"Nancy - the capital of La Lorraine " a Nancy Travel Page by Kristina1701

Is absolutely worth a visit if you're in the area. I was very impressed as well as surprised by the city's extraordinary beauty.

In the heart of the city you'll find the so-called "Place Stanislas" (Stanislas Square) which separated the Old Town and the New Town of Nancy until the middle of the XVIIIth century. Stanislas Leszczinski, former King of Poland, became Duke of Lorraine in 1737 and wanted to establish a square dedicated to honour and glorify the King of France, Louis XV. His architect was Emmanuel Héré. In March 1752 the project was started and in November 1755 the Royal Square was inaugurated. In the centre of this square was a statue, built by Guibal and Cyfflé, representing Louis XV. It disappeared during the revolution. In 1831 a new statue was inaugurated, representing King Stanislas.

All around the square Emmanuel Héré built buildings in the same classical layout, positioned by some colossal random order. In the south it's the "Hôtel de Ville" which adorns Stanislas' weapons and the ones of the city of Nancy. In the east it's the "Grand Hôtel" and the Opera of Nancy and Lorraine, in the west it's the "pavillon Jacquet" and the Museum of Fine Arts. In the north it's the "Basses Fasces" whose height doesn't exceed other buildings' first level, with full arch windows in it.

The grilles designed by Jean Lamour which unite the buildings with each other, as well as the "Fontaine d'Amphitrite and Neptune realized by Barthélémy Guibal, testify, by their form and settings, the vigor of the rocaille art which serves this royal glorification.

NOTE: I translated the previous text from French into English (that's why some of the sentences may sound a bit strange) which was partially very difficult. But thank goodness Pierre (Pierre_Rouss) from Québec helped me with translating the most difficult parts :-) In this way: A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU, PIERRE!!! MERCI BEAUCOUP! I guess without your help I would have given up building this page! :-)