Place de la Liberte in Toulon is one of the city’s most majestical squares, and contains the Monument de la Fédération waterfountain.
In many ways, Place de la Liberte is a center for activity in Toulon similarly (albeit on a much smaller scale) to how, say, many New Yorkers like to celebrate major events at Times Square.
The square’s location is within the central areas of upper Toulon, near Toulon opera house, and within city districts designed by Baron Haussmann…
…the same civil servant also responsible for the modern, celebrated version of central Paris.
PHOTO: A view to Monument de la Fédération waterfountain, the main attraction within the square (in addition to the Grand Hotel).
The square was completed, in sync with the expansion of the city, in1852. Originally, the square was called “Place d’Armes“, with the current name taken into use in 1889.
You can enjoy the sights of two excellent architectural highlightswithin the square, one being “Grand Hôtel” and the other “Dames de France“.
Of these, Grand Hôtel building was designed by architect Jacques, and constructed between the years 1868-1869.
The square’s international fame is, however, most closely related to the Monument de la Fédération, a waterfountain designed by the Allar brothers.
The water fountain, completed in 1889, was done just in time for the 100-year anniversary of the start of the French Revolution.
As an artwork, the monument is an idealized representation of the actual journey that was made by the Statue of Liberty, from Toulon to New York, onboard French frigate “Isère“.
(New York’s Statue of Liberty, a gift from the French people to the United States, was shipped from Toulon (packed in 350 parts) on a frigate captained by Lespinasse De Saune, and arrived in New York on June 17th, 1885.)
Place de la Liberté
83000 Toulon, France
Thanks to the fantastic panorama, the cafes and restaurants surrounding the square are among the most popular in Toulon.