later, Napoleon deplumed the square of its name, giving it in return a new one, Place des Vosges (the Vosges was the area that financially supported the army in the revolution). The monument to Louis XIII was restored, however, now in marble. Since then, no redesigning has been made. Place des Vosges is one of the most prestigious residential areas in Paris. The ground floors are occupied by exquisite antique shops, art galleries, and expensive restaurants.